The National Socialist Flyers Corps (; NSFK) was a paramilitary aviation organization of the Nazi Party.
History
NSFK was founded 15 April 1937 as a successor to the German Air Sports Association; the latter had been active during the years when a German air force was forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles. The NSFK organization was based closely on the para-military organization of the Sturmabteilung (SA). A similar group was the National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK). During the early years of its existence, the NSFK conducted military aviation training in gliders and private airplanes.
Leadership
Friedrich Christiansen, originally a Generalleutnant then later a Luftwaffe General der Flieger, was NSFK Korpsführer from 15 April 1937 until 26 June 1943, followed by Generaloberst Alfred Keller until 8 May 1945. Hermann Goering as Reich Marshal was nominal head of the NSFK and was occasionally consulted on issues surrounding heavy transport, as at the Battle of Stalingrad.
Ranks, uniforms and other insignia
The paramilitary rank system was in use by the NSFK between the years of 1933 and 1945. The ranks were designed after paramilitary rank titles of the Sturmabteilung. Most ranks of the NSFK were also used by the National Socialist Motor Corps which maintained its own paramilitary rank system.
As with most Nazi paramilitary groups, rank patches were worn on a single collar opposite a badge of unit membership. The exception was for the ranks Standartenführer and above which displayed rank insignia on both collars.
Rank insignia
As of 1937, the final rank pattern of the National Socialist Flyer Corps was as follows:
{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! colspan=2| Insignia
! rowspan=2| NSFK Rank
! rowspan=2| Translation
! rowspan=2| Luftwaffe equivalent
|-
! Collar
! Shoulder
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| 100px
| Korpsführer
| Corps Leader
| Generalfeldmarschall
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| rowspan=5| 100px
| Ehrenführer
| Honorary Leader
| Generaloberst
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| Obergruppenführer
| Senior Group Leader
| General
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| Gruppenführer
| Group Leader
| Generalleutnant
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| Brigadeführer
| Brigade Leader
| Generalmajor
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| Oberführer
| Senior Leader
| Oberst
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| rowspan=3|
| Standartenführer
| Regiment Leader
| Oberst
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| Obersturmbannführer
| Senior Assault Unit Leader
| Oberstleutnant
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| Sturmbannführer
| Assault Unit Leader
| Major
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| rowspan=3| 100px
| Hauptsturmführer
| Chief Assault Leader
| Hauptmann
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| Obersturmführer
| Senior Assault Leader
| Oberleutnant
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 25px
| Untersturmführer
| Junior Assault Leader
| Leutnant
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 75px
| rowspan=8| 100px
| Obertruppführer
| Senior Troop Leader
| Stabsfeldwebel
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 75px
| Truppführer
| Troop Leader
| Hauptfeldwebel
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 75px
| Oberscharführer
| Senior Squad Leader
| Oberfeldwebel
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 75px
| Scharführer
| Squad Leader
| Unteroffizier
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 75px
| Rottenführer
| Section Leader
| Obergefreiter
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 75px
| Sturmmann
| Storm Trooper
| Gefreiter
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 75px
| Mann
| Trooper
| Flieger
|- style="text-align:center;"
| None
| Anwärter
| Candidate
| None
|}
Uniforms
<gallery mode=nolines heights=170>
Organisationsbuc00nati 0 orig 0711 ORGANISATIONSBUCH DER NSDAP 1943 Tafel 70 Das Nationalsozialistische Fliegerkorps NSFK. Standarte Sturmfahne Public domain CROPPED.jpg
Organisationsbuc00nati 0 orig 0712 ORGANISATIONSBUCH DER NSDAP 1943 Tafel 71 Das Nationalsozialistische Fliegerkorps NSFK. Rottenführer im grosse Dienstanzug, Standartenführer im kleinen Dienstanzug Public domain CROPPED.jpg
Organisationsbuc00nati 0 orig 0713 ORGANISATIONSBUCH DER NSDAP 1943 Tafel 72 Das Nationalsozialistische Fliegerkorps NSFK. Standartenführer im Ausgehanzug, Sturmbannführer im Abendanzug Public domain CROPPED.jpg
Organisationsbuc00nati 0 orig 0714 ORGANISATIONSBUCH DER NSDAP 1943 Tafel 73 Das Nationalsozialistische Fliegerkorps NSFK. Dienstgradabzeichen (Kragenspiegeln u. Schulterklappen) etc. Public domain CROPPED.jpg
</gallery>
Source:
Rank flags
<gallery class="center">
File:Standarte Korpsführer NSFK.svg|NSFK Korpsführer
File:Standarte Stabsführer NSFK.svg|NSFK Stabsführer
File:Standarte Gruppenführer NSFK.svg|NSFK Gruppenführer
File:Standarte Standartenführer NSFK.svg| NSFK Standartenführer
File:Wimpel Sturmangehörige NSFK.svg|NSFK Sturmangehörige
File:Wimpel Sturmführer NSFK.svg|NSFK Sturmführer
File:NSFK.jpg|NSFK Standarte
File:NSFK Wimpel Fördernde Mitglieder.svg|NSFK Vehicle pennant
File:NSFK white vehicle pennant.png|NSFK White vehicle pennant
File:NSFK blue vehicle pennant.png|NSFK Blue vehicle pennant
</gallery>
Source:
NSFK badges
- The Free Balloon Pilot Badge (Das Abzeichen für Freiballonführer). This was authorized on 10 March 1938 by NSFK Korpsführer, Christiansen.
- The Motor Aircraft Pilot Badge (Das Abzeichen für Motorflugzeugführer). This was authorized on 12 July 1938 by Christiansen.
- The Large Glider Flyer Badge (Das Große Segelfliegerabzeichen). This was authorized on 26 January 1942 by Christiansen.