First Line Strength of Luftwaffe units.
Date German Quartermaster-General A.I. 3(b) Comments
2 September 1939 3467 - Until the end of March 1941, A.I.3(b)

estimates were based on establishments,
i.e. 12 aircraft per Staffel

30 September 1939 3628 4320
December 1940 4034 4440
March 1940 4542 5000
June 1940 4070 5405
September 1940 3888 5710
December 1940 3995 5710
March 1941 4508 5710
June 1941 4322 4540 As the results of the findings of the

Singleton Enquiry A.I.3(b) estimates
were reckoned from April 1941 onwards
on the basis of Initial Equipment only
(9 aircraft per Staffel initially,
increasing later to 12 and 15)

September 1941 4356 4540
December 1941 4152 4500
March 1942 4234 4330
June 1942 4789 4670
September 1942 4687 4740
December 1942 3954 4440
March 1943 5308 4685
June 1943 5986 5200
September 1943 5118 5205
December 1943 5582 5565
March 1944 5604 5615
June 1944 5436 4980 From the end of June 1944 onwards,

A.I.3(b) estimates were reckoned on
the basis of Actual Strength. German
figures obtained from German
Chief of Air Staff records

September 1944 5728 5140
December 1944 5698 5000
April 1945 3515 3670

Designations

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RAF A.I. 3(b) was the office of the RAF that was responsible for covering the operational state of foreign air forces. During World War II, it focused exclusively on the Luftwaffe. [1]

  1. ^ John Stubbington (2010). Kept in the Dark: The Denial to Bomber Command of Vital ULTRA and Other Intelligence Information During World War II. Pen & Sword Aviation. p. 199. Retrieved 22 March 2019.