The X Fliegerkorps was formed in October 1939 from 10. Flieger-Division and was disbanded in September 1944.

On 19 February 1940 the destroyers Z-1 Leberecht Maass, Z-3 Max Schultz, Z-4 Richard Beitzen, Z-6 Theodor Riedel, Z-13 Erich Koellner and Z-16 Friedrich Eckoldt from the 1. Zerstörerflottille sortied into the North Sea in response to suspicious activities from British vessels at the Dogger Bank (Operation Wikinger) without the requested fighter cover.
A Heinkel He 111 from X Fliegerkorps on an anti-shipping operation passed the ships without giving any recognition signals so it was assumed to be a British aircraft and the ships opened fire, in return the aircraft assumed that the ships were British and attacked, sinking the Z-1 Leberecht Maass. The other destroyers attempted to rescue the crew and the Z-3 Max Schultz soon exploded and sank, probably after hitting a mine. A total of 578 German sailors was killed in this "friendly fire" incident due to lack of communication between the Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe.

Commanders

General der Flieger Hans Geisler (2 Oct 1939 - 3 June 1940)
General der Flieger Bernhard Kühl (3 June 1940 - 20 Sep 1940)
General der Flieger Hans Geisler (20 Sep 1940 - 31 Aug 1942)
General der Flieger Otto Hoffmann von Waldau (31 Aug 1942 - 31 Dec 1942)
Generalleutnant Alexander Holle (31 Dec 1942 - 22 May 1943)
General der Flieger Martin Fiebig (22 May 1943 - 1 Sep 1944)

Order of Battle (June 1941)

Aufklärungsgruppe 14
Aufklärungsgruppe 121
Aufklärungsgruppe 122
Aufklärungsgruppe 123
Jagdgeschwader 27
Kampfgeschwader 26
Kampfgeschwader 30
Kampfgeschwader zbV 1
Kampfgeschwader zbV 172
Kampfgruppe zbV 9
Küstenfliegergruppe 506
Lehrgeschwader 1
Seeaufklärungsgruppe 126
Sturzkampfgeschwader 1
Sturzkampfgeschwader 3
Zerstörergeschwader 26

Notable members

Walter Lehweß-Litzmann (the highest ranking Luftwaffe officer in the Soviet-sponsored Nationalkomitee Freies Deutschland, post-war Oberst in the Nationale Volksarmee)

Sources used

Research by Gareth Collins
Cajus Bekker - Hitler's Naval War
Bundesstiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur - Wer war wer in der DDR?  Ein Lexikon ostdeutscher Biographien

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -