The Major Air Commands and Commanders

Here is some information on the major air commands and commanders on both sides during the Crusader period

Axis

Italian

• Superaereo (Rome) – General Pricoli (from end of November General Fougier) – High command of Italian air force
• Air Command Sicily – Attacks on Malta, shipping protection
• Air Command Aegean- Shipping protection, shipping attacks, reconnaissance
• 5th Air Squadron (Castel Benito outside Tripoli) – High command of Italian air force in North Africa
• Sector West (Castel Benito) – Convoy protection, air defense
• Sector Centre (Bengasi) – Convoy protection, air defense
• Sector East (Derna) – Close support of ground operations

German

• X. Fliegerkorps (Athens) – Escort of convoys, reconnaissance, attack of enemy shipping, air offensive against Egypt
• Fliegerführer Afrika (Derna) – Colonel Fröhlich – Close support of ground operations in Africa, escort of convoys, reconnaissance
• From December 41: Luftflotte 2 (Frascati?) – Field Marshal Kesselring – High Command for the Luftwaffe in the Mediterranean
• II. Fliegerkorps (Sicily) – Suppression of Malta

Commonwealth

• RAF Middle East Command (Cairo) – Air Marshal Arthur Tedder – High command of RAF in eastern Mediterranean
• No. 204 Group (from 21 Oct. Desert Air Force) – Air Marshal Arthur Coningham – Ground support, air superiority battle in North Africa
• RAF Mediterranean (La Valletta, Malta – from 26 December AHQ Malta) – Air Vice-Marshal Hugh Loyd – Reconnaissance, shipping attacks, shipping protection