Luftwaffe Ranks

Grade	Abbreviation	German Luftwaffe	US Army Air Forces Equivalent [Note 1]
General Ranks
-	RM	Reichsmarschall [Note 2]	(lit.: "Marshal of the Reich")
G5	Gen Feldm	Generalfeldmarschall	General of the Air Force
G4	Gen Ob	Generaloberst	General
G3	Gen d Fl Gen d Flak Gen d Fs Gen d Ln	General der Flieger General der Flakartillerie General der Fallschirmjäger General der Luftnachrichtentruppen	Lieutenant General (Aviation Troops) Lieutenant General (Antiaircraft Artillery Troops) Lieutenant General (Parachute Troops) Lieutenant General (Air Force Signal Troops)
G2	Gen Lt Gen Lt (Ing.) Lt Fl Ch Ing Fl Gen Stb Ing	Generalleutnant Generalleutnant (Ing.) (from 01.11.1940) Leitender Flieger-Chefingenieur (1935–1940) Flieger-Generalstabsingenieur (1940 only)	Major General Major General of the Technical Services " "
G1	Gen Maj Gen Maj (Ing.) Fl Ch Ing Fl Gen Ing	Generalmajor Generalmajor (Ing.) (from 01.11.1940) Flieger-Chefingenieur (1935–1940) Flieger-Generalingenieur (1940 only)	Brigadier General Brigadier General of the Technical Services " "
Officer Ranks
O7	Ob, Obst Obst (Ing.) Fl Hpt Ing Fl Obst Ing	Oberst Oberst (Ing.) (from 01.11.1940) Flieger-Hauptstabsingenieur (1935–1940) Flieger-Oberstingenieur (1940 only)	Colonel Colonel of the Technical Services " "
O6	Obstlt, Oberstlt Oberstlt (Ing.) Fl Hpt Stbs Ing	Oberstleutnant Oberstleutnant (Ing.) (from 01.11.1940) Flieger-Hauptstabsingenieur (1935–1940)	Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant Colonel of the Technical Services "
O5	Maj Maj (Ing.) Fl Stb Ing	Major Major (Ing.) (from 01.11.1940) Flieger-Stabsingenieur (1935–1940)	Major Major of the Technical Services "
O4	Hptm Hptm (Ing.) Hpt Ing	Hauptmann Hauptmann (Ing.) (from 01.11.1940) Hauptingenieur (1935–1940)	Captain Captain of the Technical Services "
O3	Oblt Oblt (Ing.) Fl Ob Ing	Oberleutnant Oberleutnant (Ing.) (from 01.11.1940) Flieger-Oberingenieur (1935–1940)	First Lieutenant First Lieutenant of the Technical Services "
O2	Lt Lt (Ing.) Fl Ing	Leutnant Leutnant (Ing.) (from 01.11.1940) Flieger-Ingenieur (1935–1940)	Second Lieutenant Second Lieutenant of the Technical Services "
O1		Fahnenjunker/Fähnrich	Warrant Officer
NOTES: [1] The US Army Air Forces general ranks indicated here should be seen more as an indication of hierarchy more than equivalency. [2] The rank of "Reichsmarschall" was especially created for Göring , and was in reality a political rank. It had no real equivalent in other military forces. Weather flights could be commanded by specialized officials (Beamte) with the rank of Administrative Advisor (Regierungsrat, abbreviated to Reg Rat) of the Metreological Service (Wetterdienst), of the Luftwaffe, which was equivalent to a Luftwaffe Major. In addition to Regular Army Officers, there where Reserve Officers denoted by the suffix d.R. (der Reserve), and Officers for the duration of the war denoted by the suffix a.K. (auf Kriegsdauer).