Austrian Air Force (1927–1938)


The Austrian Air Force of the interwar period began as a paramilitary organisation and was secretly built up by the government before union with Germany.

History

In 1919 the peace treaty meant the Republic of Austria was forbidden to operate military aircraft.
In 1927 the paramilitary Heimwehr organisation set up an air corps using Austrian, British and Italian aircraft. Its emblem was a red-white-red flag, with a white eagle on a green circle at its centre.
In 1928 the Bundesheer began secretly training pilots. In further consequence a technical infrastructure was created and aircraft ordered from Italy. In August 1933 the first military aeroplanes ordered by the republic were supplied. The Bundesheer began secretly equipping flying clubs in Vienna-Aspern and Graz-Thalerhof with Italian-built aircraft.
In 1936, flight engineer Rosner from the Graz-Thalerhof base won the competition for designing a new national emblem, which was introduced in the same year. The white, equilateral triangle with the point facing downwards in a red disc was a completely new design and had no prior basis.
The airmens' barracks at Aspern were the only new barracks built in Vienna between the wars. The Austrian government planned the establishment of an air base in the Tulln Basin, however this plan was realised only by the German armed forces. The uniform departed from all traditions and followed the international model: Grey jacket with four buttons as well as rocker emblem on the chest, and soft garrison caps more reminiscent of British models.

Order of battle

Fliegerregiment Nr. 1

The regiment was set up 1934 and had its location in Vienna.
Commander
Units
The regiment was set up 1934 and had its location in Graz.
Commanders
Units
Fliegerregiment Nr. 1
Fliegerregiment Nr. 2
Of the 45 Fiat CR.32 originally procured, 36 were still in service in 1938 and after the Anschluss were handed over by Germany to their Hungarian allies.
The CR20 and CR32 were in their time very modern combat aircraft, however were obsolete by 1938. Their type designation "CR" stood for Caccia and the name of the technical designer Rosatelli. "A" in the type designation Fiat A120 stands for the aircraft section of the Ansaldo company, taken over by Fiat in 1926.