Finnland) around Rovaniemi, to co-ordinate German air activity on the northern front and Operation Silberfuchs. In June 1942 Ff Nord was divided into three separate commands; Ff Nord West ("North (West)"), organized from Trondheim; Ff Lofoten operating from the Lofoten Islands against Allied convoys to Murmansk and the Soviet arctic ports; and Ff Nord Ost ("North (East)"), supporting Army operations against Murmansk and the northern front. In the summer of 1942 Ff Lofoten was reinforced with two bomber groups formed specifically for maritime operations. In 1944 these formations were reorganized again; Nord Ost became, briefly Ff Eismeer before becoming Ff 3; Nord West became Ff 4; and Lofoten became Ff 5. On the ground LgK Norwegen became Kommandierende General der Luftwaffe (K.G.) in Norwegen, covering ground and air formations in Norway, while LgK Finnland became K.G. Finnland, with a similar remit in Finland and, later, northern Norway. As the war progressed however these organizations became increasingly irrelevant as German forces were forced to retreat and their air strength diminished. By the end of World War II they existed largely on paper. Commanding officers Generalfeldmarschall Erhard Milch, 12 April 1940 – 9 May 1940 Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen Stumpff, 10 May 1940 – 27 November 1943 General Josef Kammhuber, 27 November 1943 – 16 September 1944 Subordinated units References Notes German Air Fleets in World War II Military units and formations established in 1940 Military units and formations disestablished in 1944