| Abschuss | Air Victory |
| Adjutant | Aide-de-Camp; a position rather than a rank |
| Alarmstart | Scramble |
| Aufklärungsflieger | Reconnaissance Pilot |
| Balkenkreuz | National indentification cross  |
| Blitz | "Lightning" |
| Blitzkrieg | "Lightning War" |
| Einsatzchef | Head of Operations |
| Einsatzkommando | Operations Unit |
| Ergaenzungsgruppe (ErgGr) | Training group (ErgSt) |
| Ergaenzungsstaffel (ErgSt) | Training squadron |
| Erprobungsstelle | Testing center |
| Erprobungskommando | Operational test unit |
| Experte | A fighter pilot proficient in aerial combat |
| Flak | Abbreviation Fliegerabwehrkanone; anti-aircraft gun |
| Fliegerdivision (FD) | Air Division |
| Fliegerfuehrer | Aircraft Commander |
| Fliegerkorps (FK) | Air Corps, contains several Fliegerdivisionen |
| Flugzeug | Aircraft |
| Flugzeugbau | Aircraft Factory |
| Flugzeugfuehrer | Pilot |
| Freie Jagd | "Free Hunt", a fighter sweep |
| Gefecht | Battle, combat |
| Gefechtsstand | Combat Headquarters |
| Gefechtsverband | Airborne Battle Group |
| General der Jagdflieger | General of the Fighter Arm; a position rather than a rank |
| Generalluftzeugmeister | Chief of Aircraft Procurement and Supply |
| Geschwader | Wing - the largest Luftwaffe flying unit |
| Geschwaderkommodore | Wing Commander |
| Gruppe (Gr) | Group, basic Luftwaffe command unit (pl. Gruppen) |
| Gruppenkommandeur | Group Commander |
| Horrido | Pilots' cry of victory. St. Horridus was patron saint of fighter pilots. |
| Jabo | Abbreviation of Jagdbomber, fighter-bomber |
| Jabostaffel | Fighter-Bomber Squadron |
| Jäger | Fighter |
| Jagddivision (JD) | Fighter Division |
| Jagdflieger | Fighter Pilot |
| Jagdführer (Jafu) | Area Fighter commander, usually covered several JGs |
| Jagdgeschwader (JG) | Fighter Wing, containing three or four Gruppen |
| Jagdgruppe (JGr) | Fighter Group; containing three or four Staffeln |
| Jagdkorps (JK) | Fighter Corps |
| Jagdstaffel | Fighter Squadron |
| Jagdverband (JV) | Fighter Unit - Term was only used by JV44 |
| Jagdwaffe | Fighter arm of the Luftwaffe |
| Jasta | Abbreviation Jagdstaffel |
| Kampfgeschwader (KG) | Bomber Wing |
| Kampfgruppe(KGr) | Bomber Group |
| Kampfgruppe-Jaeger (KGj) | Bomber Group converted to fighter operations |
| Katschmarek | A Wingman (slang) |
| Kette | Flight of three aircraft. |
| Kettenkrad | Semi-tracked tow vehicle |
| Kommandeur | "Commander", a position rather than a rank. |
| Kommodore | "Commodore", a position rather than a rank. |
| Lehrgeschwader | operational training wing |
| Luftflotte (Lfl) | "Air Fleet" equivilant to a numbered American Air Force unit. |
| Luftwaffe | German Air Force. |
| Luftwaffenkommando (Lkdo) | German Air Force Command |
| Nachtjagdgeschwader (NJG) | Nightfighter Wing. |
| Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL) | High Command of the Luftwaffe |
| Platzschutzschwarm | Airfield defense flight |
| Pulk | Heavy bomber formation (slang) |
| Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) | Ministry of Aviation, responsible for specification & design |
| Reichsverteidigung (RVT) | "Air defense of the Reich", home defense |
| Revi | Reflecting Gunsight, abbreviation of Reflexvisier |
| Ritterkreuz | Knight's Cross |
| Rotte | Tactical element of two aircraft |
| Rottenflieger | Wingman in a rotte |
| Rottenführer | Leader of of a rotte |
| Schlachtflieger | Ground attack pilot(s) |
| Schlachtgeschwader (SG) | Ground Attack Wing |
| Schnelleskampfgeschwader (SKG) | Fast Bomber Wing |
| Schwarm | Tactical element of 4 aircraft (two rotten) - basic Luftwaffe formation |
| Schwarmführer | Flight Leader |
| Schutzstaffel (SS) | Literally "Protection Squad", the feared independent arm of the army |
| Stab | Staff |
| Stabsschwarm | Staff flight. |
| Staffel | Squadron (pl. Staffeln). |
| Staffelkapitän | Squadron Commander |
| Stuka | Dive Bomber - abbriviation of Sturzkampfflugzeug |
| Stukageschwader (StG) | Dive Bomber Wing |
| Technischer Offizier | Technical Officer; a position rather than rank. |
| Versuch (V) | Test, Prototype - Aircraft were designated V# |
| Wehrmacht | German Army |
| Werk-Nummer (Wk. Nr.) | "Works Number", factory serial number |
| Würger-Staffel | Name given to base defense unit of JV44. Name literally means "butcher-bird squadron" |
| Zerstörer | "Destroyer", term used for twin-engined fighters |
| Zerstörergeschwader (ZG) | Destroyer Wing |