WL Luftwaffe Uniforms and Insignia

[Fritz]

 

Hermann Göring:  "Alles was fliegt, gehört mir!"

Göring, an original Uniform (internet photo)

M. 35 helmet with 1st pattern Luftwaffe insignia. Helmet has suffered wear and storage, light corrosion, excessive dampness, chinstrap missing, liner was probably originally light tan, split at seam and one further split due to shrinkage.  Marked ET62 and batch number 3762, no further markings.

Finally, a close-up of the Lufwaffe eagle 1st type. As  mentioned, it is stamped ET62  and with serial number 3762, definitely an early example

A close-up of the national colours, black-white-red

and the neck guard with the number 3762

The liner before cleaning and slight restoration

Peaked cap for flying branch and paratroops. Form not quite in keeping with regulations, but popular and tolerated. Mid to late war, top is of bluegrey "doeskin", a few moth nips, upper has also some "grazing". Artificial leather chinstrap with correct buttons and peak with hemmed edge, light gold coloured rayon lining and artificial leather sweatband, no markings. Insignia is of zink.

A peaked cap for Luftwaffe signals units. Top is of bluegrey whipcord-gabardine, piped in signals brown. All aluminium insignia of superb quality, patent leather chinstrap with some congealing and age, bound artificial leather peak with green underlay, russet brown cotton lining with maker's details, dated 1939  and size stamp: G.A. Hoffmann, Berlin W.29, a renowned maker. Sweatband of papp-mâché to be repaired.

 

Generalfeldmarschall Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen

[Fritz]

Luftwaffe sidecap (Schiffchen/Fliegermütze) for other ranks and n.c.o. ranks, stamped LBA Berlin 1939

Luftwaffe officer sidecap, fine material, normal woven emblems, which was common practice, (these were more suitable for everyday wear and more durable than the silver bullion types), simple size stamp in liner, hardly worn.

Luftwaffe M.43 type cap, slightly different to the usual examples, this has a slightly shorter, more rounded peak, the flap at the front has only 1 large (19mm) button, instead of the two smaller buttons. Grey cotton liner with head size stamp 57, otherwise no markings, possibly unissued, unworn. The standard 1943/44 types usually had a silky bluegrey rayon lining. Purchased in E.Berlin, 2003. Machine-stitched eagle,  cockade is half hidden under the flap.
N.B.: The swastika has been unstitched and cut off at the feet - entnazifiziert, either at the end of the war, or a later date, otherwise a very nice example.

A further example / variation with one-piece machine-woven insignia and two flap buttons, the cap has a wire stiffener under the top, grey lining without any markings.

Another M.43 cap, of lightweight, flimsy gabardine, hand stitched insignia, possibly post-war re-applied. Light grey rayon liner with no markings, small size.

An example of a Luftwaffe Flieger-Bluse as opposed to the fourpocket type dress tunic. The flight blouse was worn for all round duties. This example dates from late 1940 till about 1943, and has a bluegrey type drillcloth lining. Later examples were often lined with a light grey rayon material. Makers mark and other stamping is relatively illegible, and the tunic shows otherwise light wear, some wartime workshop repairs, and the shoulder pieces have been moved further towards the front of the tunic, the cloth loops are original, but have also been moved, for some reason. All other insignia is period applied, machine-stitched eagle of 2nd pattern, also collar tresse and patches. The shoulder pieces are of a later date, as the wearer has been upranked at some stage. The rank is for an Unteroffizier. There are loops on the left side for a flight clasp and presumably an Iron Cross 1st class. There is an EK ribbon on the front of the tunic, and two cloth badges, hand applied for a glider pilot and a pilot. The pilot's badge is noticeably of a later type, and the eagle is woven in a darkish bluegrey. It is unknown if this was a fighter or bomber pilot, as the other decorations had been removed.
Shown here with the button-in collar liner, however, the internal collar buttons have been removed at some stage. The tunic could also be worn with a shirt and tie, as required.

Luftwaffe und DLV, Segelfliegerabzeichen C, some wear to aluminium silver bullion

A Fliegerbluse or Flakbluse as worn by Luftwaffe Flak Regiments. This example was made well after 1940 and has seen a lot of moderate wear, napp of cloth worn on some highpoints, such as hip pocket flaps, etc. a few smaller moth holes in places. Collar patches are in red with three gulls for an Obergefreiter, on left upper arm, two silver tresse chevrons to match.
Breast eagle of 2nd pattern with original stitching, the red piped shoulder straps of slipin variety. The two original belt hooks are still in place. There is one set of vertical loops to lower left breast, presumably for a Flakartillery badge, no longer present. The inside is half lined with a bluegrey cotton twill lining with dressing pocket to front right corner. Inside are makers and size stampings, somewhat faded, but looks like a Cologne manufacturer.

 

[Fritz]

Luftwaffe cap eagle for other ranks, 1st pattern (1935)

A set of second pattern standard insignia for the peaked cap for NCOs and other ranks. Eagle is of iron/steel, a variation probably made for the removable white top of the summer caps. Seldom found in this varation.
Cockade of mid to late war manufacture made of zink.

A set of shoulder straps for an Unterfeldwebel (flight) with a Luftkriegsschule (School of Aerial Warfare). The shoulder straps are of mid to late war period and have probably been made in a tailoring section of a base workshop, produced from various scraps of uniform cloth. The monogram KS indicates "Kriegsschule". Other ranks shoulder straps had a monogram in coloured embroidery, for the officers in gilded metal.
Oberfeldwebel Walter Neusüß was attached to Luftkriegsschule 7, Langenlebarn from May 1942 till beginning of April 1945, when the school was dissolved.

Early first pattern Luftwaffe breast eagle, quality private purchase variation.

This is an identity disc in aluminium, early type for personnel of Schüler-Kompanie, Flugzeugführerschule A/B 112, which was based at Luftkriegschule 7 in Langenlebarn until October 1940, till it moved to, I think, Neubiberg. Later Flugzeugführerschule A/B 114 took it's place at nearby Zwölfaxing. This is quite a rare example of it's kind, although made of metal, can be considered as a document.
Oberfeldwebel Walter Neusüß was based at the Luftkriegsschule in Langenlebarn, but after this school was transferred to Ingolstadt.

A set of matching insignia for a Hauptmann of the Luftwaffe, flying branch, aircraft personnel and paratroops. Shoulder straps are stitch into the shoulder variety and have been removed from a tunic at some time.

 A group of insignia for a tunic or flight blouse of an Oberleutnant of the Flying Branch of the Luftwaffe.. The collar patches have the usual silver embroidered oakleaves and the silver corded edge, in this case with two gulls for an Oberleutnant. The shoulder pieces are of the button in variety with a lash on the back, they have one gilt pip for the rank of Oberleutnant (or first lieutenant). The breast eagle is of the 2nd pattern as from around 1938 and is silver hand-embrodered in aluminium wired thread. In additiion to this, is the aluminium pin-back breast eagle for the white summer tunic, also second pattern. These were also sometimes worn in North Africa on the sand coloured drill tunic for officers. This example has no makers mark.

Effekts for a Leutnant, Fliegertruppe. Still with their sparkling finish

An example of Luftwaffe collar patches for a greatcoat, as worn by an Oberfeldwebel of flight section. The patches were the same as worn on the flight blouse and fourpocket tunic, with the addition of a narrow silver Tresse on the bottom and outside edge of each patch, as on the greatcoat collar no Tresse was worn. The four wings represent the rank of Oberfeldwebel. Unlike the army, the Luftwaffe wore rank collar patches on the greatcoat, at least until about 1943 or 1944, when they were often omitted. The examples shown are of a very good pre or early war quality, and are in almost immaculate condition for their age. They can be considered as rare nowadays.

A pair of collar patches and shoulder straps for an Oberfeldwebel (senior sergeant) of the Luftwaffe with golden yellow Waffenfarbe for flight branch or Fliegendes Personal (Also for Flugzeugpersonal). The shoulder straps have the underlying attachments for slipping on to the flight blouse. The rank pips indicate that the wearer was promoted from Feldwebel to Oberfeldwebel, the underlying pips are of Aluminium, those above are of Zink.
The collar patches are slightly missmatched and show quite a long period of wear, all original cotton stitching to edges remaining. Some of the gulls have slight traces of oxidation and grime. An Oberfeldwebel was entitled to wear the officers dagger with Portépée.

Kampfgeschwader General Wever 4
Cuff Band
May 2016 acquired, a Luftwaffe other ranks cuff band for members of Kampfgeschwader General Wever 4.
Item is in very good, only lightly worn condition, unshortened, still with some stitching to ends. This was probably only worn by Stammpersonal of the squadron. During the course of the war much other personal was transferred as replacements to the squadron, but I believe they were not entitled to wear the cuffband. Walter Neusüss served in this squadron from July 1940 till end of 1941, and as far as I can see from all the photos, he never wore this cuffband.
The squadron was named after General Walter Wever, who was killed in an accident on 3rd June 1936, when the plane he was travelling in, a He 70 Blitz, crashed on the runway during a start. The squadron was formed in Gotha in 1935 as Kampfgeschwader 253, with three Gruppen, I./253 in Gotha, II./263 in Erfurt and III./253 in Nordhausen. As from the 8th June on the orders of Generaloberst Göring, the cuffband was to be worn by all members of the squadron, above the right cuff. The Wever family emblem with the motto nunquam retrorsum decorated the front sides of the aircraft as from that date. In 1939 the squadron was redesignated Kampfgeschwader 4, the same bases being maintained. The squadron used only He 111 of the various types, later also with a torpedo group, and saw action in almost every theater of war.
More information can be found under lexikon der wehrmacht and wikipedia.
Depicted is also the squadron's crest, painted on the front sides of the aircraft
Kampfgeschwader 4 was one of the eleven Traditionsgeschwader of the Luftwaffe, each of which had it's own cuffband.

Recommended literature:
Kampfgeschwader General Wever 4 by Karl Gundelach, Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1978. German text. Can be found under Amazon, etc. Karl Gundelach served with the squadron.

Grave for an officer of KG 4, Invalidenfriedhof Berlin

[Fritz]

 

Collar patches for greatcoat for a Feldwebel, later Oberfeldwebel of Luftnachrichtendienst. Wings missing.

Feldwebel an der Ln Nachrichtenschule, Halle an der Saale

Collar patches and shoulder pieces for a Gefreiter (Corporal) of Luftnachrichten and trade patch for Flugmeldedienst (Air Warning Service) Waffenfarbe is light brown.

Luftwaffe Administration Official - Verwaltungsbeamter
Collar patches for an administration officer/official Verwaltungsbeamter with equivalent rank of Oberleutnant.
The administration ranks had different titles to the military. In this case probably, Verwaltungs-Inspektor.
The collar patches are fine dark green material with oakleaves for officer grade and two triangular shaped rank pips in place of the usual gulls. The shoulder straps were as officers with a dark green backing and a secondary piping colour, usually red, orange, pink, light brown, etc. depending on the branch of administration. The uniform was otherwise identical to that of other Luftwaffe officers.

 

[Fritz]

 

Luftwaffe Trade Badges / Tätigkeitsabzeichen

A small selection of Luftwaffe trade badges, mostly worn on lower right arm.

Flight Personnel / flight crew, unqualified

Funker radio operator, signalman, other than flight crew, worn on upper right arm

Horchfunker, listening operator

Bombenpersonal, ground personnel for light bombs

Entfernungsmesser, Flak, rangefinder, Flak

Trade badges were often not worn during wartme, and seldom seen in photos.

[Fritz]

A good example of a Luftwaffe Tropical breasteagle, as worn on shirt and tropical tunic. The eagle is the standard weave on sand coloured cotton shirt material and confectioned in triangular form. Most of original edge stiching is still present, as removed from uniform.
As worn in North Africa, the Mediterranean, the Balkans, Italy, Greece, and Southern France. Can now be considered as rare.

[Fritz]

Edda Göring (80), the only child of Hermann Göring, last known to be living in South Africa,
died on 21. December 2018. Further details unknown.

Edda with her mother were interned in May 1945

Göring with "Tex" Jack Wheelis, his last friend and companion in Nürnberg

One of the few known photos in more recent years, given at a rare interview

..with a portrait of her mother

Unique personal Interview under youtube:

youtube.com/watch?v=SAz1FLUPxTU

To be continued

[Fritz]

Erkennungsmarke: Luftwaffen Flugplatzkommando 5. / XVII - Flugplatz Kommando, Betriebskompanie 5 - Luftgau XVII. (Ostmark / Austria)
Blood group B. personnel number 285, Aluminium. Unresearched, would have been one of the former airfields in Austria. The Betriebskompanien were responsable for the servicing of aircraft and installations maintainance at the airfield.

[Gildwiller1918]

Here is another pair of engineer shoulder tabs and also one for the flight trade as well, both for unteroffizier. 

[Gildwiller1918]

Listed here is a nice mint pair of luftwaffe signals shoulder boards for a private/soldat. 

[Fritz]

Excellent.  The first pair could be for an Unteroffizier, but also for a "private", depending on whether collar lace was worn.
The brown tabs with the Tresse at two corners is for an Unteroffizier, and this is for the greatcoat only, as no collar Tresse was attached to a greatcoat.
The third pair are for either an Obergefreiter, or with collar lace for a Feldwebel.
The shoulder straps with "LS" = Luftfahrtaufsicht
The last pair of shoulder tabs have the narrow strips for attaching, these were more for the officer's shoulder tabs and shoulder tabs from Unteroffizier upwards, these may be found, but I tend to avoid this style, and prefer the wider variety, which was standard. Those above were either destined as an NCO but are unfinished, or for a private purchase uniform with narrow shoulder loops. Interesting to note, shoulder tabs can be found in various lengths between 10-12 cm, many claim the longer version is for the greatcoat, but I have not seen this confirmed in photos, where shorter varieties can be seen on the greatcoat. Many dealers are now offering uneven sets of shoulderstraps, where there is a variance in length - "unpaarig", but claim as worn together, also doubtful.

Collar patches with wings:
1 wing:     Flieger,Kanonier, Funker, etc.
2 wings:  Gefreiter
3 wings:  Obergefreiter
4 wings: Hauptgefreiter
1 wing   /Tresse: Unteroffizier
2 wings/Tresse: Unterfeldwebel
3 wings/Tresse: Feldwebel
4 wings/Tresse: Oberfeldwebel
Hauptfeldwebel/Stabsfeldwebel as per Oberfeldwebel and on tunic cuffs 2 "Kolbenringe"
(Hpt.Fw. and St.Fw. were not a rank (Dienstgrad), but a Dienststelle)

Perhaps you could move these items to your previous post, where you have your Lufwaffe tunic, then you can complete and further that chapter?

[Fritz]

x

Erkennungsmarken, Lufwaffe
Flugzeugführerschule 112, Schüler-Kompanie, No. 63 (based at Langenlebarn till October 1940)
Fliegerhorstkompanie Fassberg, No. 15
Luft Betriebskompanie 5, Luftgau XVII (Austria), No.285, BloodGroup B
4. Kompanie / Luft Nachrichten, Flugmelderegiment 91, No.71 (Zink)

Fliegerhorstkommandantur A5/XI - Lübeck-Blankensee
Blood group AB, No. 2101. Lübeck-Blankensee was the home base of Stab and I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 26, later also IV. Gruppe, and several other units.
Oberfeldwebel Neusüß was stationed there with I./Kampfgeschwader 26 in 1939

[Fritz]

Luftwaffe Soldbuch

 

Soldat Wilhelm Peter, Flugplatz Kommando A9/VII, Crailsheim, Erkennungsmarke 11804. Pencil notice: 1.Kp. (Kompanie)

Personal details

28.4.1943 - 30.10.1943 9.Komp./ Flieger-Regiment 51. Stammrolle: III/43/457
1.11.1943 - 2. Komp./ Infanterie-Regiment 17 (L)
Flieger-Ersatz-Bataillon IV, Leipzig-Schönau (deleted)
Grenadier-Ersatz-Bataillon 452 - transferred to infantry!

Clothing and equipment issued / withdrawn

Issue details gasmask, gas cape, first aid packages and vaccinations

Notes on self aid in case of chemical attack

Rules applying to the Soldbuch

 

[Fritz]

Effekten, Flieger, unmatched pieces, variance of length of shoulder pieces

Effekten Flieger, Unteroffizier, mismatched, various lengths, two slightly mismatched collar patches
Sanitätsdienst, collar patches for Hauptgefreiter or Oberfeldwebel, unused

Flieger, collar patches for Obergefreiter / Feldwebel, matched
Gefreiter and Obergefreiter, arm chevrons

Matching set for a Flak Oberleutnant. Rank stars of zink, one of which shows some oxidation, gilding has migrated.

Greatcoat collar patches for an Oberwachtmeister of the Flakartillerie. Two sets of gulls are missing,  otherwise, Unterwachtmeister. Lace with aluminium oxidation.

Flakartillerie, matching effects for Kanonier

Sanitätsoberfeldwebel  - Arzt. For 4-pocket tunic

Luftwaffe Verwaltung/Administration, Beamter des Höheren Dienstes, rank equivalent to Oberleutnant, various services

 

[Fritz]

Belt buckles
First pattern eagle, aluminium
Second pattern eagle, steel with original blue finish. Maker mark on leather tab, Schmölle & Comp., Menden, 1941

3 examples of knots for Luftwaffen Offiziers Dolch, worn and unissued. Last example of late war cellulose material

[Fritz]

Tätigkeitsabzeichen

 

Funker
Telefonist B-Prüfung
Funkprüfung B
Horchfunker
Peilfunker
Flugmeldedienst

Entfernungsmesser Personal
Waffenwart/Waffenmeister, Flakartillerie
Flakartillerie
Feuerwerker

Flugzeugtechnisches Personal
Bombenpersonal, leichte Bomben
Bombenpersonal, schwere Bomben

Fernschreib Unteroffizier
Funkmechaniker
Motorenpersonal
Sanitätspersonal

Fliegendes Personal
Kraftfahrer
Schirrmeister
Verwaltung

[Fritz]

Hilfspersonal

Flakhelferin (female)

Luftwaffen Helfer. From the HJ attached to Flak-Batteries, worn over right breast pocket
Luftwaffen Helferin (female), worn on grey uniform jacket, upper right arm

[Fritz]

x

Breast eagle, woven in silver thread, normally for the officer's shirt. This example placed on a dark grey woolen backing would have been worn on some of the later flight jackets. From Oberfeldwebel Neusüß.
Breast eagle 2nd type, removed from a uniform

Breast eagle 1st pattern, standard type, removed from a uniform. As worn on the 4-pocket tunic. Normally never worn on the flight blouse, as these were worn without an eagle. The flight blouse was to be worn with a second pattern eagle as from 1. October 1940.
Breast eagle, variant

Breast eagle 2nd pattern for officers
Metal breast eagle (aluminium) for the officers' white summer tunic, also occasionally seen on tropical jackets and flying jackets of fighter pilots
Tropical breast eagle as worn on shirt or tunic. Removed from a uniform example

[Fritz]

Luftwaffe Officer dress belt, with 2nd pattern eagle. Gilding on centre of eagle slightly tarnished. The eagle is gilt bronze, the buckle aluminium without maker marks, the buckle keepers are both silvered zink, the silver finish faded. Belt of silver alumium brocade with a thin red centre line within two toned black stripes. Backing cloth is bluegrey gabardine. Box is not contemporary.

[Fritz]

Luftwaffe Fliegerkopfhaube / flying helmet, leather winter type, without fur lining (or removed?) Heavy item, quite apart from the radio cables. The cable has hardened and broken in places, secured by a previous owner with plastic tape. Complete with the throat and ear microphones. Small hook above the forehead for securing the aviators goggles, one of the two elastic attachment straps almost worn through. Nickel plated buckles and fittings with some slight surface rust. Altogether in reasonable condition. Radio cable with original plug for the radio system.
Pattern is known as KpW101, which stands for Kopfhaube, Winter 101 (Siemens Baumuster), this example by Striegel & Wagner Kommandit Gesellschaft in Lichtenfels/Bayerische Ostmark. Size stamp 53, very small!   Red ink stamp dated 1. Januar 1940. This pattern was worn not so much by fighter pilots, more by bomber and other crews. There was also a summer pattern, identical, but in fine sand coloured cloth. Other patterns were the Netzkopfhaube (made of netting), often worn by fighter pilots and Stuka crews, these are often frail, due to the material, and the Sommerkopfhaube Summer version in light brown woven cloth.

A set of rank badges for the winter flying suit for an Oberfeldwebel, mint unissued

[Fritz]

Luftwaffe officer's dagger, 2nd pattern with white grips. These were also worn by Feldwebel and Oberfeldwebel.
Maker's mark on blade, Fridericus, Solingen. Aluminium fittings. Grip ring with some corrosion and silver coated by a previous collector.
See also knots, previously depicted.

 

LW dagger hangers, one suspension hook is damaged. Backing in dark bluegrey velvet.

[Fritz]

New item added

 

[Gildwiller1918]

I had one of those LW daggers many years ago, really wished I had kept it...

[Fritz]

I had an early nickel silver Luftwaffe sword complete with the rare blue leather hanger, almost mint, except the tip of the nickel-plated blade had been re-attached by brazing in two places, this should have been replated. I kept the sword for a while but then later part-exchanged it for a fieldgrey Tschapka, a postal deal, which later turned out to be a fake. That was around 1971. So that was a loss.

[Fritz]

Luftwaffe Schützenschnur / marksmanship lanyard, 1. class (basic)
Auflage in aluminium on silver interwoven bluegrey, complete with original backing cloth, which is often missing