Luftwaffe Greatcoat

[Gildwiller1918]

Here is my Luftwaffe Greatcoat. I got it with no insignia, but restored it as a medical feldwebel. It has the correct collar patches and shoulder boards. It still has the tag on sleeve as it was never issued. It has various stamps on the inside of the coat. Only issue is a small area of mothing that I will repair soon, but hardly noticeable. Typically the collar tabs were removed from these coats in late 1942. 

[Gildwiller1918]

Here are some examples of the great coat with the collar tabs present.

 

[Fritz]

Well done, rare to find like that.

[Gildwiller1918]

Thanks Fritz. It took some time to find a nice set of shoulder boards with the rank and medical insignia. The collar tabs were a pain as well. The pair I have are pretty good, but if you look at the gulls closely, the are different. One side has the gulls that are hollow with the metal tabs, and the other are the solid type with the pins. But overall I am happy with the results, and the medical area is not something you see too often. 

[Fritz]

I recently added a pair of collar tabs to that copy Panzer jacket, the tabs of course are also copies, and the backing material is ficticious, too thick and almost impenetrable, so I had to make the holes first with a strong steel needle and sew using pliars and something metal to push it through.
I didn't notice the difference in the gulls, you wouldn't see that in the picture.

[Gildwiller1918]

Wow Fritz, reminds me of working on leather. At least you got the job done!

[Fritz]

Yes, the copy patches are always much too thick, always make the holes first.

All the copy items are much too big and clumsy, they would need completely re-tailoring. The cloth is otherwise good.

[Fritz]

Königsberger Blutgericht, February-April 1942. Oberfeldwebel Walter Neusüß and Liesel (Luise) Neusüß during her visit at the time, together with a "Kamerad" and his wife, unfortunately unknown, possibly Frau Kappe from Berlin? Interesting to note, greatcoat of Walter Neusüß has the bluegrey buttons, whereas the other greatcoat has the bright aluminium buttons. The Kamerad is Oberfeldwebel and is wearing the officer's dagger and no belt. Walter Neusüß has no dagger, but is wearing the belt. Not sure if he was Feldwebel or Oberfeldwebel at the time. There must be a reason for the two different dress forms.
N.B.: Walter Neusüß is not wearing the Narvik shield on his greatcoat.

These photos were very nearly lost during the war!
(from family Archive)

The same scene as a comparison in a pre-war postcard. None of this exists today (now Kaliningrad), raised to the ground in 1968 by order of Leonid Breschnjew of the KPdSU.

[Gildwiller1918]

How thick are those collar tabs Fritz? I have come across some recently that are 3mm thick, very easy to sew through. They still look good on the jacket.

[Fritz]

Not quite that bad, they don't notice that much, but could be nearly 2mm, and very, very tought material (guaranteed stitch-proof - to most!)

Also available are the BeVo type woven collar patches from the (2) roll(s) copies, you need to finish them before putting them on a uniform, these would be easily workable.

[Gildwiller1918]

I found out some more information about the LW medical troops. 

Here are the LW ranks for the medical branch

Medical Branch Rank                          LW Equivalent

General Oberstabsarzt                       General der Flieger

General Stabsarzt                                Generalleutnant

Generalarzt                                            General Major

Oberstarzt                                               Oberst

Oberfeldarzt                                          Oberstleutnant

Oberstabsarzt                                       Major

Stabsarzt                                                Hauptmann

Oberarzt                                                 Oberleutnant

Assistenzarzt                                       Leutnant                                                

Unterarzt                                               Oberfähnrich

Sanitäts-Oberfeldwebel                  Oberfeldwebel

Sanitäts-Feldwebel                           Feldwebel

Sanitäts-Unterfeldwebel                Unterfeldwebel

Sanitäts-Unteroffizier                     Unteroffizier

Sanitäts-Hauptgefreiter                 Hauptgefreiter          

Sanitäts-Obergefreiter                    Obergefreiter

Sanitäts-Gefreiter                              Gefreiter

Sanitäts-Soldat                                    Soldat                     

[Gildwiller1918]

LW medical troops had the dark blue waffenfarbe to distinguish themselves from other LW departments. They also wore the Aesculapian Staff emblem, which was worn on the shoulder straps as well as in the form of a trade badge worn on the sleeve cuff. The Askulapstab, the staff and serpent symbol, in white aluminum was worn on the shoulder straps by medical officers in Generals rank, officers recalled to active duty, and NCOs of the Unterartz rank. The same symbol, but in gold was worn by all other medical officers. Medical officers and NCOs of the landwehr wore the same symbol but it was of a matte grey oxidized metal finish. 

The cuff/specialist badge was worn on the left forearm by NCO's and other ranks that had completed the first year of instruction at the LW school of medicine. This badge could be worn until they reached the rank of Sanitatsoberfeldwebel, when it was replaced by the white metal Askulapstab. Members of the Medical Academy wore a gothic styled "A" on their shoulder straps in conjunction with the Askulapstab symbol. 

Luftwaffen-Verordnungsblatt, Nr. 16 from 27 May 1935 stated that the cuff badge with the staff of Aesculapius was worn for those who completed the first year of Luftwaffe Medical school, however next month, in June, this was amended to state that members who wore this badge were "lower grade doctors" in the rank of Oberfeldwebel and below.  Instructions for wear were in Luftwaffen-Verordnungsblatt, Nr. 18 from 11 June 1935, page 125.

[Fritz]

Rechtschreibung:

"Fähnrich"

"Sanitäts-"

"-feldwebel"

 

[Gildwiller1918]

Thanks Fritz, I have made some corrections. I appreciate your expertise. Still have found no evidence that the cuff trade badges were worn on the great coat.