Cloth Insignia of the Luftwaffe

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I've always had an interest in ground combat units of the Luftwaffe but my primary interest has always been the German Army.

These days I have a small grouping of remaining Luftwaffe insignia that some may find of interest.

First up, GI "cut off" bring back from a FJ Unteroffizier in Normandy breast eagle on a Fliegerbluse section and section of the collar.

 

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The inside of the Fliegerbluse shown in the previous post.

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The backside of the collar section.

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Next up, this is the oldest surviving piece (in my present day collection). This was in the estate of a GI in the Northeast U.S. purchased by a collector I knew. I bought this thinking it was a Heer Panzer tab. When I received it I was puzzled by the odd shape. It is a tailor made piece as worn by an officer or senior NCO. The black backing is velvet material and the piping is wool golden yellow. After doing a little research I came to the conclusion that it was intended for a member of Panzeraufklärungs-Abteilung "Hermann Göring". The HG PzAA switched from rose pink waffenfarbe to golden yellow on April 2, 1943.

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Around the time of the fighting on the Anzio Front in Italy HG troops issued the field grey Sturmartillerie uniform and the black Panzer uniform began wearing collar tabs in the standard "Luftwaffe shape". From the old TM-E 30-451 shows a captured field gray Sturmartillerie wrap worn by a former member of one of the Panzergrenadier-Rgt. HG.

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I've seen these tabs in:

Field gray wool, piped in white with metal Panzer Totenkopf (as seen in the previous post) for Panzergrenadier-Rgt HG.

Black wool piped in white with metal Panzer Totenkopf Panzer-Rgt. HG.

Black wool piped in rose pink with Totenkopf for Panzer-Rgt. HG.

 

As for my PzAA HG tab I have it paired with a Heer Panzeraufklärungs Oberfeldwebel strap.

[PaulR]

Hey man, those are some beautiful pieces. I will have to share my LW insignia at some point soon.

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Thank you for the kind words folks. Please do post some of your Luftwaffe cloth.

Here are some breast eagles & cap badges for the black HG Panzer uniform.

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Luftwaffe breast eagles removed from uniforms. These came from the estate of the GI Medic.

First the front side.

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And the reverse side seen in the previous photo.

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Here is a single Luft. tab & strap for Field Division Flak Unteroffizier.

Single tab & strap for a Flak Feldwebel as worn on the great coat.

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Two single GI bring back Flak Oberleutnant collar tabs.

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The back of the tabs seen in the previous post.

Note one was pasted in a scrap book at one time.

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My humble little grouping of Luftwaffe Specialty badges.

Flak

Motor Vehicle Driver

Motor Vehicle NCO

Air crew

[PaulR]

I love your flak/arty insignia.

[S.ChrisKelly]

Small collection of Luftwaffe and Luftwaffe Flak insignia, all genuine.

 

[S.ChrisKelly]

Genuine Luftwaffe Gefreiter-winkel with shard of an un-identified newspaper (Zeitung)...  "classified/help wanted" section

 

☆Searching (gesucht) for a woman buyer (Einkäuferin) in a commercial business (handelsgeschäft) in Chemnitz.

☆Searching (gesucht) for saleswomen (Verkäuferinnen) in Luther City Wittenberg (which is the city of Wittenberg's official name - where Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the door of the Schlosskirche).

☆We're searching for (Wir suchen für) a tecnichal director (Technischer Betriebsleiter)...

[S.ChrisKelly]

Obergefreiter-winkel. 

 

Notice the stray threads (removed from a uniform), and the holes!  Likely, as was typical of American G.I.s, stapled at least twice to a board, and likely with other "war souvenirs" for storage/display.  The smaller holes were probably the result of insects' feasting on the wool.  Also notice the double-stitching to secure the tresse on the backing, most obvious on the reverse of the patch.  This is a genuine rank badge.

 

[S.ChrisKelly]

This is interesting...  Never seen one like it before...

 

Source:

https://www.militariasales.com/product/german-luftwaffe-gefreiter-rank-chevron-with-pip/

 

[Mr. Bushido]

4 hours ago, S.ChrisKelly said:

This is interesting...  Never seen one like it before...

 

Source:

https://www.militariasales.com/product/german-luftwaffe-gefreiter-rank-chevron-with-pip/

 

Nice! I think the rank patch of a Stabsgefreiter in the LW is rare.

[S.ChrisKelly]

This is my latest...  Hard to find Luftwaffe "super-corporal":

[Preppy Picker]

A couple of recent acquisitions 

[S.ChrisKelly]

Reference to Post #21...  The rarely seen "super-corporal" rank badge in wear from original period sources:

 

Sources:

Image 1:

https://www.usmbooks.com/luftwaffe_volunteers.html

Image 2:

http://luftwaffecollection.blogspot.com/2010/01/?m=1

Images 3 & 4:

https://regimentals.co.uk/shop.php?code=85177

 

 

Post #22...

The early, first pattern "droop tail" Luftwaffe brustadler is rare, and expensive.  Standard issue, 1934 - late 1936/early 1937.

 

Some examples:

Sources:

Images 1 & 2:

https://bevo-militaria.com/shop/sold/early-luftwaffe-breast-eagle-droop-tail/

Images 3 & 4:

https://shop.wehrmacht-militaria.com/shop/ols/products/sold-early-luftwaffe-droop-tail-officers-breast-eagle/

[SARGE]

Nice. The bullion ones are great.  

[S.ChrisKelly]

Sources:

Image 1:

https://www.thirdreicharts.com/archive/third-reich-insignia/luftwaffe-flight-personnel-insignia

Image 2:

https://www.thirdreicharts.com/archive/third-reich-insignia/luftwaffe-motor-transport-equiptment-insignia-bullion

Image 3:

https://www.thirdreicharts.com/archive/third-reich-insignia/luftwaffe-motor-vehicle-driver-insignia-bullion