History

The German Wehrmacht was composed of three main branches, the Heer, the Kriegsmarine, and the Luftwaffe. The Heer and Kriegsmarine uniforms were based upon the designs utilized by their predecessor organizations, the Deutsches Heer and the Kaiserliche Marine. Conversely, the Luftwaffe uniforms were based upon the uniforms worn in the sports and para-military organizations that were the forerunners of the Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe uniforms were specifically designed to deviate from the designs of the other Wehrmacht service branches. It was also necessary that the uniforms differentiate between military and civilian pilots.

There were two main organizational precursors of the Luftwaffe, the German Air Sports Association (DLV or Deutscher Luftsportverband), and the National Air Raid Protection League (RLB or Reichs Luftschutzbund). The DLV included both a civilian group and a secret military sub-group called the DLV-Fliegerschaft (Pilot Base).

The DLV and the RLB were officially founded in 1933, and they were used to secretly train members for future roles in the Luftwaffe. The DLV became obsolete after Hitler’s official introduction of the Luftwaffe in 1935, and it was disbanded in 1937.

On May 27, 1935, an order was released that delineated the official forms of the Luftwaffe uniforms. This edict removed DLV/RLB belts from circulation and wear by Luftwaffe personnel, and introduced official Luftwaffe belt buckle and strap regulations.

The Open-Claw Belt is also known as the Service Belt, and it was often worn with the Cloth Tunic. While it was originally worn by Officers and NCO/EMs (Non-Commissioned Officers/Enlisted Men) of the DLV, it continued to be worn by Luftwaffe Officers throughout the Third Reich. Also, after 1934, it was also worn by all ranks of the National Socialist Flyers Corps (NSFK or Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps).

This belt is composed of several main elements, including the leather belt strap, the open rectangular buckle, and the double prongs and prong's bar.

The open buckle and the strap of this belt are inextricably connected, with the belt sewn closed around the buckle prong bar. The buckle is an open rectangle with a matte-aluminum and pebbled finish for Officers and NCO/EM, and a gilt finish for General ranks.

The belt is composed of leather and may be stamped with manufacturing marks. The leather may be brown or blackened to appear black.

Initially, these belts were worn with a shoulder strap, but this element was discontinued in 1939.