Luftwaffe Flying Troops NCO/EM Ranks Flight Blouse
CATEGORY: Version
SKU: 22.GOR.02.01.02.01.003.000
Estimated market value:
Estimated market value:
The blouse is fabricated from a Luftwaffe bluish-gray wool. The shoulders are adorned with Unterfeldwebel shoulder straps, with matching bluish-gray wool uppers to that of the blouse itself, trimmed on all four sides with a strip of fine silver threading stitched in place via gray threading, the three edges trimmed in yellow piping, a reinforced button hole at the neck end and secured in place via a gray finished zinc button, each of the buttons with pebbled uppers and maker marked "R.D." on the reverse, the underside in bluish-gray wool, each strap secured in place via bluish-gray cotton and wool straps. Both sides of the collar at the opening have Gefreiter Flight Personnel collar tabs, each with two silvered stylized eagles mounted on a yellow wool field, while the edges of the collar are trimmed in angled yellow cord along the edge, complemented by a strip of fine silver threading stitched in place via white threading to the upper of the collar itself. There is a single hook and eye at the opening of the collar, ensuring a snug fit at the neck line, complemented by three black plastic buttons on the inside of the collar for placement of a protective liner. The right breast is enriched with a Luftwaffe eagle insignia in light gray on a bluish-gray wool field. There are three rows of vertically-aligned horizontal loops on the left breast, four in the centre, flanked by two on either side, for the placement of awards that have since been lost to time. There are two pockets, one on either side at the hip, each with an angled entry and incorporating a fold over flap with reinforced button hole, each pocket with a silvered aluminum button with a pebbled upper, the button on the right pocket maker marked with a "B" inside a circle and marked with a "37" inside a circle on the reverse, the button on the left pocket maker marked "R.D." and marked "37" on the reverse. The front has a vertical row of five midnight blue finished large plastic buttons sewn in place on the right side, facing an equal number of reinforced button holes on the left side. Protruding from the third button hole from the top is the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd Class, the ends of the ribbon sewn in place on the underside of the opening. Each sleeve has a short button down strap with a reinforced button hole, each with a silvered metal button with a pebbled upper, the button on the right sleeve is magnetic and is unmarked, the button on the left sleeve is non-magnetic and is maker marked "F&L" (Funcke & Brüninghaus, Lüdenscheid) on the reverse. The inside is lined in a gray cotton in selected areas, which includes the back, around the armpits and the pockets, with black plastic buttons at the top just inside the opening on both sides. Sewn in place and suspended from both armpits is a gray cotton strap, each strap with five small reinforced holes on one side only. There is a pocket sewn in place on both breasts, each with a gray plastic button, with a short gray cotton strap with reinforced button hole sewn in place above. Just inside the opening on the right side is a narrow gray cotton pocket with reinforced button hole and gray plastic button closure. In addition, there is a gray cotton strap sewn in place in the collar for hanging the blouse on a hook. The blouse measures 420 mm across the shoulders and 710 mm in length overall, exhibiting scattered mothing on the exterior, wear in the bluish-gray wool along the entry edge of both exterior pockets, along with soiling present on the Iron Cross 2nd Class ribbon and on the gray cotton lining and pockets on the inside. It displays a nice texture in the wool, quality workmanship, the stitching remaining intact throughout. As worn.
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.
The Flight Blouse was introduced for wear by all ranks of the Luftwaffe while performing flight duties.
This tunic is single-breasted and composed of several main elements, including the cloth, the pockets, the buttons, and the additional insignia.
The tunic is made of blue-grey cloth, which may be of a higher quality if the tunic was purchased privately by Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers.
There are two main versions of this tunic: the 1st pattern tunics were produced prior to 1940, while the 2nd pattern tunics were produced after 1940.
All 1st pattern tunics feature built-in belt hooks. The 1st pattern Officer and General tunics feature curved side pockets without any covering, an embroidered Luftwaffe pattern national emblem eagle on the right breast, and piping on the collar. For Generals, the piping is composed of gold-colour (gilt) twisted cord. For Officers, the piping is composed of silver-coloured (aluminum) twisted cord.
The 1st pattern NCO/EM (Non-Commissioned Officers/Enlisted Men) tunics do not have any external pockets, do not feature the national emblem eagle, but do feature piping on the collar. The colour of the piping on these tunics matches the wearer’s arm of service (Waffenfarbe).
A simplified overview of the Waffenfarbe colours follows. Not all of these will appear on the NCO/EM blouses.
White: General Officers
Golden-Yellow: Flying Troops (Fliegertruppe)
Red: Anti-Aircraft Troops/Luftwaffe Artillery
Brown: Luftwaffe Signals/Communication Corps (Luftnachrichtentruppe)
Black: Reich Air Ministry, Construction Engineer Corp (Baupioniere) or Luftwaffe Engineer Corp (Luftwaffen-Pioniere)
Dark Green: Administration (Militärverwaltung)
Light/Meadow Green: Radar Units and Air Traffic Control
Dark Blue: Luftwaffe Medical Corps (Sanitätstruppe)
Light Blue: Transport Units (Transporteinheiten) or Luftwaffe Reserve
Carmine: General Staff Service Officers (Generalstabsoffiziere) and Veterinary NCOs/EMs
Pink: Corps of Engineer Officers (Ingenieuroffizierkorps)
Wine Red: Military Judicial Officers (Militärgerichtsbarkeit)
The 2nd pattern tunics do not have built-in belt hooks. The 2nd pattern General and Officer tunics do not feature any significant changes in design. Conversely, the 2nd pattern NCO/EM tunics were altered, wherein the colour piping was removed, and an embroidered Luftwaffe pattern national emblem eagle and shallow pockets were added to the tunic design.
These tunics do not feature any external buttons. Instead, the buttons are covered by a long strip of cloth so that they would not catch on any instruments in the aircraft.
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