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.

Until September 27, 1943 either a blue shirt with collar or a white collarless tricot shirt was worn under the tunics or blouses, the former by higher ranks, the latter by NCOs and enlisted men. This newly introduced shirt, however, could be worn as an outer garment in the summer, in lieu of the Flight Blouse, for example.

The shirt is blue-grey for regular personnel, but grey-green for personnel of the “Hermann Göring” division and the Luftwaffe field division, as well as for personnel stationed in mountainous areas and paratroopers. The blue-grey shirt was discontinued in September of 1944, after which everybody wore the grey-green shirt.

In general, this shirt was of the pull-over variety, however, buttoned shirts are known to have been worn. The shirt features two breast pockets with buttoned flaps and with or without pleats.
The Luftwaffe eagle was worn on the right breast.

Enlisted men wore no rank insignia. Higher ranks wore shoulder straps or shoulder boards. They were discontinued in June of 1944 in favour of sleeve chevrons for enlisted men and sleeve wings for NCOs. It is unknown what officers wore.