History

During the Second World War, German troops stationed in northern Africa are generally referred to as the Afrikakorps. Technically, this is not entirely correct, since some German units operating in Africa were not actually part of the DAK (Deutsches Afrikakorps), and some units of it were, in fact, Italian ones. However, for the purpose of collecting so-called “tropical” uniforms and insignia, collectors have simplified the meaning of the term.

The first German troops were sent to northern Africa in February of 1941, to support their Italian allies against the British. The climate of the African continent made it necessary to wear specialised uniforms and gear that not only supported the soldiers in serving in a hot and arid environment, but also helped them in blending in with the landscape, which, in general, presented itself as brown, olive, khaki, or sand/tan in colour. Worn over long periods of time under the blistering desert sun, some uniforms were eventually bleached to white or off-white. Uniforms and insignia in these colours are often referred to as “tropical”, and it is worth noting that they weren’t just worn by members of units stationed in Africa, but in the entire Mediterranean theatre of war, including southern France, Italy, the Balkans, and Greece, as well as in southern Russia during the summer months. Tropical uniforms were worn by members of all three branches of the Wehrmacht: the Heer (army), the Kriegsmarine (navy), and the Luftwaffe (air force). Members of the Waffen-SS stationed in southerly regions also wore tropical-style uniforms, and even though they technically have no connection to the DAK, all tropical uniforms and insignia of all branches of the German military are listed here.

Luftwaffe trade insignia were worn by Enlisted Men and Non-Commissioned Officers (EMs and NCOs). These insignia were worn above the cuff on the bottom left sleeve of the service tunic, the field tunic, and the flight tunic.

They feature an emblem associated with the trade on the obverse field. The emblem is composed of silver-grey coloured cotton or rayon thread that was machine embroidered onto a tan/khaki backing. The insignia tends to have a circular shape, but may also have an elongated horizontal appearance when spread wings are included in the emblem design. The insignia may feature additional yellow/gold or grey/silver twisted piping along the exterior edges. The piping colour is generally associated with an attribute specific to the wearer's trade, such as a full year of status. The grey piping is usually associated with the rank of Non-Commissioned Officer, while the gold piping tends to indicate exceptional performance by the wearer.

There are rare versions of these insignia that were produced for Luftwaffe Officers. The Officer insignia are hand-embroidered in silver-coloured bullion wire.

The Flight Technical Personnel Insignia emblem features an airplane engine with five pistons surrounded by a wreath and with spread wings. After a year of service in their role, gold pipiing was added to the insignia's edges.