Original German WWII Luftwaffe Flight Branch Leutnant Officers Field Uniform Rank Insignia Set

Original Item: Only One Set Available. This is a lovely set of insignia for a German WWII Luftwaffe Flight Branch Leutnant Officer's Fliegerbluse (Flight Blouse) Service Tunic, which we assume were removed following the war and taken home as souvenirs. It consists of all the standard rank insignia that the tunic would need.

This set includes:

- A lovely bullion hand embroidered officers straight-tail eagle on the correct Fliegerblau (flyer's blue) backing. Thee bullion is held in place by some gray threading, and the reverse of the agle still has much of the original paper backing, intended to keep the stitching from pulling. We can see holes in the fabric and the backing from stitches, so this is definitely a uniform removed example.

- A correct left and right set of Luftwaffe officer's Kragenpatten (Collar Flaps), which are made from felt over lacquered buckram stiffeners, and bordered with braided with bullion. The felt is Goldgelb (Gold-Yellow) in color, the correct Waffenfarbe (Corps Color) for Aviator troops such as pilots and ground personnel, as well as Fallschirmjäger (parachute troops).

- A pair of button-attached style Schulterklappen (Shoulder Boards or Epaulettes) with the same color bases, which have the correct two four rows of silver "Russia Braid" double piping around the edge. There are no rank "pips" present, indicating the rank of Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant). This is confirmed by the collar insignia, which each show one "gull wing" insignia over a wreath. The attachment straps on the bottom are the correct Fliegerblau, so these are definitely Luftwaffe shoulder boards.

A great set of Luftwaffe officer's insignia, ready to dress up any stripped WW2 Fliegerbluse!

The Luftwaffe, the air force of the German military during the Third Reich, was established in 1935. Over the next 10 years, Luftwaffe troops wore a huge variety of uniforms. Enlisted men generally wore uniforms issued from military depots. Most enlisted soldiers had wool trousers and a short jacket with two internal lower pockets, called a Fliegerbluse, as well as a dressier 4-pocket tunic, the Tuchrock. Officers wore the same general uniform styles, but as officers had to supply their own uniforms, they usually wore tailor made versions. There were also myriad varieties of specialized uniforms worn by certain units or in specific situations, from the tuxedo-style “gala” formal wear uniform of the pre-war period, to the plain coveralls worn by crews of anti-aircraft cannons. There were work uniforms, tropical and summer uniforms, and camouflage clothing for airborne troops and other Luftwaffe soldiers in ground combat. Flight crews had their own specialized gear, including leather jackets and warm, electrically heated suits. Most but not all Luftwaffe uniform jackets bore the Luftwaffe emblem of a flying eagle holding a swas.