Luftwaffe Collection, Part 5

[Mike H]

Thanks, Erich!

Here are some photos of the Pilot/Observer I have in my collection. This same badge is featured in Forman's second edition on page 129.

Mike Heuer

[Mike H]

Bullion

More photos of the PO ...

Mike

[Mike H]

Finally ...

One last shot of the PO.

I don't know why, but these replies are going to the top of the thread. Erich's message, which I was replying to, remains at the end.

Mike

[Mike H]

Displaying items ...

I enjoy developing displays of my collection almost as much as the collecting itself. The idea of putting the stuff away in boxes, hidden in closets is just not acceptable to me. But it does require some expense and planning --- but look what Seba has done with his own material.

I recently bought this coffee table with the glass top at Haverty's. Price was quite low --- about $399 as I remember. The top drawer is nicely lined with a brown felt-like material and, of course, shows through the glass. You can put an enormous amount of stuff in there. There are two more drawers underneath (not quite the same depth, so you can't swap them with the top one). It is amazing how much you can get in this thing. It measures about 40 inches square so some room is required. This way, your collection is somewhat protected but on full display at all times as well.

Mike Heuer

[Mike H]

Another shot ...

With the drawer partially pulled out. Showing here is an almost complete collection of Luftwaffe Engineer collar tabs. Just missing the top ranking General.

Mike Heuer

[Mike H]

More Foreign pilots ...

Views of the Spanish Observer badge (I believe to be of German manufacture though it is unmarked) and a Croatian Air Force Legion badge.

Mike

[Mike H]

Reverse

Again, my posts are going to the top of the thread. The first in this thread was actually the one which featured the Spanish Pilot/Observer ... but I will keep going.

Mike

[Mike H]

Reverse of Spanish Observer

The reverse of the Spanish observer ... note the interesting tab arrangement to secure the star. There is a very small tab also soldered to the back to keep the star from twisting.

Mike

[Mike H]

Stein

Photo of a Fliegergruppe (named) beer stein just acquired. By the way, for those of you interested in these pieces, Gary Kirsner offers a really nice auction to include steins from the period and he has written a small text on the subject as well available from his website.

Luftwaffe-related steins are understandably hard to find. This one is named to an Obergefreiter Lochner. It's an unusual name. Interestingly, there is an Obfw. Johann Lochner listed as winner of the DK in Gold on 17 May 1943. He was a member of III./KG 55. No idea if it is the same guy, but I suspect so.

Mike

[Mike H]

Another view ...

Stein 2.

[Mike H]

Stein 3.

Stein 3.

[Mike H]

Stein 4

Stein 4.

[Mike H]

Luftwaffe Collection, Part 5

Sorry for having been absent for a while from these series of threads, but I have added some interesting items to the collection lately which I hope will be of interest. I will post the photos one at a time as I prefer it the "old way" ...

First of all, I have recently begun collecting the foreign pilot badges the Luftwaffe aircrew and their allies may have worn. There are a lot of gaps to fill but one of my first was this German-made (Paul Meybauer) Spanish pilot's badge. I love the quality of these pieces. As was pointed out in other threads, the Legion Condor pilots did not wear these metal badges on their LC uniforms --- but rather later on their Luftwaffe tunics. There are many, many photos of these in wear. This particular one below is actually a pilot/observer. It combines the star with the four-bladed propeller.

Mike Heuer

[Mike H]

Here is the same badge mounted on the Luftwaffe tunic. There is an EK2 ribbon through the button hole in combination with the brocade belt and aguillette (not shown in this photo, however). This was not proper wear as the brocade was not worn after 1 September 1939, however, you will find portraits now and then of pilots who had their pictures taken with these in wear anyway, ignoring the regulation.

Note the Spanish Cross in Silver with Swords hiding behind the aguillette. This is a silver-plated piece, L/11 marked.

Mike Heuer

[Mike H]

Romanians

Here are two Romanian pilot badges --- one with the Ferdinand cypher and the other with the Michael cypher. Later on, the pilot's badge featured a shield with the various provinces of Romania contained therein. I am still looking for one of those, however, these two are actually more rare, in my view. The workmanship is very high.

Mike Heuer