Luftwaffe Collection - Part 10

[Mike H]

Well, I got off track in my "Badges" thread, so I decided to start Part 10. Occasionally, I will repeat photos that were in previous threads but when checking back, I noticed that some of those threads are now missing photos so I think it is a good idea to run some of these again from time to time for newer members or those who haven't checked in here on this thread.

Here are a few cufftitles. These are the hardest to photograph and thus, I only have a few shown here. I will try for better in the future.

Mike

[Mike H]

Headgear

I have gotten dangerous since I started playing with "PhotoMerge" in Adobe ...

A selection of headgear in my collection. You will forgive the Army visor -- I couldn't pass this one up. It came from eBay and straight out of the woodwork through a friend at my company.

The Luftwaffe General's visor is particularly rare. These are very difficult to find, though I have owned two. This one is the very hat featured on the front of the Halcomb book, "Headgear of Hitler's Germany" ... many of you have this book in your libraries. Probably the second most difficult to find is the Officer's M-43. I have only handled two in my collecting career that I regarded as real and/or unaltered.

Again, if any detailed photos are needed, just let me know.

Mike

[grovb]

What can I say about the headgear: beautiful.

[Giel VW]

Wow, I can's take it any longer

[Katsumasa]

Terrible Sorry to bother you ,and enjoying to see your great collection,only one opinion:"BIG " ,,
Just want to ask few odd questions,>>what's different between the"bolcke" and"boelcke"?& how much of their market price?
here's my fliger tunic:


Thank you very much,

Well, I got off track in my "Badges" thread, so I decided to start Part 10. Occasionally, I will repeat photos that were in previous threads but when checking back, I noticed that some of those threads are now missing photos so I think it is a good idea to run some of these again from time to time for newer members or those who haven't checked in here on this thread.

Here are a few cufftitles. These are the hardest to photograph and thus, I only have a few shown here. I will try for better in the future.

Mike

[Mike H]

Boelcke

Sir,

I think your cuffband is more common with no umlaut over the "o".

Mine is an officer version, hand embroidered. This very cufftitle is featured on page 118 of Gordon Williamson's cuffband book.

I can't speak to value one way or the other but obviously, the hand embroidered ones in aluminum thread are more expensive.

Mike

[Katsumasa]

Oh My...I'm afraid you misunderstanding my words Sir
>..officer version,hand embroidered ones in aluminum thread are more expensive..

That's what I want to say but can't speak out in my poor English.
I know your cufftitle is extremely rare and has more value ,,..Just want to know are thay "same Geschwaber" or not ,If answer is YES, why in difference spell?they change their name because war?Please.

All the best

Sir,

I think your cuffband is more common with no umlaut over the "o".

Mine is an officer version, hand embroidered. This very cufftitle is featured on page 118 of Gordon Williamson's cuffband book.

I can't speak to value one way or the other but obviously, the hand embroidered ones in aluminum thread are more expensive.

Mike

Yes, same Geschwader.

Mine is one that Williamson and George Petersen term a "variant". Why they used an umlaut in the spelling of his name, I do not know but understand this is common.

Mike

Edited for say many thanks to Mr.Mike Heuer gave me answer.^_^

[Mike H]

Variants

Yes, same Geschwader.

Mine is one that Williamson and George Petersen term a "variant". Why they used an umlaut in the spelling of his name, I do not know but understand this is common.

Mike

[Gene]

There is also a Boelcke cuff title that is missing the "c", but I haven't seen one in a wartime photo being worn.

[darryl-P]

Mike,

That's a great looking officer's lightweight DD Luft helmet you show in your headgear collage. I would love to see additional pics of that one. Is that a rare Luft transitional helmet I see down there peeking out at the bottom?

[Mike H]

Helmets

Wilco on the aluminum parade ... have to take some photos.

No, it's an M-42, Darryl.

Mike

[pilotshadow26]

That generals hat is beautiful. I love the cuff titles and the enlisted summer visor hat. Hey what's that officers light infantry/mountaineer visor hat doing there if it's a luftwaffe collection .

[Mike H]

Oberst Torsten Christ

As I mentioned above, the Army Gebirgsjaeger officer's visor (named) was something I just could not pass up as it came from a fellow employee at my company who bought it straight out of the woodwork. It is a very unusual maker and is featured in Gary Wilkins' magnificent book on headgear (the sweatshield only).

Now to another subject and one of my favorites ...

About 12 years ago, I purchased the uniform of Oberst Torsten Christ from a dealer in Germany. The uniform had only been in one or two collectors' hands since coming out of the family in the 1980's from what I understand. In any event, Christ was a very successful staff officer and was Chief of Staff of the VIII. Fliegerkorps. He won the Knight's Cross in October 1942 when an Oberstleutnant. The DKiG had been awarded to him earlier that year in May.

He also served in the Legion Condor where he kept a meticulous journal that is now in the archives at Freiburg. The journal was extensively quoted in Raymond L. Proctor's excellent book, "Hitler's Luftwaffe in the Spanish Civil War". Needless to say, there are loops on the uniform for the DKiG and a Spanish Cross.

Going back even further, the Oberst was awarded the Blood Order, #227. He was a fairly young man at the time of the Putsch in Munich in 1923, so I suspect he may have been in one of the military schools there at the time and joined in. Christ survived the war but apparently died in the 1950's, according to Proctor. No doubt he would have made General but his fear of flying prevented it, as he had been involved in a bad wreck at one time.

This uniform was tailored by Josef A. Worda in Innsbruck, Austria in 1943 and comes complete with the pants which are striped in the wide crimson for staff. It is one of the most beautiful uniforms of the period I have seen. This is why some of us like to collect cloth so much -- yes, it is dangerous out there with good fakes but when you see real period tailoring, it is quite unmistakable. I wish I had better photos of the uniform as they are incredibly difficult to shoot and to project the quality in the image.

Oberst Christ's RK document does exist and is in the hands of another member of this Forum. His Blood Order sold in the last Hermann's Historica auction in Munich. I missed the auction and did not realize his Blood Order was being offered, otherwise I would have bid. Someday, perhaps these pieces will be reunited again.

But that is all part of the fun of collecting. Incidentally, the photos of Christ that I have included in the montage of photos below include a watercolor portrait of him that was offered some years ago by a German auction house. I also do not have this in my possession and would sure like to know where it is. It shows Christ wearing the same ribbon bar that came with his uniform as well as the Blood Order ribbon. The photos of him in the trench were taken on the Nettuno front in February 1944 (he is on the left). The other photo is an autographed print.

Mike

[Mike H]

Shields

Self-explanatory here -- I am still looking for Luftwaffe-backed NARVIK and KUBAN.

Mike

[Joe D]

Mike simply outstanding Luft collection. Hopefully one of these days my Luftwaffe collection will become half as nice as yours.