Question about Glider pilots

[Jody]

Hi Folks,
I am putting together a display and I was wanting to know what other badges could be worn by a Glider pilot. Besides the Ground assault, did they have to qualify for the para badge as well?

Many Thanks,
Jody

[Ian Tannahill]

Giday Jody,

Almost every photograph that I have seen of a military glider pilot, the pilot was wearing the Segelflugzeugführerabzeichen, (I understand that you have a beautiful example of one of these), as well as the civil glider pilot's badge, "C" class. In most cases, the pilot chose to wear his civil glider pilot's badge above his Segelflugzeugführerabzeichen.

Many glider pilots towards the end of the war were assigned to various Fallschirmjäger units. Some of these pilots may have completed jump training and were as a consequence also entitled to wear the Fallschirmschutzenabzeichen.

Of course, there were some jump qualified Fallschirmjäger who were members of the experimental glider unit commanded by Leutnant Walter Kiess, including Kiess and A Flücke. (Perhaps Stijn David can provide us with the names of other jump qualified Fallschirmjäger who were also qualified glider pilots.)

Photos Oberleutnant Kiess that were taken after the capture of Eben Emael and the three bridges spanning the Albert Canal show Kiess wearing the Fallschirmschutzenabzeichen and the Flugzeugführerabzeichen. Presumably, Kiess was a qualified pilot and was therefore entitled to wear the Flugzeugführerabzeichen.

It is my understanding that persons were only allowed to wear one flight related qualification badge on their uniform. I don't know whether Kiess was ever awarded the Segelflugzeugführerabzeichen, but perhaps he always chose to wear the Flugzeugführerabzeichen, which I suspect may have been considered a higher qualification. (Stijn, what do you think?)

In addition, some glider pilots were entitled to wear various flight clasps.

Prior to the introduction of flight clasp for Transportflieger, glider pilots theoretically who performed the prerequisite number of flights could be awarded the flight clasp for Kampfflieger. However, I am not aware of any glider pilot having received a flight clasp for Kampfflieger for flights involving gliders. (I do know of at least one glider pilot who received the flight clasp for Kampfflieger due to flights flown later in the war as an observer, and later as a pilot, of a He 111.)

Some glider pilots did however receive the flight clasp for Transportflieger. Having said this, I am not aware of a glider pilot having received a flight clasp for Transportflieger in Gold.

I hope this helps.

Please post some pictures of your display. I for one would love to see it.

All the best,

Ian

[Jody]

Thanks

HI Ian,
Well thank you so very much. You cleared up a lot of questions I had. I am working on a mini display and I was going to use a Fallschirmjaeger helmet, Heer and Luft para badges, glider pilot and a ground assault (as well as some other items). When my brother-in-law in finsihed with my cabinet door I will post pictures.

Here is my cased Glider pilot, it is an un-hallmarked example by Juncker and has the late war flocked cardboard bed to the case. It may not look as pretty as the early nickle hallmarked cut-out swastika types, but I like it.
Regards,
Jody

[Stijn David]

Glider pilots and badges

Hello,


Interesting question and im very happy to see that these highly underestimated troops are receiving more and more respect lately .

In regards towards your question => basicly Ian answered already all the questions correctly and there is nothing much more to add on the badges etc ....

I have only one picture of a trained glider pilot who also wears a FJ badge but it is very very likely that this FJ badge was earned on a later date then the Glider piltos badge + please note that this is rather the exception then the rule ( + it is not because they where assigned late wartime towards some FJ unit they earned the para qualification !!! )

Most wartime Glider pilots where indeed already quite skilled civil Glider pilots ( trained in the NSFK days ) and they already had in many cases the civil C profiency badge and in some cases the Silver C badge !!!! .
A Glider pilot who received training and was succesfull to copmlete it received his glider pilots badge and could offcoarse earn a few more awards but that was not so likely in the Glider service, therefore any Glider pilot who earns other awards or medals is to be considered very very rare .

Iff a Glider pilot received a transporting clasp for his service as a Glider he always received the Transporting clasp ( highest grade encountere dby me so far = Silver clasp ) , iff he was assigned later on towards another branch of flying units and he earned additional flight days he offcoarse could receive anotehr clasp ( such as bomber, observer, etc ... )

Iff there are more quistions feel free to post them

Cordial greetings,

ps : I also would like to see your display when finished

[Jody]

Hi Guys,
I have a question? The glider pilots at Crete (for example), would they have worn the Glider Pilots badge? If so, did they function as ground troops after their glider landed or crash landed?

I know so little about these guys and I apologize if my questions sound too simple. Being a teacher, I know you have to ask questions to learn.

Many thanks,
Jody

[Ian Tannahill]

Giday Jody,

In answer to your first question, at the time of the invasion of Crete I would expect that at least some of the glider pilots involved would have worn the Segelflugzeugführerabzeichen.

I have a photograph of the members of 6/LLG 1 taken in June, 1941. The majority of the pilots in the photograph whose awards are visible are wearing the Segelflugzeugführerabzeichen and the civil glider pilot's badge, "C" class.

In answer to your second question, on landing, the glider pilots would have been expected to fight alongside the Fallschirmjäger they carried to the battlefield in their gliders.

All the best,

Ian

[Stijn David]

Glider pilots

Hello,

As for the time of the Crete invasion the Glider pilots badge was already quite widely distributed among the qualifyed Glider pilots so the persons who where involved in the actual crete assault could wear the badge when wanted.

I however have never ever seen a picture from those attacking days where they where wearing the badge untill now, as Ian states pictures that date from begin June 1941 show very clearely the Glider pilots badge in wear etc ....

And yes the Glider pilots where expected to simply fight along with the FJ once landed ( and this was so for every pure assault mission , for example : Vassieux, Crete, Eben Emael just to name a few )


Cordial greetings,