What is he wearing?

[Marc Garlasco]

Thanks for the help! What are the wings? On the bar I see EK2/Ostmedal/Austrian/Long Service/?

[Mike Kenny]

Hi,

Pre WW2 (1935-1938) Bulgarian "Civil" Pilot's Badge.

Regards
Mike K

[Marc Garlasco]

Thanks Mike! Any ideas on the last ribbon foks?
Marc

[Mike Kenny]

Hi Marc,

Looks like it has a swords device. Possibly also Bulgarian? Maybe this one (Bulgarian Soldier's/Service Cross??) or it's Silver Grade?

Regards
Mike K

[webr55]

I agree with Mike, the last ribbon is most probably Bulgarian. Some grade of their Bravery Award/Military Merit Order.
The third ribbon looks more like a Volkspflege - in wrong place. However, Austrian Anschluss would also be in wrong place here. But both are common period mistakes.

Regards
Chris

[Theodor]

Hi, just a note about the wing. This is not "civil" wing. This is a post-1937 /or even after 1938/ and ww2-time military pilot wing.

Let me start earlier. After the WW1 Bulgaria was restricted of having military aviation. All aircraft were cut to small pieces and the aviation diasbanded. Of course, the country imediately started building military aviation , but it was in deep secret - few aircraft, few pilots, far away from the eyes of the French and English military commissions... Officially no Air Force existed, for long time the pilots' uniforms did no even have shoulder boards, but only small tabs on the sleeves. However, since the mid-20's a pilots' wing was introduced - a small, simple flying eagle, worn on the chest pocket on the wearer's left. It was given after 1st Pilot Exam, as far as I know, when the personm was becoming pilot.
Keep in mind, that there was no civil aviation in the country. All the pilots' training was under the military.

Little by little the country built its small air force.

At last, in 1937, it was officially recognized. The AF regiments officially received Flags from the King, new aircraft were brought and got military emblems, the King's cypher was officially introduced in the pilot's uniforms and insignia.

And it was after 1937 or even after 1938 that the wing from the photo above did appear. There was no longer secrecy, this was official pilto wing, given to the new pilots after the first pilots' exam by the Bulgarian royal air frace. It was also given to foreign guests, including to many German pilots /the same way many Germans, a allies, were given the enameled pilot's badge and also different grades of the Bravery cross, according to their rank maybe/.

So, in the mid 20-s, only the small wing on the pocket shows, that military pilot Manchev is indeed a pilot, but not a cab driver or something like this

[Theodor]

... and a dozen of years later the military aviation is indeed military aviation! I believe this photo is from about 1940. The pilot has Royal cypher on the boards, Bulgarian Air Force wings on one pocket /that's not qualification wing, but emblem of the Bulgarian AF/ and pilot qualification wing on the other pocket - that's the wing discussed, late 30's and WW2. BTW, the other two guys are pilots, too, the right one was KIFA in the summer of 1945, exactly 60 years ago, but that's another story!

[Marc Garlasco]

Interesting...our guy was born in Konigsberg and was a Flak officer! I will post a full pic when I get home tonight.
Marc

[Theodor]

Maybe he was aircraft crew for some time? Well, anyway, any guy in Luftwaffe-like uniform IMO had great chances to get such a wing They were given to Germans not because these had exams in the Bulgarian AF - it was only gift of friendship.

[Marc Garlasco]

Here he is: RKT Paul Lehmann

[Humberto Corado]

hello Marc,

would it be possible for you to give us more information about this RK winner and how he won his knights cross
thanks!

Here he is: RKT Paul Lehmann

[Marc Garlasco]

Sorry - I have no info on his exploits.
Marc

[Hans N]

Did a search on him and found this
http://www.das-ritterkreuz.de/index_...chword=Lehmann