Meybauer/Brehmer Heeresflak

[Nick Carraway]

Chad,

I borrowed two from Marc. The NS is from a different forum member. But Marc wrote a whole article on the NS version in IMC magazine - don't you get it?

Nick

[Antonio Scapini]

Good idea Nick!
I believe these Army Flak were made from Meybauer, even for me the mm is period done.
I post some more I've encountered in my researches for comparison.

[fdodge]

Great work Nick. IMO the known evidence tips the scales toward Meybauer but I see the possibility of manufacture by Brehmer and won't make the call yet. I don't own anything that can help this along either

Frank

[Nick Carraway]

Good idea Nick!
I believe these Army Flak were made from Meybauer, even for me the mm is period done.
I post some more I've encountered in my researches for comparison.

Antonio,

Thanks, this is very helpful! I also think Meybauer is the one. If we had another marked badge I would be totally convinced. It's hard when you only have one, but the circumstantial evidence also points in the same direction which is good!

[Giel VW]

Very interesting Nick. This could very well be Meybauer indeed.

I have a few of them as well, but how nice the coating is on these I do not believe any of these were made from nickle silver. They are sometimes multi layered and heavily plated, but they were not out of nickle silver or tombak. The weight simply implies this as well.

[Thomas Durante]

What are the weights?

If they are all about the same as Giel says, then I would tend to agree that we are probably looking at a zinc badge rather than nickel silver. On some of the closeups, I think I see some small bubbling, which would also indicate zinc.

That is another positive sign towards Meybauer, since we know they were one of only a handful of makers to solder their block hinges directly to the zinc base metal without a larger plate (i.e., Meybauer LW Para badges for example). I don't recall Brehmer doing this, I believe they exclusively used block hinges with their nickel silver badge, and immediately switched to sheet metal hinges when they switched to zinc.

Tom

[Antonio Scapini]

Even for me we are looking at a zinc badges instead a nickel/silver.
All the evidences are for a Meybauer poduction: set up, hardware, mm...
I would have no doubts about.

[Nick Carraway]

Well this has turned into a great thread and is why I posted all these in one spot. Just goes to show how it helps to get all the info in one place. I have weight and measurements for the three certain zinc badges but not the possible tombak. I got the photos second hand so I am going back to my source to ask for the weight and measurements. But I agree we are looking at Meybauer. Now the question is Tombak...but you guys make a compelling argument for it being zinc.

Great stuff!

[WEISNER]

Great thread and I also give Meybauer the vote, I would think another maker marked example will come from the woodwork one day.
There is an air museum near me with a Heer flak badge on display however the reverse is not visable, I will ask to have a close look on my next visit as you never know?

Kevin

[Nick Carraway]

Get even a basic photo of the front and it is an easy ID.

[Giel VW]

Here's my trinity. Whilst some will shout "nickle silver" or "tombak" or what ever at the first one or two, I'll have to tell you, they are not!

All 3 badges (from the same die) vary only within 1gr of each other. If you take a look at Juncker flaks one can not only see but also weight the difference in bare hand.

The ones left are copper coated and are beautifuly plated silver, the one on the right only received one layer of silver paint which resulted in evaporation of it. There's no such thing as a nickle silver variant.

[Nick Carraway]

Gorgeous!. Thanks Giel, you are a great help.

[Thomas Durante]

Very nice line up Giel, just beautiful.

Interesting that the ones with the nicer, higher quality finish seems to have later, sheetmetal hardware.....whereas the one with the lower quality wash finish has what I would consider an earlier hardware setup.

Tom

[Christopher G.]

I think it could be Brehmer and I only say that because of the tool mark on the bent part of the pin. I have a few GB badges and I have the same Heer Flak that Giel post (middle one). All the badges have a very similar if not identical tool mark on the pin compare to the HF. What do you think about the tool marks on the pin? Anyone else notice this...?

I think the evidence for Meybauer is also very convincing and makes it more than likely a Meybauer made badge but there is always that question. I just dont want to be that guy in the jury pool that says "not guilty" and makes everyone say 5 days longer in the courthouse.

Regards,
Chris

[Eddie]

What a nice Heer Flak badge show,they are outstanding