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R.K. Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge, opinions please!

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    #1

    R.K. Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge, opinions please!

    Hello, members.
    This is a badge I received from a dealer quite awhile back. I thought I started a thread on this piece when I got it, but now cannot find the thread. Will a few of you please post some photos of some known originals to compare this piece to? I appreciate your help in resolving this issue. What do you think of it?
    Robert
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    #2
    and the reverse....

    Comment

      #3
      the maker mark and 'pinched' rivets...
      Attached Files

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        #4
        the catch...
        Attached Files

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          #5
          Very tasty. Nice find. Beautiful original in excellent condition.

          Yuri

          Comment

            #6
            Thank you, Yuri.

            Thanks, Yuri.
            Off to a good start.


            Robert

            Comment

              #7
              Yep,original piece and a nice one.
              Easy way to find out in a second if these are real
              is that the originals have the fishhook beak...!

              Jos.

              Comment

                #8
                Is that an early Luft Grd Combat Badge!

                Robert,

                Obviously, we have been talking about this via e-mail as well as posting here. First, I must say this is one of the most detailed and nice looking Ground Combat badges that I have seen. The PICS here are so much better than the ones I got via e-mail. Very nice!

                Overall, I think the details and coloration on the front of your badge are fantastic and 100% correct IMO.

                - The eagle has the typical R.K. hooked beak.

                - The clouds have the right color blue-gray, but not that painted look about them. Realistic wear to the finish as well.

                - Really great detailing on the wreath and lightning bolt.

                On the reverse;

                - The hinge and hinge mounts are correct for this maker and are probably the first thing to look for when comparing fakes with original pieces.

                - The dark gray coloration of the badge's reverse is correct.

                - The maker's mark is correct and is another telltale indicator of most fakes. Notice how the period (dot) after the letter "R" is smaller than the period following the letter "K"? Absolutely correct.

                - The catch base looks correct for this maker, but I have a question on the catch itself. As I have never seen a "?" catch with that flat bent bottom, I wanted to know if the catch may have been repaired or replaced at one point in time? Any evidence of that? Your catch appears to be thinner than mine as well, but that may be camera angles playing here.

                - The rivets look good, but this is the first one I have seen with the rivets appearing so "pinched". Most of the badges I've seen, including mine, have a rounder type rivet, though some do appear "dented" a bit. Yours are clearly pinched and I'm wondering if this isn't an earlier made badge. Even the reference books show R.K. badges, as well as the Muk-5's, having these rounder appearing rivets.

                - The pin looks tapered correctly, though I do have a question on the base material it's made from. Is the pin brass? I ask this because it appears to have brass showing through on the tip?

                What is the weight on your badge here and how does it compare to your other badge? My 3-rivet R.K. weighs in at 25.0 grams and that's favorable with other badges that I have asked weights on. Is yours heavier than this?

                I'll post some PICS of my badge to follow later and you can see some striking similarities, but some minor differences as well. My badge seems to have a finish coat applied to the reverse and appears to cover the rivets and maker's mark details a bit. My catch base is also a bit more of the Muk-5 style, but they are very close to begin with overall.

                I am wondering at this point if your badge might be an earlier production badge and possibly a Buntmetal piece at that. My badge is clearly Feinzinc and that might account for the minor differences in details and finishes, but Detlev does list a Buntmetal badge in his catalog and I'm wondering if this may be one of them.

                I have never seen one of these before, especially in such nice quality and condition. If true and this is in fact an original Buntmetal piece, I know I'll be selling mine to find one of these--a task that will not be easy nor cheap in today's market!

                At this point, I say--Beautiful badge!

                Other thoughts here?
                Tim
                Attached Files

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                  #9
                  reverse

                  .
                  Attached Files

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Hi Robert,

                    Here is another for your comparison.

                    Mark


                    "You can check out any time you like ..... But you can never leave....."

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Thank you for the photos

                      Thanks, Mark and Tim, for the photos. I have done some more homework on this piece this morning and found that it has a magnetic pin, hinge and catch. The round catch base plate is non magnetic. Tim, the catch appears to be original, as there is no discoloration to the finish of the catch area from heat needed to make the weld. It does seem to be the original welding job. There is some minor rusting to the inside of the catch.
                      The wreath is slightly concave. I weighed this piece on a very accurate powder scale that weighs in grains. The badge weighs 484.0 grains exactly, to the tenth of a grain. One gram equals 15.432 grains. With this formula we come up with a weight of 31.36 grams.
                      Here are some dimensions:

                      Wingspan: 41.5 mm

                      Wreath height: 56.0 mm

                      Wreath width: 43.0

                      Tim, my other Luft GAB ( G.B. ) weighs 490.0 grains ( 31.75 grams ). Just a little heavier than this R.K. badge.
                      Last edited by robert pierce; 02-13-2003, 02:48 PM.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        stay sure Robert,

                        yours is original one. Fakes are differents from yours.

                        you are right to have some confusions because sometimes we can find fakes of this R.K. badge sell from good dealers.

                        Ivan Bombardieri

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Hi Robert,
                          You have a real gem there - original in every way! I too think it may be buntmetall. Regardless, a winner either way - congrats!
                          ERIC

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Thanks all for your help. Yes, Eric, it is a heavy piece. It feels like buntmetal. And I look at the edges under a 10X loop to find the same look as the Luft flight badges have-sheer marks. The rivets are extremely small and all the same perfect pinched tops. The eagle was built up with solder to fit the badge. I can see this under magnification with the proper angle and lighting. Thanks to all of you who have helped with this. I appreciate it. I feel comfortable with it as a result.

                            Robert

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Robert,

                              Sounds very close to mine other than weight. All the dimensions are within 1 mm of each other and mine too has the magnetic hinge and pin. The catch on mine is not and appears to be brass underneath.

                              I think you got a buntmetal badge my man!
                              Tim

                              Now, something more to find! and probably another zinc badge to sell.

                              Comment

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