Fliegererrinnerungsabzeichen

[Philippe DB]

Hi Guys,

Before taking my final decision I really would appreciate your input on this Fliegererrinnerungsabzeichen in zink.

I know these are quit rare badges and it's difficult to find much information on them. So I would really appreciate some input from people who know about these badges or who might have one in there collection, maybe with proven provenance.

These are the best pics I can post. If this isn't sufficient to reach a decision I'll only be able to post better pics in the beginning of october.

thanks in advance for your help and input on this rare badge.

KR
Philippe

[Philippe DB]

Fliegererrinerungsabzeichen reverse.

[François SAEZ]

Philippe,

I have one question, have you (or somebody) ever seen a wartime picture of this badge worn?

[Gene]

Beautiful

[Philippe DB]

Hi François,

Good question. No I haven't and that brings us to the next question, when would this badge ever have been worn. Based upon the information I have it's in fact some kind of commemorative medall in badge form.

Only flying personnel who quit active duty or had been honorably discharged were awarded this badge. So since from that moment on they stoped wearing a uniform I don't really understand under which condition they could have worn the badge. Probably not on a civil dress.

Also flying personnel KIA was awarded the badge but then it went to their next-of-kin. And this raises an other question. I think that quit a lot of Luftwaffe flying personnel was killed during WWII so why is this badge so rare.

But where were you heading to with your question François?

KR
Philippe

[Lorenzo Brown]

Interesting thoughts. Certainly the KIA will not be photograghed wearing the badge.....for obvious reasons. I would also think that we would not see as many "retired" personnel wearing their badges as we would "active" personnel. I would think that if you are "retired" , you will not have as many occassions to wear the badge for a photogragh as did the active personnel. Perhaps a few in civilian attire

[Al P]

Was this badge included in the 1957 remakes?


The symbolism of the eagle sitting on the rock with his work already completed makes this my favorite Luftwaffe badge.

Al

[J Temple-West]

Well, If I was retired from flying duties but still in uniform, I know which award I wear... Pilots of course!!
Dates of institution ( 26 March 1936) and the rules as to who would be eligible are quoted in reference works, so why, as Francois says, don't we see more of them in wear?

I wonder how popular this badge was amongst retired pilots... I see a lot of period pic's of senior Luftwaffe pilots well over the flying duty age.. but never with this award..always the PB.. You would think that Hermann G , with his love of all things awardable, would be seen with one with diamonds...

[Chris_Werner]

The lack of war time photos is because in order to qualify, you had to toast 5 shots of jagermeister to Von Richtofen, then say the award 3 times fast!

[François SAEZ]

......But where were you heading to with your question François?.....

Nowhere, I was only asking somehow in relation with the interesting thread started in the para forum by E. Queen "proof in the picture".
As a personal reflexion, I don't find it easy to understand that we can't find a tracking of such a badge - maybe in a catalog ??? But I didn't see everything.
Now, I have seen documents for this badge and I like the one you have posted, so .......

But that leaves (except if someone can share more info) the question opened - what info do we have?

François

[Ian Jewison]

I used to have scans of a Major's Soldbuch where this badge was actually worn in the photo.....however I do not have this anymore......
For the photo to have been added it was at least late 1943 or sometime in 1944....

/Ian

[Philippe DB]

You certainly have a point François, not a lot of info taken in to account the numbers of flying personnel that there would have been in the luftwaffe from 1936 untill 1945 qualifying for this award.

One other question, has anybody ever seen a case for this badge.If one badge would have been handed out in a case than certainly it would have been this one. Kind of a golden rolex you get when you retire. Same thing for the badges send to the next-of-kin. Can't image that they send them of in a simple envelope.

So are there anymore fliegererinnerungsabzeichen out there. I know Pieter has an alu marked Juncker, and John (militarybuyer) once sold a salty zink example on the e-stand early this year.

KR
Philippe

[Yuri D.]

Here is a link to my badge. It is an excellent example of a zinc badge with the swastika cut out:

http://69.57.156.87/~admin1/forums/s...hlight=retired

Yuri

[Jos L C]

I guess it's a badge you can't put in the series of active flyers..
It's more a civilian badge..
It's not only retired but also disabled flyers..
I can't believe Rudel would have changed his P/O badges for this one ...,so he went on flying with one leg..that's the spirit..
Although I think it's a nice badge it's less popular than the rest IMO..
Never saw a real picture of this one being worn..

It also differs because of being a badge made outof one piece like the Army and Navy "flatties" ,what makes the other LW badges very attractive IMO ...
Prices are rather high for these ones...,that doesn't make it a winner to me personaly..

Jos.

[Philippe DB]

Hi Yuri,

I'm under the impression that yours is the same badge as I posted, with the exception of the beak. The beak seems better shaped on yours. Is the reverse setup comparable?

In the meantime I received pictures of two examples with a massive swas and an other one with an eagle that is a little fatter an a cut out swas. Al 3 of them are zinkers an share the same reverse setup as the badge I posted

Thanks
Philippe