WH Luft Flak soldering mess

[Tom Yanacek]

Hello to all,

Found this fairly nice, Hobacher Luft Flak Badge today at a local gun show. When seeing the soldering mess on the reverse, one might immediately think "repaired." However, upon careful examination, it is obvious that this badge is completely original and without any kind of repairs. It seems that many badges by Hobacher are known for the over-abundant use of soldering paste.

Best regards,
Tom

[Tom Yanacek]

reverse:

[Tom Yanacek]

hinge:

[Tom Yanacek]

catch:

[WEISNER]

Holy Smokes!!!! So much it runs down off the wreath onto the Eagle and swastika backside! A puddle of solder if you will!!!
I would like to see other members add their Hobacher Flak badges here for comparison! If I ran across this at a show I would have thought repaired and walked away! However if this is how they left the Factory then I would possibly have passed on a nice badge......?
Any others?
Kevin

[WEISNER]

It looks like it was poured over the hinge and catch as solder is found from top to bottom? I just have a hard time this would be acceptable! Also the solder looks too new IMO and not even worn off the top of the catch!
I did a search of Hobacher and found none while looking soldered like this, as a matter of fact Jim has three in the link I provide of different types, and the three are a good representative of my search....
I will have to post in a new posting as edit will not allow the link for some reason?
I wonder what Mark has to say?
Kevin

[WEISNER]

Link to Jim's Hobacher Flak's....
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...light=Hobacher
I am interested to see others opinions, As I am not by any means or way an expert on Flaks!
Kev

[Karsten S]

Hi

I my mind you are absolutely right that this maker is very sloppy with the solder.
The catch is like I have seen it many times and like this, but I have never seen that amount of solder on the hinge as yours.

If it´s not a repair, I most be the guys first day at work.

Cheers

Karsten

[Karsten S]

..

[Tom Yanacek]

It looks like it was poured over the hinge and catch as solder is found from top to bottom? I just have a hard time this would be acceptable! Also the solder looks too new IMO and not even worn off the top of the catch!
I did a search of Hobacher and found none while looking soldered like this, as a matter of fact Jim has three in the link I provide of different types, and the three are a good representative of my search....
I will have to post in a new posting as edit will not allow the link for some reason?
I wonder what Mark has to say?
Kevin

Hi Kevin,

You should probably extend your search beyond that of a few examples posted on this here forum. My comments are not based on looking at a handful of badges posted by others on this forum, but upon examination of hundreds and hundreds of Hobacher badges and over a period of almost three and a half decades. And don't just fixate on the Hobacher Luft Flak Badges, but look at some of the other types of badges that Hobacher produced. Their Black Wound Badges, for instance, are notorious for the over-abundant use of soldering paste.

Also, the solder on the badge I posted is not even remotely new. In fact, it is quite typical in coloration and overall appearance to many of the badges produced by Hobacher. You have to remember, too, that these badges were mass-produced during wartime. So how is a badge like this unacceptable, in your opinion? These items were not individual works of art, intended for scrutiny by collectors, but were simply to be worn by soldiers in combat. Do you think for one instance, a soldier would complain that his badge had too much solder on the reverse? (The part of the badge that is never even seen?) Would a wartime inspector reject this badge? I think the inspector cared more about the welds holding than about excess solder on the reverse.

Best regards,
Tom

[Tom Yanacek]

Hi

I my mind you are absolutely right that this maker is very sloppy with the solder.
The catch is like I have seen it many times and like this, but I have never seen that amount of solder on the hinge as yours.

If it´s not a repair, I most be the guys first day at work.

Cheers

Karsten

Hi Karsten,

Thanks for posting pictures of your Hobacher Luft Flak. The soldering job on your catch seems even a bit sloppier than on mine. Another reason I'm sure that the solder at the hinge is not a repair is because it has the same exact color and appearance as the solder at the catch area.

Best regards,
Tom

[WEISNER]

Tom, If I see a Hobacher in the future and the "Soldering Mess" I will know it is a good badge! Thanks for the lesson and I have very much to learn!
Kevin