Luft Flak!

[Thomas Bendixen]

Nothing wrong with that flakabz. IMHO - If thats a copy I'll eat my shorts. Cheers Thomas

[Don D.]

That does not look like oxidization to me. Where are the details? Look at the catch. You can see the catchplate from the original that they used to cast it from. I have an army flak at home that has sand residue all over it too. I'll post it tonight for comparision.
Don

[Frank Heukemes]

I would tend to say it is an original badge in worn condition, which has developed some zinc rot.

[anguspm]

Can´t see anything wrong with it.

Difference between corosion and casting:

As an aside the heavy corrosion to the hinge leads me to believe this badge has been stored in a high humidity environment. This would quite easily lead to the effect shown. The badge still has the features that involve deep incisions. If this were a sand casting the general detail would be better with the fine incisions lost. As this is the other way around ie general detail lost but fine incisions intact it is representative of a highly corroded badge.

NB: This is not a hard and fast rule as the fine detail can be added after the casting process, ie hand finishing.

[Don D.]

Compare the flak badge to the one in this link, posts 11-12.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...highlight=flak

Don

[Frank Heukemes]

Same badge type, Don. But it does not make one of them bad, does it?

[Don D.]

Hi Frank. It took me forever to find a simuliar badge. This type is the only one I could find with no rollers beneath the gun barrel. The second one is fairly worn too but still has significant differences in the details. Look at the breach block. If the badge that started this thread has been stored in a humid environment for so long why is there very little rust/vertigris on the pin/hinge? I would also like to see how the catch is affixed to the badge. Maybe it is good but it has a lot of things that bother me and I am trying to resolve these to get my mind straight. I have a cast RS Heer Flak that has sand imbeded in the front that looks alot like the stuff in the wheels on the front of this badge. Unfortunately it was dark when I got home so I have to wait until tomorrow to take a pic.

If anyone else has a badge by this maker I would like to see pics.
Don

[Al P]

I looked for another example as well with no luck, the one you found looks close to a match though, I still do not like the details on the one in question. But I am here to learn.

Al

[Don D.]

As promised, pics of a cast badge for comparision. It is not a luft flak but since we are looking at a manufacturing technique this should work.

The front: notice the sand residue and detail.

[Don D.]

The reverse with a little rust for age.

[Don D.]

The catch is acutally cast as part of the badge but you can see where the catch plate was on the original that was used to make the mold.

[tinmantis]

Here's two comparisons with the badge don found:
jon

[tinmantis]

2nd:

[tinmantis]

super-close shots

Here's a few more pics, to try to lay this baby to rest.
Real super close shots to try to show the details, surely not a sand cast?
But still open to opinions
jon

[tinmantis]

more feathers: