Luftwaffe Flieger, wings on collar, IAB

[grobkörnig]

Good mornig everybody

Here I have the portrait of a Luftwaffe Flieger wearing his wings without any collar tabs directly on his collar, which has a light (white?) piping. In addidtion he is wearing a very frosty looking IAB. Now who can help?

Where are his collar tabs?
Why is the wing on the left lower than that on the right?
What color is the piping?
Why is he wearing an IAB?

Regards
gk

[grobkörnig]

any guesses?

[Adrian Stevenson]

He would be a member of the "Hermann Goring" division. All the factors fit:

White waffenfarbe
"Gulls" direct on the collar after the white collar tabs were discontinued for the division.
Wear of an IAB

The "HG" was an elite ground formation of the Luftwaffe. Do a search about the unit. Lots of info out there.

The placement of the gulls is just badly done

Cheers, Ade.

[grobkörnig]

Ade,
I quite familiar with the HG units... Nevertheless, some factors aren't restricted to the HG division. White waffenfarbe is pretty clear, although often it is hard to say if it's white or yellow... In one of the German forums I read that wearing collar tabs was not only discontinued in HG troops... Finally, waering an IAB can also mean that he had served in the Heer before his HG time. I'm not even sure if LW troops (even in ground units) were awarded the IAB at all...

Regards
gk

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi GK, the IAB could have been awarded while serving with the Heer, but these awards were given to Luftwaffe ground forces too. They were supposed to be exchanged for the Luftwaffe ground combat badge when that became available.

Cheers, Ade.

[Luft 76]

IAB could also habe been received after the transfer to Heer of all Lw Fielddivisions, at end of 1943. Many Lw soldiers kept their Lw battle-dresses, sometimes mixed with new Heer items, but recieved Heer awards.

[Z19]

Photo

That is a great photo. Correct me if I'm wrong, but did I not read somewhere that when the HG division was formed it recruited from all other branches of service and not just the Luftwaffe?? So seeing the Heer badge on his breast is not unusual?? Also, does this picture like tons of others show that there really was no "textbook" tunic and that the soldiers wore what was available at the time? Alex

[W Petz]

GK,

I'm thinking LWFD....many of members were transferred from other branches of the Luftwaffe and may have retained the branch color cord and It's not that common to see wings pinned to collars in the LW so it may be a field expediant. Late war HG wore the white collar tabs as you well know the waffenfarbe around the tabs were only there for a short duration also white tabs were worn until the end. I have photos of HG, LWFD and FJ wearing the IAB so it was worn and awarded by Heer units...I believe until exchanged for LWAB. Bill