Luftwaffe tunic/award

[James Clark]

The Luftwaffe guy is actually incidental to this photo (taken some time before May 1944), but I'd like to know two things:

1) He is wearing an award on his left breast which is side on to the camera and unrecognisable. After magnifying it until I went cross-eyed, I have convinced myself that I can see the upswept wing of a Luftwaffe eagle on top and a line running diagonally upwards from left to right. Does he look like someone who would have the Luftwaffe Flak Badge?

2) What's the story behind the strange buttoning arrangement on his tunic?

Just curious,

James

[Rick Research]

I'd say it is an HJ sports badge, and he is a well fed and mature looking KID, possibly baby brother of the over the hill army Leutnant-- who is himself wearing an upgraded enlisted ranks tunic-- note the waist holes for interior belt hooks.

That's the last pattern of Luftwaffe field tunic, circa 1943 but I don't know the model designation: a "Fliegerbluse" but with hip pockets.

[James Clark]

"Over the hill army Leutnant" - Ha! He made Oberleutnant and won the DKiG, KIA following his 5th wound!

Thanks for the background on the tunic though....

(And thanks for the PM Rick - got it just as I was reminding myself what the badge looked like! To be honest, it is just a blur, so unless he comes forward, we will never know! Hadn't spotted the family resemblence but your dead right!)