Transition from Down-Tail Luft Eagle

[Scott C.]

Is there a generally accepted transition period where the early down-tail Luft eagle uniform insignia (uniform & cap) transitioned to the 'normal' Luft eagle?

Thanks.

Scott

[Gene]

Hmmm. . . the 1937 eagle was supposed to be the new design but I have encountered many privately tailored 4 pocket tunics that were wartime yet had droop tail breast eagles. Seemed to be a fashion statement I guess, and if there was an order to mandating the switch to the 1937 pattern it was obviously disregarded and not enforced.

[Scott C.]

Thanks Gene. I have seen the same mix of old-on-new and that's what got me wondering. I have a luft cap eagle marked FLL37, so the 'new' eagle date you mention must be correct. Like everything else, I would suppose old stocks of droop-tails were used until stocks of the new eagles were on hand.

Thanks again.
Scott