Luft Uniform Questions, thanks

[Dan Plomish]

Hello everyone, I picked this item up a while ago on estand, and as a beginner in the cloth department, I have a few questions for you all, many thanks in advance, one day I'll know a little bit more

[Dan Plomish]

interior

What class of officer would get the nicer interior lineing, all my other luft tunics dont have the soft material, is it silk?

And why would he get the interior belt straps, and the dagger hangers, while other tunics do not?

Would you have to pay extra for these items?

[Dan Plomish]

collar

Would these make him a Liutenant Colonel, what does they amount of pips on the shoulder boards represent, sorry for the thousand and one questions, im trying to learn.

[Dan Plomish]

eagle

And sorry what kind of eagle would this be, its in rough shape, but it looks as if one day it was nice thread, Were these hand sewn?

thanks again

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Dan, lots of questions to answer, so here goes.

The tunic is for the rank of Captain (Hauptmann) according to the shoulder straps, but the collar tabs are for a OberLeutnant?? I suspect the extra pips have been added?

Here is a chart of Luftwaffe ranks for you:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~rhorta/jgrank.htm

As the wearer was an officer, the tunic is a private purchase, tailor made, item. Hence the silk lining and details such as the internal belt. The dagger hanger will only be found on senior NCO's and Officers tunics. The breast eagle would have been hand stitiched. Does this one look like it has been replaced? I don't know, but looking at the photo I think I might be able to see a faint outline near the upper left wing where another eagle once was stitiched? Look also to the left of the swastika. Hard to tell via a PC screen but you should be able to tell in person.

Hope this helps?

Cheers, Ade.

[Dan Plomish]

wow

Thanks Ade, That really helps, so to make this piece correct, should I remove the two pips?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Tough question to answer. The pips might well be a wartime addition. A possible scenario:The chap gets promoted and he adds the pips as this is easy to do but the collar tabs never got replaced due to shortages late in the war? This situation is not unknown. Or a collector has messed with it post war and did not know what he was doing?


See if you can very carefully ease the pip up and look underneath without removing them to see how the silver braid has aged. It should look brighter/cleaner under a pip that has been there for 60 years.

Cheers, Ade.

[Dan Plomish]

here we go

Ok on the right side the silver pips prongs are bent over and installed inside the Board, the gold beside it, the prongs go right through, the same gos for the two gold pips on the other board.

Thanks again for your help.

[Dan Plomish]

and

And they all look like they have been on there a very long time.

Could he of had two silver, ripped one of and put three gold on, who know's i guess without the use of the way back machine.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Dan, the regulation pips were gilt/bronze. If the "silver" looking pip is a late war item it may well be zinc. These do not hold the finish well over time and the colour may well have worn off. If the pip is made from alluminium alloy, it will be a NCO's pip that has been used.


Cheers, Ade.