Signals Fliegerbluse - unusual eagle application?

[PaulW]

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[PaulW]

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I like the way the cap wear matches the blouse. They were matched by the previous owner, though sadly not together since WW2!

[PaulW]

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This photo was in the pocket of the blouse and the previous owner was told by his seller (Mark Holden) that he in turn was told that "it has always been with the blouse". On the back in faint pencil it says "Vater bei der Flak" (Father with the Flak) and one member of the crew is marked with an X (third from right). If it belonged to the wearer (and a child of his marked the picture and put it in the pocket) perhaps he started in the Flak before transferring to the signals and rose rapidly through the ranks. Who knows, it's a nice thought, though obviously it could have ended up in the pocket for any number of reasons!

I can see a national colour on two of the helmets (i.e that are visible - the seated man on the far left is the most obvious), all the buckles are aluminium, and crucially there are no breast eagles which would seem to date it to 1940 or earlier?

[PaulW]

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The faint marking on the back, and the set on a torso.

[PaulW]

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[PaulW]

9 Trade badge

The Motor Transport Administrator's trade badge. Neatly hand sewn on.

[PaulW]

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[PaulW]

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As the fliegerbluse is LBA 42 marked (and rayon lined so mid 1942 + ?) and piping was dropped in March 1940 (I think), the collar piping was no doubt added by a unit tailor, perhaps the privilege of a senior NCO!

When seen in hand the boards have the look of having been on there since WW2, the wear matches perfectly. IMHO !

[PaulW]

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The back of the eagle, as previously discussed with an unusual method of attachment, seemingly applied before the lining was put in (or finished). The machine stitching neatly buts up against the eagle so as not to go through it on the front. It's hand finished at the rear. My feeling is that it's an original application, with no sign of any previous eagle. My view is that this is a manufacturer, or individual operator variant method, or even a factory mistake that was neatly corrected!

Edit - have just put my magnifier to the front of the eagle and I see one thread of the machine stitching going over the eagle at the front top of the eagle's wool backing. That clinches it for me!

The belt hooks have a little blue-grey paint on and are bedded well in, possibly been there 'for the duration'!

Hope you like it!

(And a big thanks to Galizien41, the previous owner - a top class seller!)

[Gene]

Outstanding addition, I would love to find a similar Fliegerbluse!

[Adam S.]

I absolutely LOVE that photograph with the camo gun and the experienced Kanoniers. Would be worth scanning and printing at a larger size to display with the set.

And the tunic is right as rain as far as I'm concerned.

[PaulW]

Thanks

Gene, Adam - really appreciate the kind comments. Many thanks!

[Luft 76]

Wonderfull Bluse, indeed ! I love it. I would be very happy to get the same.
FB with original applied insignas are not so common, and this one with its brown color is realy nice ! Good purchase, without doubt !

[Howard Kelley]

I originally owned this tunic in the late 1990's, an it is a screamer!!!

Straight from a vet's footlocker.

Looks like it has found another good home.

Enjoy,
Howard

[PaulW]

Just an FYI, this is the thread that led me to Howard, from the 2004 thread I had a dealer name:-

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=780063

and the information Howard remembers:-

"This was picked up in the late 1990's. Came from a W.W.2 Army Air Corps vets estate. The name of the vet is long gone. From what I remember of the story.....

The AAC vet either landed at or occupied a former Luftwaffe air field. He picked up all kinds of stuff mostly badges. The "picker" bought the footlocker out of Pennsylvania. I was the second buyer, the first buyer bought the US stuff (flight jacket, etc). I bought the rest of the German items. It was all GREAT STUFF!

This tunic was part of that buy. (Hat was not part of the group). There were also about 10 pilot badges, Spanish Cross awards, Iron Crosses and cloth pilot badges, etc."

Some pretty helpful people on the WAF!