Deutsche Luftwaffe AP-048I

Home , Cockade, Gefreiter, Obergefreiter, Stabsgefreiter, Waffenfarbe

May2013 deutsche luftwaffe AP-048i

- Luxury edition - Hard Back - 360 pages

A comprehensive study of the uniforms and flight equipment used by the Luftwaffe personnel from 1935 to 1945

BASIC PRICE CODE DESCRIPTION Euros AP-048I DEUTSCHE LUFTWAFFE 1935-1945 60,00 €

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Deutsche Luftwaffe Headgear Peaked caps When World War II began, Ger- Schirmmützen

Peaked cap for officers 2 3 In March 1935, a new oval shaped peaked cap with a higher many’s Luftwaffe was the most front peak than the previous model was distributed to company and field grade officers. Caps worn by officers, regardless of branch of service, featured a bright silver-aluminum piping and a silver-aluminum chin cord, except for generals, which used gold colored fittings. The top was made of a wool-rayon blue blend construction. The front center of the cap had a hand embroidered Luftwaffe eagle in silver-aluminum wire threads powerful air force on the battle- with bright silver-aluminum bullion accent threads on a cut- out, Luftwaffe blue-grey wool base. The black, horizontally interwoven mohair center band had a hand embroidered, winged, oak-leaf wreath together with a surrounding hand embroidered national tri-color cockade. The national tri- color cockade was usually manufactured in black and silver- aluminum wire threads with a central dot made in red colored wool. The winged wreath and cockade were both mounted field, achieving victory after vic- on a cut-out black wool base which was hand stitched in place. 1 tory in combination with the Ger- 2. Certain non-commissioned officer ranks were authorized to wear officer’s aluminum chin cords and hand embroi- 3. Above: The internal cap crown stiffening wire has been dered insignia in their service caps, as the case of the NCO removed but a vertical stiffener to the front center and Officer candidate of the photo. However, the piping on 4 internal padding gives the cap a Sattelform saddle shape the crown and the top were of the user´s appropriate with overlapping side panels and a high, central, forward Waffenfarbe. peak. Below: The winged wreath and cockade were both mounted on a cut-out black wool base which was hand man Army. However, as other stitched in place.

1. The blue-grey, cloth peaked cap had an interwoven silver-aluminum piping to the crown edge and both the 3 top and bottom edges of the center band, which had a horizontally ribbed black mohair construction. The cap had a forward blackened-lacquered Vulcan fiber great powers rose to combat Hit- visor with a raised lip near the top of the forward edge. 1 ler, the supremacy of the German

4. The visor’s underside featured a standard green color. It had a tan sweatband and it was fully lined with a satin material with a rhomboid moisture shield of clear celluloid material. air force soon began to decline. 46 47 The German Industry could hardly

Deutsche Luftwaffe match the vast production of Al- Headgear

Peaked cap for EM/NCO 9. The oak leaf wreath with cockade was made of pressed aluminum metal. The wreath was painted in a silver color, while the cockade had the roun- dels hand painted. It was worn centered in the front of the cap band. The peaked cap for enlisted men and NCOs was worn lied aircraft. Nevertheless, while by all branches. It had the same basic construction of the 6 officer’s cap, with some notable differences. The caps utilized the appropriate Waffenfarbe piping, they were issued with blackened leather chinstraps and finally the National emblem and the winged oak leaf wreath were made of an 8 aluminum light metal alloy. NCOs’ and enlisted men had the possibility to privately purchase their caps, which were 8. Close-up photo of the National emblem insignia. It had a stamped aluminum construc- “flying till they die”, Luftwaffe pi- manufactured with higher quality materials, or obtain them from armed forces depots. Although enlisted personnel had tion, stylized Luftwaffe eagle in flight, clutching 9 their caps issued from the armed forces clothing depots. a canted swastika in one talon. It was affixed by means of prongs in the reverse. Two emblem patterns of the emblem existed, the earlier 10 being slightly smaller than the second pattern, shown in the photo. 5 lots continued to write a record of heroism and innovation until the

10. Top: Detail of the makers mark- ings found in the sweatband. Bottom: The sweatband was made of brown 6. The photo shows an Obergefreiter with an army depot issued leather, while the inside lining was peaked cap. Notice the shoulder sleeve insignia, worn by manufactured in a light tan or brown- 5. The top of the cap was made of blue-grey cloth and had Luftwaffe ranks from Gefreiter to Stabsgefreiter. ish yellow cotton fabric. The sewn a Waffenfarbe band of piping cord around the crown and diamond-shaped moisture shield end of the war. This book is the re- the top and bottom edges of the black mohair band. The was made of stiff clear cap of the photos has the yellow piping issued to personnel celluloid. serving with all flight units.

7. The black leather chinstrap consisted of three sections. Two small straps with buttonholes at the end were fixed to the cap band with smooth black lacquered metal buttons. The central large strap had rectangular metal loops at either end to connect the side straps as well as two sliding adjust- sult of a comprehensive study of ment buckles. All the loops and buckles were painted black. the uniforms and flight equipment 7 used by the Luftwaffe personnel

48 49 from 1935 to 1945. From their service and flight uniforms to the

Deutsche Luftwaffe Swords and daggers 9. The dagger had a polished double blade with a flight equipment, gathered from Flyer´s daggers fuller. The crossguard featured two symmetrical wings at each side which were slightly curved Fliegerdolch downwards. The center was adorned with a Flyer´s dagger for officers sunwheel swastika on both the obverse and 7 reverse. The scabbard was made of a tube and NCO (first model) covered in blue leather and incorporated three fittings. The flyer’s dagger orFliegerdolch was introduced by an order of the impressive collections of original Reichsminister der Luftfahrt in February, 1934 for wear by Fliegerschaft officers and NCOs, as well as privates who were in possession of the pilot badge. The dagger was adopted by the Luftwaffe in 1936, together with a series of regulations by virtue of which the use was extended first to all Senior NCOs and subsequently to junior NCOs and privates with the right to wear one of the flyers badges, except parachutists. The Fliegerdolch could be worn in walking-out artifacts. The experiences of the dress and dress uniform. Officers, senior NCOs and junior officer candidates used the dagger with the portepee, while Junior NCOs 9 and privates wore it unadorned. 6 German airmen are shared as

6. The nickel circular pommel featured an 10. The hanger upper carbine spring hook well throughout the pages of this inserted brass disk with a sun wheel swastika, was fixed to a loop sewn inside the tunic. also found in the obverse and reverse on the The top and center fittings included center of the cross guard. The disk and pom- movable metal rings that were attached to mel were both silver plated, and the swastika the chains of the hanger. The marking on was further gold plated. 10 the reads “GES. GESCH.”, which stands for “Legally Protected”, over the initials 6 “OLC” in a diamond, the trademark of Overhoff & Co. book. Although they unfortunately 10 7. An Obergefreiter poses for the camera in walk-out dress. He is wearing the Fliegerdolch on his left hip according to regulations. served a dark cause, their achieve-

8. The Portepee was worn by officers, senior NCOs and junior officer candidates. The hanger consisted of a double chain made of aluminum or nickel-plate, attached to the rings of the scabbards’ upper and mid metal fittings. ments cannot be denied. Each

8 artifact is photographed in detail 144 145 and presented using high quality,

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Deutsche Luftwaffe Flight helmets full color photos accompanied by LKp W 100 flight helmet The LKp W 100 was introduced in 1936 and improved in 1938. It had a simple but innovative design and was used throughout the war with minor modifications in the communication system. The outer shell was manufactured with goatskin leather clear explanatory text. More than and the lining was either of rabbit fur or lamb skin fleece. 150 high quality photographs included, some of them published 15

17. The lining of the helmet was made of rabbit fur or 15. The cord had a length of approximately 1 meter and lambskin fleece. The inside of the earcups was lined ended in a standard DIN-4 bee-hive pin plug which con- with cushioned chamois earpads to provide comfort to for the very first time. The book nected to the communication control box of the aircraft. the wearer. An extension cable with the earlier type lugs has been 16 connected to the DIN-4 plug of this helmet. 17 has been divided into four parts:

18 The first contains a brief historical 16 19

16. The helmet was fitted with two model Mi4 throat micro- phones that were attached to a leather chinstrap by means of two metal rings which emerged on both sides of the 18. The helmet label is typical of early production models. introduction and the basic organi- bakelite housings.

19. The name and address of the manufacturer was later replaced in spec labels with three letter codes to conceal information about location of production zation of the Luftwaffe. The sec- factories and prevent bombing by the allied air forces. 160 161 ond part is dedicated to the ser-

vice and walk-out uniforms, while Deutsche Luftwaffe Flight clothing Private purchase leather flight jackets the flight uniforms, equipment and Fliegerjacke This private purchase civilian leather jacket was 1 manufactured using two front and two back panels. Both front panels extended beyond the center of the jacket, the left hand panel overlapping the right one. It closed with two parallel rows of exterior buttons plus an additional row of inner buttons. The lining was made of mustard colored weapons are explained in the third wool cloth. The jacket had four internal pockets. The breast pockets were slightly slanted and closed with snap-buttoned flaps. part. The book ends with an essay 2 1. View of the breast pocket flap. The slanted pockets allowed easier access to the contents. The breast eagle insignia of the men behind the machines above the pocket was manufactured in cloth. 2. The waist pockets closed with a zip fastener. 3 that includes the story of a Ger- man airman as told through his awards and documents.

3. Werner Mölders wearing his Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves. He wears a civilian leather jacket with fur-lined collar. His shoulder straps have been sewn to the jacket.

Armchair historians of WWII, se- 200 201 rious collectors, libraries and ar-

Deutsche Luftwaffe chives, anyone with an interest in Pistols German pistols 2 Deutsche Pistolen Model P.08 pistol The Parabellum Pistole 08 was a recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol originally designed military aviation will be enthralled by Georg Luger in 1898. The Luger model 1904, in 9mm caliber, was adopted by the German army (Reichswehr) in 1908. The pistol was accurate, but difficult and expensive to mass-produce. However, it was used extensively during the First World War. With the defeat of Germany, production for the most part ceased as the Versailles Treaty placed restrictions on the German armament industry. The advent of conscription in Germany on 1935 accelerated the production of all small arms and soon Mauserwerke began supplying the army of P.08 pistols at a monthly production rate of 10,000 guns. Other manufacturers joined in production, 4 4. There were at least seven by this fascinating look inside one and in 1934 the Luftwaffe negotiated a contract for additional military pistols with the firm different logos that were Heinrich Krieghoff, a company with an excellent reputation in the sport firearms business. engraved on top of the Around 14,000 Krieghoff P.08 pistols were eventually produced until 1945. toggle of the Krieghoff pistols over the years. The marking on the specimen of the photos consist of the sword and anchor with the letters “H K” on each side, and below, the legend of the most legendary air forces “KRIEGHOFF SUHL” in two lines. The letter “I” is centered over the letter “S” and the “U” has a flat bottom. 2

5. The right side of the receiver is stamped with two Krieghoff “L” 2. The magazine could be plated or blued and had a capacity ever to take to the skies. Eagle 2 inspection proofs flanking of eight 9mm rounds. Pistols were issued with magazines a single military acceptance stamp. with matching serial numbers. The serial number was Additional Krieghoff Eagle 2 proofs engraved on the magazine bottom. The magazine of the appear on the front of the right side 5 photos is the extruded version, introduced around the rail and on the bottom of the barrel. 1 8,000 serial number.

6. Detailed photo of the production 6 year of the pistol, 3. The P.08 tool was originally issued alongside each pistol, in a 1937, engraved pocket inside the cover flap of the hard-shell holster. The tool on top of the worked as a magazine loader and take down utensil. Placing chamber. 1. Front and back view of the P. 08 pistol. The serial number the hole of the tool over the load assist button of the magazine was engraved on the front of the frame and the side of the provided increased pull and made the loading much easier. It 7 receiver. Notice the locking bolt on the left side of the frame. was also used to aid in the disassembly of several parts of the The magazine bottom clearly protrudes from the grip. pistol. Magazines were marked with the serial number. The specimen of the photos includes an Eagle 2 Krieghoff proof marking.

7. Early magazine bottoms had the Eagle 2 Krieghoff proof marking engraved upside down. In later production pistols it was turned over to read in the same direction as the serial number. The reason for this unique practice is not known.

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