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Tag: Third Reich Luftwaffe

The Honor Roll Clasp of the Luftwaffe

The Honor Roll Clasp of the Luftwaffe was a German decoration first issued in July 1941 after the German invasion of the Soviet Union.

The Honor Roll Clasp (or Ehrenblattspange in German) was a World War II German military decoration issued in July 1941 after the German invasion of the Soviet Union.

The Honor Roll existed in three different versions: One for the Army (Heer), one for the Air Force (Luftwaffe), and one for the Navy (Kriegsmarine) – all of which also have de-nazified versions.

To be eligible for the clasp, across all three services, a recipient must have:

  • Previously received the Iron Cross in both the first and second classes;
  • Demonstrated further distinction in combat subsequent to being awarded the Iron Cross in both classes; and
  • Been listed in the Honor Roll of the German Army.

The Honor Roll Clasp of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenblatt der Deutschen Luftwaffe) was established on July 5, 1944, concurrently with the introduction of the decoration. Air Force personnel who had previously been awarded The Luftwaffe Honour Goblet or the Luftwaffe Honour Plate were automatically eligible for the Air Force Honour Roll Clasp. 

The Honor Roll Clasp of the Luftwaffe Design

The clasp was crafted from gilt metal and features a wreath measuring 24.5 mm in diameter, composed of six clusters of oak leaves on either side. At its widest point, the wreath measures 5 mm in width, narrowing to a point at the apex where two oak leaves met tip-to-tip. The badge’s height from base to tip is 26 mm. The reverse of all clasps has four pins for attachment.

The Honor Roll Clasp of the Luftwaffe shows the Luftwaffe eagle within the circular gilt metal oak wreath.

More Luftwaffe War Badges

Awarded to members of the German Luftwaffe for their achievements and contributions to air warfare, the Luftwaffe War Badges symbolized excellence, courage, and skill in aerial combat and support roles. Explore the complete collection below:

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The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe

The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe was a WW2 German military decoration awarded to Luftwaffe personnel for operational flights.

The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe (or Frontflugspange in German) was a World War II German military decoration conferred upon aircrew and select Luftwaffe personnel to acknowledge the quantity of operational flights undertaken.

Instituted by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring on January 30, 1941, it came in Bronze, Silver, and Gold grades, with the possibility of an upgrade to include diamonds. Pennants appended to the clasp indicated the number of missions completed in specific aircraft types.

Front Flying Clasps were awarded for missions carried out in various Luftwaffe aircraft categories, including day fighters, night fighters, long-range night fighters, heavy fighters, air-to-ground support fighters, bombers, reconnaissance, transport, and gliders.

The introduction dates for the different clasps were as follows:

  • January 30, 1941, for the Front Flying Clasp
  • June 26, 1942, for the Pennant to the Gold Front Flying Clasp
  • April 29, 1944, for the Pennant indicating the number of missions completed

And the criteria for qualification was:

  • Bronze – 20 flown missions
  • Silver – 60 flown missions
  • Gold – 110 flown missions

The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe Design

Each badge features a central device, typically blackened, encircled by a wreath of laurel leaves situated between two stylized wings composed of oak leaves, with a swastika positioned at the base of the wreath.

The clasps themselves measure approximately 7.5 cm (3 in) by 2.5 cm (1 in). The design of the central device varies based on the type of aircraft flown. Additionally, the clasp pennant was introduced to provide supplementary recognition for an increased number of operational missions or flights, a distinction that expanded as the war progressed.

In accordance with the post-war German Denazification initiative, these clasps were made available for wear in 1957, albeit with their Swastika emblems removed.

More Luftwaffe War Badges

Awarded to members of the German Luftwaffe for their achievements and contributions to air warfare, the Luftwaffe War Badges symbolized excellence, courage, and skill in aerial combat and support roles. Explore the complete collection below:

See all war badges >

The Sea Battle Badge of the Luftwaffe

The Sea Battle Badge was a German award instituted in 1944 and given to crews of Luftwaffe supply ships, air/sea rescue launches, and vessels.

The Sea Battle Badge was a German award instituted in 1944 and given to crews of Luftwaffe supply ships, air/sea rescue launches, and other special vessels (working on the surface). It’s worth mentioning that Germany had no aircraft carriers or a navy air branch. 

The eligibility criteria were quite broad: Any military or civilian Luftwaffe personnel as eligible – as long as they were not also awarded another badge. There were a number of days at sea required, however:

  • Leaders and crew of supply ships: 60 days in the North or East sea, between 5 and 20 degrees longitude and south of the 60th degree of latitude or 20 days in the Mediterranean, including the Aegean and the Black Sea.
  • Leaders and crew of air and sea rescue boats: 20 days with a minimum of one rescue attempt or a three-hour sea duration each day, or 10 days with a successful rescue.

The badge has the Luftwaffe eagle and a swastika with a 30-degree-tilted sea vessel in the center, all surrounded by a gilt wreath made of oak leaves. 

More Luftwaffe War Badges

Awarded to members of the German Luftwaffe for their achievements and contributions to air warfare, the Luftwaffe War Badges symbolized excellence, courage, and skill in aerial combat and support roles. Explore the complete collection below:

See all war badges >

The Glider Badge of the Luftwaffe

The Glider Badge of the Luftwaffe was a German award instituted in 1940 and awarded to pilots who had done the glider training course.

The Glider Badge of the Luftwaffe was a German award instituted in 1940 and awarded to pilots who had done the glider training course. 

The badge consists of an eagle in flight, with wings spread and spanning the full width of the insignia, and a swastika on top of a circular wreath made of silver oak leaves (unlike other Luftwaffe badges, it’s only oak ones). The Glider Badge was usually made of aluminum, nickel-silver, zinc, or tombak. There was also a cloth version of it. 

More Luftwaffe War Badges

Awarded to members of the German Luftwaffe for their achievements and contributions to air warfare, the Luftwaffe War Badges symbolized excellence, courage, and skill in aerial combat and support roles. Explore the complete collection below:

See all war badges >

The Radio Operator Badge of the Luftwaffe

The Radio Operator Badge of the Luftwaffe was a German award given to radio and gunner qualified personnel with training or operations.

The Radio Operator Badge of the Luftwaffe was a German award given to radio operators, gunners, and mechanics (qualified personnel) that had succeeded in the training course (two months at least) and had at least five operational flights. These criteria was shortened if the recipient had been wounded in action.

This badge was later replaced by the Gunner and Flight Engineer Badge of the Luftwaffe. 

The badge is shaped like an oval and shows an eagle carrying two crossed lightning bolts in its claws. There is also a swastika and a wreath made of oak and laurel leaves. The Radio Operator badges were usually made of different metals such as tombak, silver-nickel, pot metal, and zinc. There was also a cloth version authorized later that has silver wire embroidery. 

More Luftwaffe War Badges

Awarded to members of the German Luftwaffe for their achievements and contributions to air warfare, the Luftwaffe War Badges symbolized excellence, courage, and skill in aerial combat and support roles. Explore the complete collection below:

See all war badges >

The Air Gunner and Flight Engineer Badge of the Luftwaffe

The Air Gunner and Flight Engineer Badge was a German award given to Luftwaffe flight engineers, air gunners, and aircrew meteorologists.

The Air Gunner and Flight Engineer Badge was a German award given to (and worn by) Luftwaffe flight engineers, air gunners, and aircrew meteorologists. The requirement was to complete two months of training or to have participated in five operational flights. 

The badge could be awarded at an earlier stage if the recipient had suffered wounds during an operational flight. 

The badge shows an eagle in flight. At the bottom is a swastika. The design is surmounted by a wreath of laurel leaves and oak leaves (the wreath is made of silver). 

The first Air Gunner badges were made in tombak, although there are also examples in kreigsmetal and zinc. The eagle was sometimes made of aluminum and the wreath zinc. 

More Luftwaffe War Badges

Awarded to members of the German Luftwaffe for their achievements and contributions to air warfare, the Luftwaffe War Badges symbolized excellence, courage, and skill in aerial combat and support roles. Explore the complete collection below:

See all war badges >

The Observer Badge of the Luftwaffe

The Observer Badge of the Luftwaffe was a German award for qualifying service established in 1935 and instituted in 1936.

The Observer Badge of the Luftwaffe was a German award for qualifying service established in 1935 (provisions) and instituted in 1936. It was one of the first set of badges for which Reichsmarchall Göring gave specifications. 

The badge was awarded after completing two months of qualifying service and five operational flights as an observer, or if the recipient was wounded while posted as an observer (before completing the 5 flights). 

It’s not known how many Observer badges were awarded. The shape is oval and slightly convex. An eagle is over-imposed on a wreath of laurel leaves (on the right) and oak leaves (on the left). The material used for the Observer badge were tombac, aluminum, and zinc. Measures can vary slightly according to the manufacturer.

More Luftwaffe War Badges

Awarded to members of the German Luftwaffe for their achievements and contributions to air warfare, the Luftwaffe War Badges symbolized excellence, courage, and skill in aerial combat and support roles. Explore the complete collection below:

See all war badges >

The Retired Pilot Badge of the Luftwaffe

The Retired Pilot Badge of the Luftwaffe was a German award given to personnel honorably discharged from their flying duties.

The Retired Pilot Badge of the Luftwaffe was a German award given to personnel honorably discharged from their flying duties. The badge was instituted on 26 March 1936 as the Flyer’s Commemorative Badge by the Minister of Aviation and the Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe. 

The badge was awarded to pilots, observers, air gunners, and paratroopers of the Luftwaffe. It’s estimated that only 800 of these badges were created. They were awarded only before the outbreak of the war. 

The Retired Pilot Badge features an eagle perched on top of a large rock and it surmounted o a wreath of oak leaves. While the wreath was usually polished silver, the eagle had an oxidized look and was darker. Earlier badges were produced in silver and aluminum, with lower quality ones issued as replacements (these are not official, however). 

Retired Pilot Badge Design

The Retired Pilot Badge features an eagle perched on top of a large rock and it surmounted o a wreath of oak leaves. While the wreath was usually polished silver, the eagle had an oxidized look and was darker.

Earlier badges were produced in silver and aluminum, with lower quality ones issued as replacements (these are not official, however). 

More Luftwaffe War Badges

Awarded to members of the German Luftwaffe for their achievements and contributions to air warfare, the Luftwaffe War Badges symbolized excellence, courage, and skill in aerial combat and support roles. Explore the complete collection below:

See all war badges >

The Pilot Badge of the Luftwaffe

The Pilot Badge of the Luftwaffe was a WW2 German award instituted in 1935 by Reichsmarchall Hermann Göring.

The Pilot Badge of the Luftwaffe was a German award instituted in 1935 by Reichsmarchall Hermann Göring. 

The badge can be found made in several different materials; for example, nickel-silver, aluminium, plated allow, lacquered zinc, etc. The versions made before the ear (and in the early stages of it) tend to be of higher quality, while the later Pilot badges are made of alloys and aluminium (the ones made of this material, which was deemed inadequate, are rarer and more valuable). 

The Pilot Badge shows a massive swooping eagle that is clutching a swastika in its talons. Both are superimposed on a wreath made of laurel leaves on the left and oak leaves o the right. 

More Luftwaffe War Badges

Awarded to members of the German Luftwaffe for their achievements and contributions to air warfare, the Luftwaffe War Badges symbolized excellence, courage, and skill in aerial combat and support roles. Explore the complete collection below:

See all war badges >

The Air Crew Badge of the Luftwaffe

The Air Crew Badge of the Luftwaffe was a WW2 German award and one of the earliest flight related badges of the air program.

The Air Crew Badge was a German award and one of the earliest flight-related badges in the country. The badge was used in the infancy of Germany’s air program. It rewarded pilots and crew members of the German Air Sports Association. It’s hard to tell when the badge was implemented, exactly, but it has been in use since 1933.

Because the Luftwaffe was banned by the Versailles treaty, the Association became a cover to the banned German Air Force until April 1st, 1935. That’s when the Luftwaffe gained official sanction.

The Air Crew Badge became the official Pilot-Observer badge of the Luftwaffe on January 19th, 1935 and was soon replaced by a newer version and then removed from circulation.  This makes it one of the most difficult and rarest of all the Luftwaffe badges. 

More Luftwaffe War Badges

Awarded to members of the German Luftwaffe for their achievements and contributions to air warfare, the Luftwaffe War Badges symbolized excellence, courage, and skill in aerial combat and support roles. Explore the complete collection below:

See all war badges >