Luftwaffe Tropical Breast Eagle
Price: $250
BUY / RESERVE THIS ITEMDescription: Machine embroidered, second pattern, Luftwaffe breast eagle in silvery/gray cotton threads on a cut-out tan twill cotton base. Appears to possibly be tunic removed but very well done.
BACKGROUND: The Luftwaffe pattern national eagle was originally introduced for wear by Fliegerschaft personnel of the DLV, Deutscher Luftsportverband the clandestine, civilian, forerunner of the Luftwaffe on August 18TH 1934 and was officially adopted for wear by all Luftwaffe personnel March 1935. The original first pattern national eagle was utilized until a slightly modified, second pattern national eagle was introduced in late 1936/early 1937. Regulations dictated that the national eagle was to be worn on almost all headgear and on the right breast of almost all uniforms with a few minor exceptions. Officer’s ranks generally utilized hand embroidered breast eagles as opposed to the machine embroidered breast eagles as utilized by EM/NCO ranks. In late 1940, with the impending German entrance into the North African campaign, the army quickly developed and issued tropical uniforms and equipment in time for DAK, Deutsches Afrika Korps personnel’s arrival in Tripoli in February 1941. At the same time the Luftwaffe also developed and introduced their own version of the tropical uniform and insignia including a slightly different colored breast eagle.
