Original German WWII Afrika Korps Luftwaffe Flight NCO Tan Tropical Uniform Flight Jacket Shirt – Size II 38cm Collar Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Just acquired from a large military show, this is an fantastic lightly used rare World War II Deutsches Afrikakorps (DAK) Luftwaffe NCO Flight Jacket / Shirt, made from medium weight cotton with standard squared weave. It is the correct Dunkelgelb (dark yellow) tan color used by other branches in the Tropical campaigns, and features a fully open front closure, not the “step in” or “pull over” type like the work shirts that were also used. This is a jacket or long shirt intended to be worn in flight, where some level of insulation could be needed despite the hot climate.

There are no maker markings on the shirt, but the inside of the collar is marked CHEIFF-WERKE II / 38, indicating the manufacturer, and that it is a size II jacket, and the 38 is supposed to indicate the measure of the collar in centimeters, which we have confirmed with a measuring tape.

The front features 2 pleated pockets with square angle-bottom flaps, each retained by a non-magnetic metal button, most likely zinc or maybe aluminum. The front closure features 6 of these same buttons, and has a button on the end of each sleeve for the cuff closure. These buttons are all sewn directly to the fabric. There are an additional two brown pebbled buttons on the shoulders for the rank insignia, which are retained by metal circlips on the interior.

The shirt is adorned with the usual rank and branch insignia used on German Luftwaffe uniforms. The right chest has a lovely machine embroidered Luftwaffe eagle made from silver gray thread on a triangular tan background, which matches the color of the shirt perfectly. It is machine stitched to the shirt with the correct tan thread, and is 100% correct.

The button-attached style Unteroffizier Schulterklappen (NCO Shoulder Boards or Epaulettes) are actually made from tan fabric to match the shirt. These are piped in Goldgelb (Gold-Yellow), the correct Waffenfarbe (Corps Color) for Aviator troops such as pilots and ground personnel, as well as Fallschirmjäger (parachute troops). Inside the piping is a single row of DAK Tan 10mm NCO tress open at the edges, indicating the Junior NCO rank of Unteroffizier (sergeant).

Condition is very good, showing only light wear, and there is not much that could be improved upon with this shirt. It shows only light wear overall to the fabric, with very little in the way of fading. There are just a few stitch pulls and loose threads, and it also definitely could use some time hanging up to get rid of the wrinkles.

A great example of a rare Luftwaffe Afrikakorps Flight Branch NCO Flight Jacket Shirt, ready to add to your collection and display!

Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 9″
Shoulder to sleeve: 23.5”
Shoulder to shoulder: 17”
Chest width: 20″
Waist width: 20″
Hip width: 19″
Front length: 38″

The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (Deutsches Afrikakorps or DAK) was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of their African colonies, the formation fought on in Africa, under various appellations, from March 1941 until its surrender in May 1943. The term “Afrika Korps” is pseudo-German (so-called “cod-German”), deriving from an incomplete German title. The German term referred solely to the initial formation, the Deutsches Afrikakorps (DAK), which formed part of the Axis command of the German and Italian forces in North Africa. The name stuck, with both news media and Allied soldiers, as the name for all subsequent German units in North Africa. The unit is known for having been commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.

The Luftwaffe, the air force of the German military during the Third Reich, was established in 1935. Over the next 10 years, Luftwaffe troops wore a huge variety of uniforms. Enlisted men generally wore uniforms issued from military depots. Most enlisted soldiers had wool trousers and a short jacket with two internal lower pockets, called a Fliegerbluse, as well as a dressier 4-pocket tunic, the Tuchrock. Officers wore the same general uniform styles, but as officers had to supply their own uniforms, they usually wore tailor made versions. There were also myriad varieties of specialized uniforms worn by certain units or in specific situations, from the tuxedo-style “gala” formal wear uniform of the pre-war period, to the plain coveralls worn by crews of anti-aircraft cannons. There were work uniforms, tropical and summer uniforms, and camouflage clothing for airborne troops and other Luftwaffe soldiers in ground combat. Flight crews had their own specialized gear, including leather jackets and warm, electrically heated suits. Most but not all Luftwaffe uniform jackets bore the Luftwaffe emblem of a flying eagle holding a swas.