Original German WWII Late War Luftwaffe Pilot’s Badge – Flugzeugführerabzeichen Original Items

Original Items: Only One Available. This is a very nice condition Luftwaffe Pilot’s Badge, with the standard two-piece zinc construction. The “swooping eagle” is held on by the usual two rivets, and looks to have been left bare zinc, which has now oxidized to a gray patina. It has a vertical steel pin on the back, with a barrel hinge and bent wire catch. Condition is very good, with much of the original silvering retained on the wreath, showing a bit of oxidation on the reverse. The eagle has some wear around the edges, and there is also a bend at the bottom where the swas meets the eagle. The rivets holding the eagle to the wreath are also a bit loose.

There is no maker mark on the back, but that was fairly standard for late war pattern eagles, as the production was quite rushed due to shortages. A good chance to pick up a very nice example of a classic Luftwaffe badge!

The Luftwaffe Aviator / Pilot Badge (Flugzeugführerabzeichen or Pilotenabzeichen) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to Luftwaffe service personnel who completed flight training, receiving their flying license and citation. It was instituted on 26 March 1936 by the Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe Hermann Göring. It came in distinct types; nickel silver (changed to zinc during the war) and a variant made of gold. It depicts a silver eagle (Silberner Adler) perched atop a swas (hook cross), wings open in a landing pose, and surrounded by a wreath with laurel (Lorbeer) on the right side and oak leaf (Eichenlaub) branches on the left side, respectively. It was worn on the lower part of the left breast pocket of the service tunic, underneath the Iron Cross 1st Class if awarded.

The design is two part, with the eagle attached to the wreath by two rivets. The badge can be distinguished from the very similar Pilot/Observer Badge by the wreath; the Pilot’s Badge has a silver wreath, while the Pilot/Observer badge has a gold wreath.