Radio Operator Air Gunner Badge BSW

Product Description: This Radio Operator Air Gunner Badge by BSW is a top quality piece in outstanding condition. It’s an early production example, made of beautiful nickel silver. The front of the badge shows only extremely slight wear, and still retains nearly all of the original finish, with excellent darkening and crisp detail on the eagle. The original silver finish on the wreath has typical and pleasant dark age toning. The reverse of this badge is textbook in all aspects, and is virtually pristine. The back of the eagle retains the original finish and is nicely maker marked, with the “BSW” in a clover leaf emblem indicating manufacture by the firm of Gebrüder Schneider AG in Wien (Vienna). The rivets that hold the eagle to the wreath are tight and perfect. The barrel hinge and round wire catch are originally attached, and typical for this maker. The round wire pin is functional, with a slight bend. The condition of this early Luftwaffe Radio Operator Air Gunner Badge is excellent. The overall patina and appearance is simply gorgeous.

Historical Description: The Luftwaffe Radio Operators Badge (Bordfunkerabzeichen) was instituted by the head of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Goering, in 1935. It featured a German eagle clutching two lightning bolts, surrounded by a wreath with the German swastika at the bottom. The badge was awarded to all Luftwaffe radio operators at the conclusion of their training, upon issue of a certificate from a flight school authorizing them to serve as radio operators. In this sense, it was a trade badge of trained radio operators, rather than being an individual award for military achievement, though it could also be issued prior to the conclusion of training by personnel who flew operational missions. With the annexation of Austria, the Luftwaffe Radio Operators Badge was also issued to Austrian radio operators taken into the German armed forces.

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