Luftwaffe Pilot Observer Badge – FLL – Tombak

Product Description: This Luftwaffe Pilot Observer Badge – FLL in Tombak is an outstanding tough-to-find early piece, made of a brass alloy (Tombak). The obverse of this badge has a gorgeous look. The original gilding on the wreath shows lovely original luster and only slight wear that exposes the base metal at the high points. The eagle is nicely silvered, with only minimal patina, giving it a very appealing look. The feathers on the eagle show exquisite, fine detail. The reverse of this badge is not maker marked, though this variant is known to have been made by the firm of “FLL” (Friedrich Linden, in Lüdenscheid). The construction is textbook for this maker, with a soldered block hinge, functional round wire pin, and “question mark” catch. The rivets are tight, and the hardware is completely intact and untouched throughout.  This Luftwaffe Pilot Observer Badge – FLL in Tombak is very desirable badge remains in excellent + condition.

Historical Description: The Luftwaffe Combined Pilot Observer Badge was instituted by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring on January 19, 1935. It was among the earliest badges introduced in the German Wehrmacht and was worn by all qualified pilots in the German Air Force, similar to the “wings” worn by some other armies. The design of the badge featured a large, silver swooping eagle clutching the German national swastika emblem, surrounded by a golden wreath of oak and laurel leaves. The badge was normally presented in a blue hinged case. It was worn on the upper left uniform pocket, and a cloth version was also authorized for field use. In the nearly ten years from the introduction of this badge, to the end of WWII, the manufacturers of these awards made many changes in the features of the designs. Some companies, like Juncker, Assmann, and Deumer, had early first pattern badges which looked completely different from later pieces by the same manufacturers. Pilot Observer badges were made of aluminum, nickel silver, plated Tombak, and later on in zinc. The eagle was always a separate piece, riveted to the wreath, with different manufacturers using different rivet designs. As the war progressed, and dies wore out, many makers produced badges with subtle changes. All of these changes over time open up a large spectrum of variation collecting for Luftwaffe badge collectors.

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