Cloth Pilot Observer Badge

Product Description: This Cloth Pilot Observer Badge is a virtually perfect example of this desirable Luftwaffe award. This piece has never been affixed to a uniform. This is a typical machine embroidered version of the cloth badge, with a flying eagle and swastika emblem in gray thread, and a gold embroidered wreath. All of the embroidery is perfectly executed, with no issues and virtually no toning or soiling. The badge is embroidered on a backing of typical wartime gray-blue wool. The wool backing is pristine, with no stitch holes. There is no moth damage and no tears or stains. The reverse of this Cloth Pilot Observer Badge has a typical appearance for wartime machine embroidery, with a “snowy” look from the expected white bobbin thread. The condition of this piece easily rates near mint; it appears just as it did when it was made.

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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