WWI Pilots Grouping Juncker Pilots Badge

Product Description: Outstanding and rare WWI German pilot’s grouping named to Karl Friedrich Reck, featuring a highly desirable Juncker made Prussian Pilot’s Badge in excellent condition. This grouping includes a Prussian Militärpass dated 1898, named to Reck, who completed pilot training in 1917 and served through the final year of the war. Accompanying the badge is an Iron Cross 2nd Class and a miniature medal bar featuring the Iron Cross 1st Class, Iron Cross 2nd Class, and Pilot’s Badge. The Juncker Pilot Badge is in excellent condition retaining approximately 60% of original finish.

Also included is a Black Wound Badge, showing some typical paint loss, and its corresponding award document dated July 7, 1918. The set is further enriched by various original documents and photographs of Reck, offering valuable historical context and personal insight into his service. This is a remarkably complete and well-preserved grouping, centered around a premium Juncker pilot’s badge, and represents a rare opportunity to acquire an authentic and named WWI aviator set with strong collector and historical appeal.

Historical Description: The Imperial Prussian military instituted a number of flying awards and badges prior to 1918, to recognize the skills and achievements of pilots and air crew before and during the First World War. The Prussian Army Pilot’s Badge was officially instituted by the King of Prussia and Emperor of the German Empire Wilhelm II on January 27, 1913, as a qualification badge. The criteria for the award of this badge evolved during WWI, making it more of an award; pilots were expected to have completed some actual combat flying. In addition to the Pilot’s Badge, an Observer’s Badge was also instituted; in January 1918, an Air Gunner’s Badge was instituted as well. There was also a Commemorative Flyer’s Badge, which commemorated service with the German Army air service. At some point in WWI, issue of these badges ceased, and air crew members who met the qualifications for wearing the badge were simply given paper certificates; they had to purchase their own badges. Perhaps for this reason, various private purchase styles of these badges are generally more common than the stamped metal issue types. Wear of these badges continued after WWI by those men who had earned them.

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