Condition: Excellent
Manufactor: Rheinmetall-Borsig casting foundry
Product Description: This Railway Eagle 27 Inch is a large and extremely impressive original piece, with a great look. As was often the case, the US soldier had just a little bit of a problem on his hands at the time, trying to retrieve this war trophy from the train to which it was once fastened. Besides shearing off the studs, this rather rough removal resulted in a small hole in the obverse of the left wing, a large hole in the right one, and a crack next to it. That’s the way it goes sometimes. The obverse of this eagle displays a nice patina over its surface, and remains in an all-original, uncleaned state. On the reverse, this Railway Eagle 27 inch is nicely marked with the logo of the manufacturer, Rheinmetall-Borsig. It is also marked with “Gal.-Mg. (Hy.)” indicating the alloy composition. There are remnants of an old black paint finish on the uncleaned reverse. This eagle is a very large and scarce (and desirable) 680mm size, ideal for highlighting your collection. It’s in excellent, untouched condition.
Historical Description: During the Third Reich, all rail transport was nationalized and organized under the German Reichsbahn. Reichsbahn rail cars were state property and included everything from the locomotives used for transporting freight, to passenger cars, street cars and trolleys. In the Nazi era, and during WWII, the Reichsbahn adorned their locomotives and passenger rail cars with large metal decorative German eagle and swastika national emblems. These were made in various sizes and had a variety of finishes to suit different purposes and vehicle types. Generally, these eagles were manufactured from aluminum or zinc alloy, with integral threaded studs on the reverse that were used to affix these to the fronts of rail cars. These eagles had a striking and imposing appearance and were an iconic part of Nazi regalia. After the war, Allied denazification policies required these to be removed. Many were destroyed, though these were eagerly sought after by Allied troops hunting for souvenirs. They are extremely collectible and desirable artifacts today.
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