Condition: Near Mint
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Product Description: This Luftwaffe Four Pocket Tunic is a superb, top quality example, with outstanding original insignia and exceptional eye appeal. This is a prewar, 1936 dated Luftwaffe “Tuchrock” (service tunic) to an Obergefreiter assigned to the Nachrichten-Schule (Signal School). The exterior of this handsome tunic is made of a very high quality prewar blue-gray wool, with only extremely slight moth damage which is difficult to notice. This tunic was issued and worn, but exhibits only very light wear. The collar has tailor hand-applied light brown piping, and machine-sewn collar tabs that each have three aluminum rank gulls. The rank gulls are period applied through the tabs and collar, and reflect updates to the uniform as the wearer was promoted. The collar tabs and piping are both in the light brown color of the Nachrichten (Signals) branch. The shoulder straps are made of wool that perfectly matches the tunic, and are sewn in. Each of the straps is piped with brown wool and bears a finely embroidered “NS” cypher, for Nachrichten-Schule, attractively executed with machine done chain stitching. The correct and desirable early “droop tail” eagle is correctly and originally hand-applied over the right upper pocket. A double rank chevron, for the rank of Obergefreiter, and “Blitz” signal trade patch are hand-sewn to the left sleeve. As with all of the insignia, they are original to the tunic. All eight of the tunic and pocket buttons have the same maker, and the two smaller shoulder board buttons are matching. Inside, this Luftwaffe Four Pocket Tunic is fully lined in a gray cotton. It is well marked on the inside left front, with a large maker ink stamp, size markings, and a Luftwaffe “LBA36” depot stamp as well as the depot acceptance date “6 36” under the size markings. It is also unit marked with “L.d.L.N.S” (Nachrichten-Schule), as well as a lined out “1.A.Komp.”, and “6.A. Komp.,” both indicating training units. This is an extremely scarce untouched prewar tunic, and a very impressive display item. The condition is near mint, with only extremely slight age and wear. It would be a very tough piece to upgrade.
Historical Description: The Luftwaffe, the air force of the German military during the Third Reich, was established in 1935. Over the next 10 years, Luftwaffe troops wore a huge variety of uniforms. Enlisted men generally wore uniforms issued from military depots. Most enlisted soldiers had wool trousers and a short jacket with two internal lower pockets, called a Fliegerbluse, as well as a dressier 4-pocket tunic, the Tuchrock. Officers wore the same general uniform styles, but as officers had to supply their own uniforms, they usually wore tailor made versions. There were also myriad varieties of specialized uniforms worn by certain units or in specific situations, from the tuxedo-style “gala” formal wear uniform of the pre-war period, to the plain coveralls worn by crews of anti-aircraft cannons. There were work uniforms, tropical and summer uniforms, and camouflage clothing for airborne troops and other Luftwaffe soldiers in ground combat. Flight crews had their own specialized gear, including leather jackets and warm, electrically heated suits. Most but not all Luftwaffe uniform jackets bore the Luftwaffe emblem of a flying eagle holding a swastika.
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