Tropical Luftwaffe Officer’s Tunic

Product Description: This Tropical Luftwaffe Officer’s Tunic is an impressive display object, that appears to have been worn during WWII by a high-ranking officer. It’s a private purchase, tailor made tunic, made of a lightweight, ribbed cotton material in a very pale tan color. The shoulder boards and collar tabs are piped in the bright yellow color of the flight branch, also used by paratroopers. The boards and tabs are matching in rank, as they should be, and the hand-done bullion embroidery on the tabs is perfect and top quality. The rank is Oberstleutnant, equivalent to a Lieutenant Colonel. The collar tabs appear to be original to the tunic, and are hand sewn in place. The shoulder boards are very attractive, each with one rank pip, and appear to possibly be period applied in the field. There is no breast eagle, but stitch holes show where an eagle was applied twice in the past. One chest pocket shows four sets of award loops, constructed in the correct braided style of sewing indicating they may be wartime added. One sleeve has an “Afrika” campaign cuff title, which is a typical original machine embroidered on wool. It has been hand sewn to the sleeve. The inside of this interesting Tropical Luftwaffe Officer’s Tunic is unlined, which is typical for these lightweight pieces. There is one small and faint “65” stamped inside the tunic on the wearers left side, and no other markings are evident. Overall, this attractive tunic remains in very good condition.

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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