Luftwaffe meet ......... the monster

[Stijn David]

Hello,

Here is a badge that can be considered a monster , it is a nowadays ultra-rare piece but i want to share it with you guys for general interest.

This badge was aquired by me from the glider pilot veteran in Germany, the badge is heavely tarnished and is made out of so called Buntmetal wich is heavely silvered. These badges can be found with either the eagle rivited or soldered towards the wreath. This is a soldered wreath type.

At his point it is still not known who did produce these pieces but within a a year that will be common knowledge (wait fr my book ).

Also there are much legends arround these and even quite a few authors do even say that these did never exist, well then that is because the author's have not looked correctly (pictures are in existance with it in wear, badges have surfaced, etc ...) .

And here it is, the one and only known at this point wich has still provenance.

Cordial greetings,

[Stijn David]

Hello,

And some pictures with such a monster in wear

Cordial greetings,

[Stijn David]

Hello,

And here is one from a groupshot, look at that nice large eagle glider badge on his uniform (this picture is to date arround mid 1943)

Cordial greetings,

[Stijn David]

Hello,

And a close up => you can even see the loops on his uniform where the pin of the large eagle went through

Cordial greetings,

[Stijn David]

Hello,

And a last one for now, here is a rather abnormal clear shot of this badge.

Cordial greetings,

[Stijn David]

Hello,

Offcoarse more pictural proof does exist, the fun thing to know is that all shown pictures are from different soldiers. So it was not 1 or 2 guys who had such a thing on their uniform.

It was a private purchase piece but distibuted and bought on a larger scale then one would expect. This badge is to see in direct relation towards the glider units, and more specifyed their training + the later activity in Russia. The glue between all the individual's is the following unit: V.K.(S) 4 = Verbindungskommando 4.

All wearers as encountered at this point where within this unit at some point, but much more research is needed

Iff you have such pictures with this badge in wear etc ... => feel free to post them.

Cordial greetings,

[J Temple-West]

Stijn,

The day that you first posted photograph #5 on the internet was a great relief? Actual proof that this badge type existed!

It is only through your tireless efforts that the collecting community can at last end the debate on the ?Monster.?

We salute you.

Of course you have opened the door to a lot of questions? but I guess we?ll have to be patient and wait for the book to be published.

Put me down for a signed copy, btw.

[Stijn David]

Hi John,

Thank you for the kind words => the search for these things sometimes drives me nearly => but then again, a little madness is needed in this hobby

Iff you have questions on this very issue (large eagle glider) then please feel free to post them, it is quite often so that the more persons do post questions, that certain details, etc ... .are been recovered and brought into the focus again. Without discussion there is nothing !!!

And be sure => a few more unexpected things will be shown in the book for sure !!,a bit the "expect the unexpected".

I almost did forget => there are large eagle's with a maker mark !!! => so it is just a mater of time before the former producer is known

I wil certainly put you down on the list for the booklets

Cordial greetings,

Edited December 16, 2006 by Stijn David

[Jos Le Conté]

Hello Stijn,

I just watched your badge and there's something I don't get,but maybe because the pic is small etc..

I've noticed that the leafs on the wreath look very pronounced,I would expect the opposite with a worn badge...,just a thought I've because some other large eagle badges I've seen all had leafs where the nerves were less pronounced or even hardly seen at some places.

Was there only one maker ?

Jos.

[Stijn David]

Hi Jos,

Indeed, the picture is far from the best for sure. Im going to let i photgraphed by a profesional photgrapher, he can do a much better job.

Anyway, iff you ever are in Belgium etc ... i would happily show it towards you in real life.

There is only 1 producer from these badges, that is certain. And it is not one of the well known ones as far as always tought untill now.

Cordial greetings,

[Jos Le Conté]

Well,Stijn,I hardly visit Belgium,but thanks for your offer ..

There is only 1 producer from these badges, that is certain...

Back to the badge,...if there's only one maker,did you compare your badge with other badges ?

I say this because your wreath is rather different than the ones I've on file and with only one maker I guess it should look the same,no ?

Jos.

[Stijn David]

Hi Jos,

ABsolutely correct, i also did encounter differences when i do compare the badge as i have with for example badges on offer by dealers.

Howcome? I do not know.

However when clearely thinking it does not make sense that for a rather hard to find piece there are encountered differences => that is indeed the normal logica. But some things are very unlogic as there where 2 types within this strange bird:

1) rivited examples

2) soldered examples

Why?, i do not know at this point.

Fact is that these badges do first appear on pictures from about mid 1942, always in relation towards a glider pilot who did service in the VK(S) 4 and who did visit the training ground at Posen (todays Poznan).

A badge is known as said with a maker mark => and that does also points out in the direction Posen, and certainly not berlin (as C.E.juncker) or Vienna (as BSW).

The shown badge by me is obtained by its original wearer at Posen when he was recovered from his wounds as received at Cholm. After his recovery he was transferred towards the VK(S) 4 and made the actual stop in Posen.

Some veterans do say that these could be obtained at the there (read - Posen) located Cantine, others do not know how and when they obtained that piece (they did not care - they where already happy that they had it on their uniform).

Quite a few things are unclear and will remain it i think, for example howmuch where produced?, why rivitted and non rivitted examples etc ... ? it is also certain that for persons who do not mean it so well with this hobby that this is a very interesting field to jump on, large profit for a crude piece and most collectors are unaware for sure.

Here is a never shown picture with the badge as shown by me in wear.

Cordial greetings,