Luftwaffe LW lanyards

[François SAEZ]

Work in progress

[Jacques]

Few pictures to illustrate the LW lanyard worn

[Jacques]

This one is a Flak Artillerist, note the form of the shell.

[Jacques]

this one has a lanyard with one acorn

[Jacques]

the picture is a bit blurry but the guy is wearing a lanyard with 2 acorns

[François SAEZ]

We are missing:

Regulations, especially how the acorn system works

2/3 shooting lanyards (actual photos)

Scans of documents

More wartime photos (especially the one showing several acorns)

[Guest Rick Research]

Note: that last guy is wearing his shooting cord INCORRECTLY-- from the shoulder strap button and NOT from a little button underneath the strap near the shoulder seam.

[François SAEZ]

Medical NCO

[François SAEZ]

1st & 2nd patterns

[François SAEZ]

Overview

[J Temple-West]

Up until the 30th September 1936, those personnel who had previously been in the Army, had qualified for the army marksmanship awards (Schiessabzeichen) and were transferred to the newly formed Luftwaffe were permitted to continue to wear their army pattern marksmanship awards.

From 30th September 1936, and on the introduction of the Luftwaffe marksmanship lanyard (Order LV 36, No. 1447) all qualified personnel were required to wear the equivalent of the new Luftwaffe lanyard ( Sch?tzenschnur).

The new system, based on three lanyards, came in twelve grades.

Grade 1

Cords: Blue-grey silk interwoven with aluminium threads.

Shield: Dark oxidized.

Acorn/Shells: None.

Grade 2-4

Cords: As above.

Shield: As Above.

Acorns/Shells: 1 ? 3 dark oxidized in aluminium threads/metal.

Grade 5

Cords: Aluminium threads interwoven with blue-grey silk.

Shield: Bright aluminium.

Acorns/Shells: None

Grade 6-8

Cords: As above (Grade 5)

Shield: As above (Grade 5)

Acorns/Shells: 1 ? 3 in bright aluminium, threads/metal.

Grade 9

Cords: Blue-grey silk interwoven with dark gold threads.

Shield: dark gold.

Acorns/Shells: None.

Grade 10-12

Cords: As above (Grade 9)

Shield: As above (Grade 9)

Acorns/Shells: 1 ? 3 in dark gold threads/metal.

Grade 9 lanyard

[François SAEZ]

The Luftwaffe shooting lanyard 1936 ? 1945

Until 1936, staff of the army and air force wore the shooting insignia of the Reichswehr era.

A differentiated system of different shootingclasses and -grades was evidenced following successful completion of shooting qualification training on the left front side of the cuff of the soldier that passed such training. The system involved use of short strips of Tresse, which through a combination of thin and broad strips, showed the level of shooting proficiency attained. This rather simple system of shooting proficiency identification was born out of lack of materials in the period after World War I, and was inspired by the desire to break with the traditional shooting lanyards used in Imperial times.

The reconsideration of the introduction of a system of shooting lanyards occurred in 1936, for all three parts of the Wehrmacht simultaneously. The number of grades was reduced considerably. The proficiency with infantry weapons was evidenced through the addition of acorns, made in metal or metal wire. As of 1937, for the anti aircraft artillery units of the air force, differentiation occurred by means of metal grenades. Our short article will not focus on an elaborate description of the required shooting achievements, but instead will focus on the lanyard itself. Further information, especially regarding the shootinglanyard of the army, can be found in the excellent book ?Die Schiessauszeichnungen des deutscheen Heeres 1920 ? 1945? by Ingo Haarcke, Norderstedt, 1989.

The ?Luftwaffe Bekleidingsvorschriften? describes the shooting distinctions as follows:

Grades:

Grades 1-4: flat woven lanyard of blue grey artificial silk, interlaced by aluminium wire, with a knot at both ends. At the upper knot, there is a rosette, lined with cloth, with a button loop, and on the rosette there is a small plaque in silver[?]coloured light metal showing the Luftwaffe eagle within an oval wreath of oakleaves. At the lower knot, there is a small wattle?work with a button loop. At each knot there is a large loop, and on top of the rosette, at the top loop, there is a small loop in matt aluminium weave.

Grades 5-8: as above, but with the lanyard in aluminium thread interlaced with blue grey artificial silk. The loops are made of bright aluminium wire, and the plaque of bright aluminium coloured light metal.

Grades 9-12: as above, but with the lanyard in blue grey artificial silk interlaced with dark golden wire.

The loops are made of old gold coloured wire, and the plaque of old gold coloured light metal.

Grades 1, 5 and 9 have no acorns.

Grades 2, 6 and 10 have one acorn.

Grades 3, 7 and 11 have two acorns.

Grades 4, 8 and 12 have three acorns.

The acorns of grades 2, 3 and 4 are of dark aluminium weave, the acorns of grades 6, 7 and 8 of bright aluminium weave and the acorns of grades 10, 11 and 12 of old gold coloured weave.

Dimensions:

Lanyard: large wattle?work made of round threads of approximately 7 mm. diameter, with 14 knots and loops at each end, around 27.5 cm long.

Rosette: Woven from approximately 3 mm. thick round wire, woven into an oval shapeof approximately 6 x 4,5 cm, with an approximately 3 cm wide button loop.

Lower loop: made of approximately 3 mm. thick round wire, small wattle?work of four strands, around 1 cm wide and 3 cm long, with a an approximately 2,5 cm wide button loop.

Large loop: approximately 10 mm high and approximately 13 mm wide.

Small loop: approximately 7 mm high and approximately 10 mm wide.

Acorns: without the loop, approximately 27 mm long, with loop approximately 28 mm long. Width at the top approximately 14,5 mm, at the bottom approximately 11 mm.

Plaque: Oval oakleave wreath, approximately 4 cm wide, 5 cm tall, Luftwaffe eagle approximately 3,5 cm wide and 2 cm tall.

Manner of wear:

From the right shoulder over the right side of the breast. The rostte is attached to a small button under the right epaulette. The loop above the rosette level with the epaulette, the lower button loop attached to the upper button of the Tuchrock or Fliegerbluse.

[François SAEZ]

more pics

[François SAEZ]

more pics

[Scott]

Francois, have you ever seen a "Type 1" / Droop Tail example in a period photograph? The one you posted above is only the second I've ever seen. I snapped the photo below from the 2009 SOS, it belonged to Ed Anderson. Does anyone else own a LW shooting lanyard with a Droop-Tail eagle?

[Wessel]

Francois, have you ever seen a "Type 1" / Droop Tail example in a period photograph? The one you posted above is only the second I've ever seen. I snapped the photo below from the 2009 SOS, it belonged to Ed Anderson. Does anyone else own a LW shooting lanyard with a Droop-Tail eagle?

Sorry for delay. Here is mine.

[Wessel]

2

[Scott]

Thanks for posting your first pattern Wessel!

[Wessel]

OK Scott...have sent on to Marc.

Some superb photos, BTW!!

[Paul R]

Wessel, that is a beautiful example!! Thank you for sharing it! I have not seen more than a couple!