Luftwaffe Luftwaffe Flak and Artillery

[Paul R]

Luftwaffe Flak

The Anti AirBranch of the Luftwaffe was another of the original career fields present when the Luftwaffe came out into the open on March 01, 1935. All personnel who were trained in any aspect of Air Defense and Artillery wore the designated waffenfarbe.

The standard waffenfarbe for the Luftwaffe Flak branch was Bright Red. When attached to the Hermann Goering Division and the Luftwaffe Field Division, Signals personnel wore the collar tabs of the said unit, with the Flak waffenfarbe present as an outer piping on the collar tabs, shoulderboards, or both(In the case of the LW Field Division).

These men wore the standard Luftwaffe uniform patterns, with their specific insignia.

Enlisted:

Kanonier- soldat

Oberkanonier- Oberschutz

KanonierGefreiter- Grefeiter

KanonierObergefreiter- Obergrefeiter

Kanonier Unteroffizier - Unteroffizier

Unterwachtmeister- Unterfeldwebel

Wachtmeister- Feldwebel

Oberwachtmeister- Oberfeldwebel

Stabswachtmeister- Stabsfeldwebel

Officer:

Leutnant

Oberleutnant

Hauptmann

Major

Oberstleutnant

Oberst

Generalmajor

Generalleutnant

General der Flak Artillerie- Generaloberst/Head of Flak and Artillery

[Paul R]

Uniforms

Men of the Luftwaffe Flak service wore the standard issue of Luftwaffe uniforms.

Here is a Flak fliegerbluse to an Obergrefeiter.

[Paul R]

Collar tabs

The first tray consists of the basic Flak collar insignia. The Officer tabs with the blue secondary piping are Reserve Flak Officers.

[Paul R]

Special Collar tabs, Hermann Goering and Field Division units.

The Hermann Goering units used the white waffenfarbe as a basic branch color/waffenfarbe. Until Mar1943, artillery and flak were noted by a bright red piping around the white tab as seen below. Starting on 01Apr1943, the outer piping on the collar tabs was abolished leaving a plain white tab. Branch color was to be worn on the shoulder board piping only. Below is an example of a Regiment Hermann Goering tab for an artillery Unteroffizier. The tab is configured for use on an overcoat, as can be noted by the presence of the tress on the tab.

A similar set of regulations applied to the Luftwaffe Field Divisions. All members assigned to the LW Field Divisions wore tabs with the rifle green branch color. The waffenfarbe was worn as an outer piping to the tab AND the shoulder board at the same time. Please see the image below. The outer piping was to be bright red. This applied to Artillery Regiments, Flak Battalions, and Tank Destroyer Battalions.

More details of the Hermann Goering units are to be found here:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=18342

More details on the Luftwaffe Field Divisions can be found here:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=17457

[Paul R]

Shoulder boards.

Here are some examples from my collection. As you can see, some of the straps have numeral cyphers for a regiment number. The Flak/Artillery branch was the only area in the Luftwaffe who had regiments, so you will never see numeral cyphers on any other LW strap or board.

Some other cyphers you could see are:

"F"- Attached to Fortress Units.

"L"- Attached to a Flak Instruction Unit

Roman Numerals "I-IV"- Flak Staff, High command

"FAS"- Flak Artillery School

"W"- Ordnance Officers/Armorers

"WS" Weapons/Flak and Ordnance Schools

"RL"- Members attached to Reich Air Protection School

[Paul R]

Trade Badges

Here are some examples of some of the Flak and ordnance related trade badges which would have been worn by NCOs and Enlisted members within the Flak/Artillery units. There are more possibilities.

Upper Left- Ordnance specialist

Upper Right- Flak crewmember

Lower Left- Armorer

Lower Right- Armorer to HG unit.

[Paul R]

Badges

The two most commonly seen qualification badges that might be seen on a Flak tunic are:

1. Flak badge- awarded by reaching a certain number of points by shooting down aircraft or being wounded.

2. Ground Combat Badge- Direct ground combat.

[Naxos]

Mystery Set

Could these be flak related?

Paul, I think the board is for personnel of Luftgau-Kommando XI Hannover

[Naxos]

My lone salty Flak Feldwebel contribution:

Regards, Hardy

[Snoopy]

This is my obergefreiter fliegerbluse, with original loops for one medal.

Snoopy

Edited May 29, 2007 by Snoopy

[Snoopy]

Greatcoat, for a flak unteroffizier.

Edited May 30, 2007 by Snoopy

[JimZ]

For those of you following this thread may I post a link to: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=18242&st=0 where there is a group of items relevant to this thread!

Any info that anyone can churn up will be appreciated.

Jim

[Paul R]

Great stuff, Snoopy and Naxos!!!

[Snoopy]

Hi

Now, for something a bit different. This wall decoration was given as a present to a flak unteroffizier, from his NCO pals. The reason seems to be, that he was being reassigned as a supply NCO. The item is made from some kind of animal bone, with the decorations painted on.

Snoopy

[Paul R]

Another great item!! Can you please post some closeups?

[Steiner]

Nice postings Gentlemen I would like to share some of my items also.

Flak Lieutenant collar tabs

Edited May 31, 2007 by Steiner

[Steiner]

Flak Hauptman collar tabs

[Steiner]

Flak Unterofficer shoulder boards (salty)

[Snoopy]

Another great item!! Can you please post some closeups?

Hi Paul

I tried to make some closeups, of the inscription. I made them from the photo, so they are not very good.

Snoopy

[Laurence Strong]

Leutnant Flak Rgt 12

[Scott]

Here's my postcard #17 from the 'Flags & Standards of the Wehrmacht" series...

Scott

[Bob Lyons]

My contribution to your thread Paul....

[Bob Lyons]

and...

[Bob Lyons]

Well, it is Sunday and it is quiet.....

[Bob Lyons]

Hopefully I got the right angle...

Best wishes

Bob

Edited June 3, 2007 by Bob Lyons