Luftwaffe Need some help please

[Luftwaffe Rules]

This Pilots badge was given to me by a German vet I have been talking to here at a local nursing home last year around Christmas. I have tried very much in vain to research this maker mark and the over all look of this badge with the lack of pictorial evidence as my search wears on(some claim they are fake, some claim they have had ones that were real etc but NO pictures of theirs are around) is starting to make me wonder. He swears it was the badge issued to him. I dont want to offend him and Im not looking to get rid of it as it means alot that he gave it to me but if its NOT real I would, like to have a real one in my collection at some point. I hate to think hes lying so Im really hoping if its NOT real that he simply picked this one up after the war because it looked like his. Any help or info is appreciated. TIA and all the best, Jonathan

[Paul R]

This Pilots badge was given to me by a German vet I have been talking to here at a local nursing home last year around Christmas. I have tried very much in vain to research this maker mark and the over all look of this badge with the lack of pictorial evidence as my search wears on(some claim they are fake, some claim they have had ones that were real etc but NO pictures of theirs are around) is starting to make me wonder. He swears it was the badge issued to him. I dont want to offend him and Im not looking to get rid of it as it means alot that he gave it to me but if its NOT real I would, like to have a real one in my collection at some point. I hate to think hes lying so Im really hoping if its NOT real that he simply picked this one up after the war because it looked like his. Any help or info is appreciated. TIA and all the best, Jonathan

I am not a badge specialist, so please wait for John or another to chime in...

But personally, I do not like this badge. It seems to lack detail and the strange patina on the back(rainbow) makes it look like it is a newly made piece. If the vet is being truthful, perhaps someone swapped his original for a fake? I do hate such thieves...

Regardless, it is a really nice gesture from a guy who was there! His heart was in the right place.

I hope that I am wrong.

[Guest Rick Research]

You can tell that from a postage stamp sized scan made by the Hubbell space telescope? :speechless1:

[ERIC]

Regardless, it is a really nice gesture from a guy who was there! His heart was in the right place.

I hope that I am wrong.

It was indeed a most wonderful gesture on the mans' part, unfortunately Pauls' suspicions are confirmed - this is definately NOT a real Pilots Badge. I pray that it is just a misjudgement on his part and that a fake wasn't swapped out for his wartime badge. This badge, from my collection, is what a late war Juncker Pilot Badge, complete with their "SW68" marking, should look like. Sorry for the bad news!

ERIC

[ERIC]

You can tell that from a postage stamp sized scan made by the Hubbell space telescope?

No Rick, click on the picture of the badge - it will bring you to a much larger photo hosted elsewhere. Here's the reverse of my badge:

[Luftwaffe Rules]

Sorry Rick I should have said you need to click on the thumbnails to view .

Thanks Eric, I had a sinking suspicion, I am with you and Paul I truly hope this gent wasnt conned by someone else, the gesture was nice and it will stay with me because of that gesture but getting a real Pilots Badge will have to be on my list. All the best, Jonathan

[norwest78]

Keep in mind that a relative, "friend", or caretaker could have switched badges at some time, unbeknownst to the vet. I'll bet it's not a rare occurrence.

--Kevin

[J Temple-West]

This is not the first time I?ve seen (thinking them to be original) fakes obtained to replace long lost awards.

It?s unfortunate, but these things happen.