Let's talk Imperial Aviation!

[Stogieman]

Greetings All! I shall not be bashfull, Let's talk about what I like! Imperial Aviation of Germany & his Allies. A veritable minefield of fakes, trickery and false hopes. Why if Germany had as many Pilots as there are currently "wearer's copies" of PLM's floating around the internet, I think we'd all be speaking German right now! cheeky

[Stogieman]

Pilot Badges! One real one for every 3-400 fakes floating around out there. There's two distinct styles from Germany. Prussian & Bavarian. Of the two styles, there's two types. Issue & Private Purchase.

Here's what the typical Prussian issued badge looks like. Stamped tin, plated with silver. These were unceremoniously handed out in a plain brown envelope. A little wider than the WW2 style packets many of us are familiar with. The packet held no title, no maker mark, nothing. Most were instantly tossed in the rubbish bin.

Contrary to popular belief, they were not handed out upon completion of flight school! They were awarded after completion of a prescribed number of missions.

[Stogieman]

Here's the typical Bavarian issued badge. Again, stamped and silvered tin.

[Jim Baker]

Rick,

I like these. Could we also see the reverses??

Thanks.

[Stogieman]

Hi Jim, will dig out photos and post reverses as soon as I figure out my foto-attachment woes. Cheers!

[Stogieman]

Another one and my absolute favorite based purely on rarity! The Prussian Air Gunner Badge, as issued in 1918 (only!). Three-piece, stamped tin, silvered but actually maker marked!

[Stogieman]

Time to revisit this. let's see if we can add some bigger photos!

[Stogieman]

OK! Previous one was a Private-Purchase Badge, most certainly by Juncker. Here's a nice scan of the issue badge, as distributed in 1918 only!

[Stogieman]

And the reverse... first the private-purchase piece

[Stogieman]

And the issue badge. Note the common features shared by both types. The issue badge is actually maker marked to Juncker. The PP badge bears only the crescent moon and 800 silber marks

[Deruelle]

Hi,

Please have a look of my prussian pilot badge's case without badge.

[Deruelle]

A focus of the maker

Christophe

[Deruelle]

Hi,

I would like to compare my pilot badge case with several others, so if someone has got another one it is possible to share it with us.

Regards

Christophe

[Bob Hunter]

C'mon Rick keep going! This is like eating potato chips, nobody can eat just one... :food-smiley-004:

[Deruelle]

Hi everybody,

One of the rarest pilot badge of the WW1 : the Bulgarian pilot badge. I have bought this beauty several years ago. Have a look. I have send a copy of this badge with the weight and size to Bulgarian Military Archives to give me an expertise of this one. Have alook

[Deruelle]

the reverse

[Guest Rick Research]

I don't think the Official Bulgarians will be able to help, Christophe--

there are so many variations of these badges, I don't think I have ever seen any two the same. Silver, base metal silvered, plain back, rayed back like yours...

Bulgarian ones rather crudely made for that period, German made versions...

but like varieties of the Turkish War Medal stars, there are so FEW of the different maker versions it is almost as if every recipient had his own badge made "special order!"

The ONLY marks I have ever seen on their WW1 flying badges are the silver content (if silver)-- unlike the exceprionally beautiful and multi-piece versions from WW2, which ARE maker marked and so can be compared to each other.

[Stogieman]

Christophe, your Juncker Case looks blue.... they should be black??

[Deruelle]

The case is black, I don't understand why when I scan it the color change ???

Christophe

[Stogieman]

Don't know either! But the photo, it looked blue on the edges. I think your case is fine.