Air Gunner/Flight Engineer's Badge - Assmann

[J Temple-West]

Instituted on the 22nd June 1942 as a qualification badge for Air Gunners/Flight Engineers, the design of the badge was virtually the same as the earlier Radio Operator/Air Gunner badge except for the eagle's talons being in the open position - without lightning bolts.

Those who had qualified, prior to June 1942, as an Air Gunner and held the Radio Operator/Air Gunner qualification badge were ordered to remove the lightning bolts, either in-field or by jewellers, hence the reason for earlier badges being found without bolts but having remnants left in the closed talons of the eagle.

From 1942, makers began producing Air Gunner/Flight Engineer's badges (all in zinc) and the example below (just in) is an early type by the company of F.W Assmann & Söhne - Ludenscheid.

 With a lightly plated wreath & darkened eagle, this example was most likely unissued as it has retained most of the factory finish.  Later examples were finished with a wash to the wreath which, in a large percentage of badges, was absorbed by the zinc....so, to find a badge of this date with the finish intact is quite hard to find nowadays, and I thank the seller for having it in stock.

 

     

A couple of other makers of the AG/FE badge:

B&NL (Berg & Nolte - Ludenscheid)

 

 

C.E Juncker - Berlin.