Luftwaffe Retired Pilots Badge

[Avitas]

Hello again,

I have a few more badges that I purchased a couple years ago to put up for discussion. First up is this Retired Pilots Badge made of a coppery mix of material. It has a different pin/catch set-up than many of my other badges, but I know there is plenty of opposing views on if these were awarded and how many. Mine is marked either 5 or 55 on the pin and any feedback on this badge is welcome. I fear it may be fake but I thought I would post this for details etc.

Thanks again,

Pat

[Avitas]

and the back of the Retired Pilots badge. The pin is stamped and non-magetic, any comments or opinions?

Pat

[Guest Darrell]

Hello again,I fear it may be fake but I thought I would post this for details etc.

Thanks again,

Pat

Yep.

[ERIC]

Yes Pat, this is a reproduction as well I'm afraid!

ERIC

[Bob Hunter]

Real tired pilots are hard to find.

[J Temple-West]

Interesting to note that the fakers have stamped the Luftwaffe acceptance code ?5? into the pin in an attempt to make the badge a little more believable.

[Stogieman]

I think after all these years I've seen maybe 5 or 6 that I accepted as real. Scarcer than even a good glider pilot badge. Very hard to find, but they are out there in both buntmetal and zinc.

[J Temple-West]

You are right, Rick...Very sarce!

Here's an early example by "Juncker" (C.B collection) that is, IMO, the only one to go for to be certain of obtaining an original.

[J Temple-West]

Reverse..

[Steve K.]

"....Very hard to find, but they are out there in both buntmetal and zinc."

And aluminum, although these are even more rare (and unfortunately not in my collection).

[Avitas]

As a side note to the badge I posted, the edges are very unique as they are almost serrated, but with rounded tips. It is like some coins that have an edge almost like a butter knife with many small crevasses in perfect symmetry. Can anyone explain this edging property? It is definitely not die-stamping marks, as this badge is cast, but the edges have this unique comb-like edges. I will try to post scans of this, but they are very tiny edges. Any ideas are welcome.

Thanks,

Pat

[Nan Su]

Here, my collection,Unmarked

[Nan Su]

Reverse.

[Stogieman]

I believe the edging striations are from hand-finishing/filing. The early ones that I've been fortunate to handle were all very similar. All with Juncker mark, all very detailed. Some with leg cut-outs, some not. Juncker was a hold-over, high quality Imperial manufacture and their early quality was hard to beat. Things deteriorated as time/the war went on, but I still love their products. Many of the Imperial flight badges also show evidence of this hand-finishing. Sometimes buffed out more than others.

[Avitas]

I'd have to say Stogieman that the edges are not hand filing, they appear machine or cast made, they are far too deep of grooves and all equidistant. They are like the edge of a minted coin with the uneven edges, very precise, no way a human could make the edges. It appears some of the grooves have been filed down perhaps, but hte overall edges are not due to hand filing I would say. I will definitely have to post some new scans of the edges when I get back from my trip. Any further ideas after this new information?

Thanks,

Pat

[Avitas]

It appears that my badge may be a copy (probably so) is a casting of Nan Su's badge, as the eagle's head and feet are identical to mine, but my reverse has a different pin and, as mentioned earlier, mine is peculiarly marked with the Luftwaffe code of "5". What do the edges of your badge look like Nan Su?

Thanks,

Pat

[Nan Su]

my badge the edges are not Clear hand filing，It looks very neat glossy（edges）。

my badge is zinc, No traces of wear friction,But as long time had a "zinc bubbling"。

I think you badge is Copy this pattern,

They compare the "Juncker 1st pattern?，lack of three-dimensional Oak leaf decoration , detailed clear eagle feather，Crafts simple, easy copy.

Best regards

Su

[Nan Su]

..

[Nan Su]

Hinge

[Nan Su]

Catch