Established on January 19, 1935, by order of Hermann Göring. It was awarded to pilots who completed their training, as well as to personnel and soldiers of the Luftwaffe (air force) who held a pilot’s badge or an airship badge (“Luftschiffabzeichen”) before the war. Reservists received it if they held a military pilot’s license (“Militärflugzeugführerschein”) and successfully completed at least one combat exercise. However, it could not be awarded until a year after the start of basic training. After 1939, it could be obtained after nine months. In 1939, it was renamed from “Miliärflugzeugführerabzeichen” to “Luftwaffenflugzeugführerabzeichen.” If someone also received the observer’s badge (“Beobachterabzeichen”) – after passing the exam – they had to exchange the pilot’s badge for a combined pilot-observer badge. The pilot-observer badge has a golden-colored wreath, otherwise, it looks the same. Embroidered versions were no longer allowed to be produced from May 1942.
Presentation case for the pilot’s badge
The pilot’s badge was manufactured in various qualities and materials: aluminum, nickel-silver, tombak, and various zinc alloys. Pilot badges from the Spanish Civil War and the early war period were made of high-quality nickel and tombak, while versions from the middle and late war periods were made from various zinc alloys. Aluminum versions date back to the late 1930s.
Various types of pilot’s badge by manufacturer C.E. Juncker from Berlin are depicted in the photos, known among collectors as J1, J2, and J3:
J1, made of tombac around 1935 – 36
J1 (tombac, produced 1937 – 39 for members of the condor legion participating in the spanish civil war
J2 (tombac, produced 1940 – 41, produced for a short time due to the bombing raid on ce juncker in berlin by the british)
J3 (tombac, produced 1941 – 42, started being produced in zinc in mid-1942
On the Western Front during World War II, fighter ace Bruno Stolle participated in 271 combat missions and shot down 35 enemy aircraft, including 19 British Spitfire fighters. The pilot’s badge J1 is clearly recognizable in the photograph.
When describing pilot’s badges, one should not overlook the military pilot’s decoration from World War I, which was awarded and produced until the establishment of the pilot’s badge with a swastika. The example in the photograph is from an unknown manufacturer and consists of two silver badges; the interior is hollow.
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