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L010563 FLAK ARTILLERY OBERGEFREITER’S SERVICE TUNIC. (Dienstbluse)
BACKGROUND: The Reichsluftwaffe, (National Air-{Weapon}, Force), was official established on February 26TH 1935 as the third branch of service of the Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces). On March 9TH 1935 the formation of the new Reichsluftwaffe was announced to the foreign press and on March 16TH conscription was reintroduced for all three branches of service. On May 21ST 1935 the Reichsluftwaffe designation was altered to Luftwaffe, (Air-{Weapon}, Force). The standard pattern service uniform was adopted by the Luftwaffe in March 1935, and was based on the uniform worn by personnel in the DLV, Deutscher Luftsport Verband, (German Air Sports Association), the clandestine, civilian forerunner of the Luftwaffe, as early as 1933, with minor modifications. The 1935 pattern uniform tunic was designated Tuchrock, (Cloth tunic), and was worn open at the neck. On November 11TH 1938 a new pattern tunic was introduced that had allowances for it to be worn closed at the neck. The 1938 pattern tunic was designated Anzugrock, (Uniform tunic), and was intended to replace the 1935 pattern Tuchrock and the Fliegerbluse, (Flight Blouse). The 1938 pattern tunic eventually did replace the Tuchrock, but not the Fliegerbluse. The Luftwaffe pattern national eagle was originally introduced for wear by Fliegerschaft, (Pilot Base), personnel of the DLV, on August 18TH 1934 and was officially adopted for wear by all Luftwaffe personnel on March 1ST 1935. The original first pattern national eagle was utilized until a, slightly modified, second pattern national eagle was introduced in late 1936 or early 1937. Regulations dictated that the national eagle was to be worn on the right breast of almost all uniforms with a few minor exceptions. The different branches of service within the Luftwaffe were allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with bright red being chosen for personnel serving with Flugzeugabwehrartillerie, (Anti-Aircraft Artillery), units which was generally displayed as collar piping for EM/NCO’s, (discontinued in March 1940), on the collar tabs and as piping on the shoulder strap/boards of the service tunic. Although the use of the branch of service collar piping for EM/NCO’s was discontinued by order of March 20TH 1940 it did continued to be worn for the duration of the war, on a limited basis. Officer‘s holding the ranks of Leutnant up to and including Oberst utilized a silver/aluminum collar piping while the ranks of Generalmajor to Reichsmarschall utilized a gold collar piping through-out the war. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the Luftwaffe’s Verkaufsabteilung, (Air-Force Sales Department), system. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could choose to purchase their uniforms from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase uniform items of higher quality. Although enlisted personnel were issued their uniforms from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored uniforms although the price may have been restrictive.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, 1935 pattern, Luftwaffe blue/grey, wool/rayon, blend construction tunic features a vertical, four button, front closure with small, fold back, lapels and a lay down collar. The top, front closure, button eyelet has a Iron Cross 2ND class ribbon inserted and neatly handstitched in place. The tunic has four, pleated, front pockets with straight edged button down flaps. The breast pockets are the basic patch type while the hip pockets are the saddlebag type with expanding side panels. The right breast has a machine embroidered, first pattern, "droop-tailed", (Circa 1934-1936/1937), Luftwaffe eagle clutching a canted swastika in it’s talons, in silver/grey rayon threads on a cut-out, blue/grey, wool base. The eagle is neatly handstitched to the tunic. The straight cut, non-adjustable, sleeves have deep, fold back, French cuffs which are tacked in the upright position at both the inner and outer sleeve seams. The upper, left sleeve has two bright silver/aluminum, waffle patterned, rank chevrons, machine stitched on an inverted, triangular, blue/grey wool base. The chevron’s base is neatly handstitched to the sleeve. The side panels each have four, vertically aligned, horizontal, thread loops and a central, vertical, slash for the belt support hooks, positioned at the waistline. The belt support hooks are absent. The reverse of the tunic has a short, central, vertical, tail skirt vent. The tunic has sewn on shoulder straps in Luftwaffe blue/grey wool with bright red wool waffenfarbe piping. The shoulder strap retaining buttons are intact. The forward edge of the lay down collar is trimmed in twisted, bright red, rayon cording. The collar has bright red, wool collar tabs with a three, stamped, alloy rank "gulls" to each. The collar cording is handstitched in place while the collar tabs are machine stitched to the collar. Two of the rank "gulls" to each collar tab retain their silver wash while the third rank "gulls" have reverted to the flat matte grey of the base alloy. The interior of the tunic is fully lined in ribbed, blue/grey, cotton twill with a grey twill lining to the sleeves. The lining has a horizontal slash pocket to the left breast panel. The interior side panels at the waistline each have a vertical, grey cotton twill strap with six stitched eyelets to each to secure the belt support hooks. All five, molded grey bakelite, collar liner attachment buttons are intact. The left breast lining is well marked with black size inkstamps, the faint, manufacturer’s name that appears to include, "J. Frischka Herren-Bekleidung", with additional, illegible script. The left breast also has five, assorted, black and purple unit inkstamps which would seem to indicate unit transfers. Unit marked "I. FL Reg.7" (1st Company 7th Flak Regiment 3rd Battery). This unit participated in just about every major campaign... Poland, France, and the invasion of the Soviet Union(under the Regiment Hermann Goering). (Paul, thank you). The interior of the tunic also has a couple of small splotches of yellow paint. The tunic is in overall very good condition with light chafe wear to the cuffs and collar edges, minimal nap wear and minor age and usage toning. The buttons, excluding the molded grey bakelite, collar liner attachment buttons, are all the bright, silver washed, pebbled, magnetic, sheet metal type and retain various amounts of their silver washed finishes. Most of the buttons appear to have their original stitching. The tunic is roughly a size 40", (101.6cm), chest.
GRADE **** PRICE $1,599.00
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