BACKGROUND: The observer’s qualification badge was introduced by Hermann Göring on March 26^TH 1936 for award to observers, navigators and bombardiers who had met the required criteria. The observer’s badge was awarded on an individual basis and criteria for bestowal included five operational flights over enemy territory or a minimum of two months active service. As with other flyer’s specialty badges a cloth version of the observer’s badge was authorized for wear on the flight blouse with a machine embroidered pattern for EM/NCO’s and a hand embroidered pattern for Officer’s.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, die struck alloy construction, two piece badge with silver and burnished silver finishes, is in the form of a vertically oval, wreath with a separate, stylized, spread winged eagle in flight, clutching a swastika mounted on the wreath. The eagle is attached to the wreath by two, small, dome headed rivets which are visible to the reverse. The vertically oval wreath features embossed laurel leaves to the right side and oak-leaves to the left side. The wreath has lost all of its bright, silver finish and the eagle has lost all of its dark, burnished silver finish and both have mostly reverted to the flat matte grey of the base alloy. The nicely convexed wreath and the highly vaunted eagle both show nice detailing including intricate feathering and cut-outs to the wing tips and tail feathers and high relief details to the wreath. The eagles wings extend beyond both sides of the wreath. The smooth reverse of the wreath has a soldered, solid type hinge, a thin, semi-flat, vertical pin, and a heavy soldered catch on a circular base plate all intact. The reverse of the eagle is well marked with the impressed manufacturer’s initials, "PM", indicating manufacture by Paul Meybauer of Berlin.

GRADE ***                             PRICE $585.00