BACKGROUND: The Reichsluftwaffe was official established on February 26^TH 1935 as the third branch of service of the German Armed Forces. On March 9^TH 1935 the formation of the new Reichsluftwaffe was announced to the foreign press and on March 16^TH conscription was reintroduced for all three branches of service. On May 21^ST 1935 the Reichsluftwaffe designation was altered to Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe flight blouse was originally introduced in early 1935 and was based on the Fliegerbluse worn earlier by, DLV, Deutscher Luftsport Verband, (German Air Sports Association), personnel, the clandestine civilian forerunner of the Luftwaffe. The flight blouse remained in service through-out the war with minor modifications. Originally flight blouses for EM/NCO’s were without external pockets until regulations of May 6^TH 1940 when the second pattern flight blouse with external hip pockets was introduced. 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. The different branches of service within the Luftwaffe were allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Colors), with golden yellow being chosen for personnel serving with Flieger, (Flight), 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 flight blouse.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: First pattern, (pre-May 1940), Luftwaffe blue/grey, wool/rayon blend construction EM/NCO’s flight blouse without external hip pockets. The flight blouse features a vertical, five button, French fly, front closure with the buttons on the right front panel and small vertical slashes and corresponding, hidden button eyelets on the left front panel. The flight blouse has small, fold back lapels and a lay down collar with a single metal hook and eye positioned at the forward neckline. The right breast has a very faint outline where a Luftwaffe eagle had been applied and removed. The waistline side seams each have three, vertically aligned, stitched eyelets for the belt support hooks. The belt support hooks are absent. The straight cut sleeve cuffs each have a small, vertical slash to the outside seam with a horizontally extended, button holed, fabric tab with a corresponding, fit adjustment button to both the interior and exterior of each sleeve. The small, vertical, cuff slash permitted the horizontal fabric tabs to be utilized on both the interior and exterior of the sleeve. The flight blouse has sewn on shoulder straps in Luftwaffe blue/grey wool with bright silver/aluminum, waffle patterned NCO’s tress to all but the sew on end and golden yellow rayon waffenfarbe piping. The shoulder strap’s retaining buttons are intact. The lay down collar has the typical zig-zag reinforcement stitching to the reverse. The left, reverse side of the lay down collar has an extended horizontal, button holed, fabric tab with a corresponding button and an additional two buttons positioned under the right collar for secure closure in inclement weather. The forward edge of the collar is trimmed with small strips of bright, silver/aluminum, waffle patterned, NCO’s tress. The collar has faint outlines where collar tabs had been applied and removed. The interior of the flight blouse is partially lined in ribbed, grey cotton twill. The lining features a horizontal slash, patch pocket with a single button closure to each breast panel. The lining also has small, vertical, ribbed, grey cotton twill straps with six stitched eyelets to each, situated at the side seams of the waistline, for the belt support hooks. All five collar liner buttons are intact. The left breast pocket bag is well marked with faint, black size inkstamps, a large unknown purple, "A" inkstamp and additional faint, black, unknown inkstamps. The flight blouse is in overall good condition with light age and usage toning and to moderate nap wear through-out. The shoulder strap buttons are the blue/grey painted, pebbled alloy type, while the balance of the buttons are the molded grey and tan bakelite type and about half appear to have been restitched. The flight blouse is roughly a size 42" chest.

GRADE ***                             PRICE $2,145.00