BACKGROUND: When the Reichsluftwaffe, was officially established on February 26TH 1935 as the third branch of service of the Armed Forces it adopted the shoulder board/strap rank insignia that had been utilized by its civilian forerunner the Deutscher Luftsport Verband, (German Air Sports League). The shoulder boards/straps remained in use through-out the war with minor modifications. Of Note: 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. The shoulder straps were worn in matching pairs and indicated the branch of service and rank of the wearer. The different branches of service within the Luftwaffe were allocated a particular identifying waffenfarbe color with black being chosen for personnel on the permanent staff of the RLM, Reichsluftfahrtministerium, (National Air Ministry), and Baueinheiten, (Construction), units. Of Note: RLM personnel discontinued use of the black waffenfarbe on June 30TH 1939, and regulations of December 22ND 1939 allocated the black waffenfarbe to construction unit personnel. Also Of Note: Enlisted RLM and construction personnel’s shoulder straps indicated the ranks of Flieger, Gefreiter, Obergefreiter and Hauptgefreiter/Stabsgefreiter inclusively.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Luftwaffe blue/grey wool construction, slip on shoulder straps with black wool waffenfarbe piping. Nice!