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 specific identifying waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with golden yellow being chosen for personnel serving with Flieger, (Flight), units which was displayed as piping on the shoulder straps. Originally NCO ranks wore a bright silver/aluminum tress on the forward collar edge of the dress and service tunics, on the tropical and continental field blouses, as adornment on the shoulder straps and dress tunic cuffs and also as sleeve rank chevrons. On September 1ST 1942, the Luftwaffe following the army’s lead, introduced a new subdued matte blue/grey rayon tress for wear on the field uniform. Although the new subdued tress was intended to replace the highly visible bright silver/aluminum tress it continued in usage until the end of the war. In late 1940, with the impending German entrance into the North African campaign, the army quickly developed and issued tropical uniforms and equipment in time for DAK, Deutsches Afrika Korps, (German Africa Corps), personnel’s arrival in Tripoli in February 1941. At the same time the Luftwaffe also developed and introduced their own version of the tropical uniform and equipment independently from the other branches of service. Along with the new tropical uniforms new corresponding insignia, including shoulder straps were also introduced. The tropical shoulder straps were basically the same as the continental shoulder straps but were constructed in an olive/tan shade of material.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Ribbed, tan cotton construction, slip on shoulder straps with subdued, golden/tan rayon, diamond pattern NCO’s tress and golden yellow (now faded) waffenfarbe piping to each. Nice worn and used examples.