BACKGROUND: When the Reichsluftwaffe, was official 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. Officer’s with General ranks, Generalmajor, Generalleutnant, General der Flieger, etc, utilize a white base on their shoulder boards as opposed to the branch of service waffenfarbe utilized by lower ranks.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Sew on shoulder boards consists of three interwoven strands of Russian braiding with a central bright, silver/aluminum braid flanked by dual gilt wire braids mounted on a white wool base. Double rank pips. Nice!