BACKGROUND: The Reichsluftwaffe, (National Air-Force), was officially established on February 26TH 1935 as the third branch of service of the Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces). 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, (Air-Force). On it’s establishment the Luftwaffe adopted the shoulder board/strap rank insignia that had been utilized by it’s clandestine, civilian forerunner the Deutscher Luftsport Verband, (German Air Sports Association). The shoulder straps remained in use through-out the war with minor modifications. 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 specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with black being chosen for personnel serving with the permanent staff of the RLM, Reichs Luftfahrt Ministerium, (National Ministry of Aviation), and Baueinheiten, (Construction), units which was displayed as piping on the shoulder straps. 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. After the December 22ND 1939 directive personnel on the staff of the RLM utilized the waffenfarbe color of their specific branch of service. The Luftwaffe instituted a wide variety of shoulder board/strap cyphers that indicated numerous specific, assorted trades, careers, functions and/or unit designations. Regulations decreed that the shoulder board/strap cyphers were embroidered in the appropriate branch of service color for EM’s and Junior NCO’s, in silvered metal for Senior NCO’s and General ranks and in gilted metal for Officer’s ranks from Leutnant up to and including the rank of Oberst. Originally personnel serving with the RLM, utilized ornate, baroque, Latin letters cyphers which were altered to Gothic/Fraktur style cyphers as per regulations of September 25TH 1939. Of Note: Enlisted RLM and construction personnel’s shoulder straps indicated the ranks of Flieger, Gefreiter, Obergefreiter and Hauptgefreiter/Stabsgefreiter inclusively with the specific rank displayed on the collar tabs and/or as sleeve insignia.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Luftwaffe blue/grey wool construction, slip on shoulder strap with black rayon waffenfarbe piping. Nice clean strap.