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 Officer's shoulder boards 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 bright red being chosen for personnel serving with the Flakartillerie, (Anti-Aircraft Artillery), units which was displayed as the base of the shoulder boards. Originally the Officers shoulder boards utilized a bright silver/aluminum Russian braid until regulations of April 1942 introduced a less visible matte Russian braid although the bright silver/aluminum braid continued to be worn for the duration of the war.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Sew on shoulder boards in bright silver/aluminum Russian braid mounted on bright red wool waffenfarbe bases.