Association badge of the Air Force
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Association badges of the Luftwaffe are next to the Balkenkreuz - sovereign badge (see also cockade ) and the squadron identification mark on military aircraft. Occasionally, the association badges were also applied to vehicles and equipment of the Luftwaffe and can easily be confused with the troop identification .
history
During the First World War, the pilots of fighter planes provided their machines with an individual identification. At first it was just a separate color scheme, the best known is the red Albatros DV owned by Manfred von Richthofen , leader of Jagdgeschwader 1.
With the emergence of the air force of a pure support weapon of the Army (surveillance, reconnaissance, courier, etc.) to separate the armed force , the air forces the increasing division of tasks in, and fighter planes , attack aircraft , combat pilot , Naval Air , bomber , transport pilots , etc., were prepared from individual indicator in the form of paintwork or symbols, the badges of squadrons , groups , squadrons and air fleets .
layout
The design of the badges was mostly in the form of a coat of arms, so there are also symbols of heraldry such as animals (e.g. eagles), swords, arrows, etc., and city arms were also used. As a rule, the badges were decided at the command level by squadron or group commanders as well as the squadron captains.
In 1937 the size of the badge according to the Fl. In. 3. No. 730/37 II fixed at 300 × 250 mm, it was attached on both sides below the cockpit.
Assignment
Some badges can be found in different associations in the course of the war - this is due to the subordination of a sub-association to another large association (regrouping). As with the divisions of the army, new units were set up from parts of the main units or after major losses; the respective badge was taken over or retained.
The various association badges enable research to assign individual aircraft to historical events using photos.
meaning
The badges symbolize ideas or characteristics of their association or their wearers, serve for recognition and strengthen the feeling of togetherness of the unit.
literature
- Barry Ketley et al. Mark Rolfe: Luftwaffe emblems 1939-1945 , Bernard & Graefe publishing house, Bonn 2001, ISBN 3-7637-5986-7 u. ISBN 978-3-7637-5986-6
- John Pimplott: Die Luftwaffe , Neuer Kaiser Verlag, Klagenfurt 1998, ISBN 3-7043-6040-6
- Chris Chant: German aircraft in World War II , Gondrom Verlag, Bindlach 1999, ISBN 3-8112-1736-4
