Luftwaffe Bomber Crewmen:

“Updated Pictures” Oberst, Geschwader Immelmann, JU-87 Stuka, Pilot:

The Oberst or Colonel is a veteran of the First World War, and he felt in the next war, he might serve best in the Air, he did in the Spanish Civil War, and helped develop the use of the Stuka Dive Bomber tactics over Spain, He would see the hight of its use over France, and learn its limits quickly fighting over England. But he was still a Pilot in 1942, and still flying, knowing they had lost the upper hand. Decorating the standard officer four-pocket bluse is the golden yellow collar and shoulder insignia of the rank of Colonel.

The national emblem and the squadron cuff title are both officer qualities. Decorated in three conflicts, this pilot won both the 1st and 2nd Iron Crosses during both the 1914-18 and the current war. Along with a 1914-18 Black Wound Badge, He has also received the very rare Spanish Cross with Swords in Gold, the Legion Condor Spanish Cruz de Guerra badge made from solid silver. Along the Spanish Qualification Wings, he has the LW. Pilot Qualification Badge, and Bomber Clasp in Gold with 200 Mission pendant. Having earned many of these decorations in the Stuka Dive Bomber (JU-87) in support of the Condor Legion, and the early stages of WWII, he must cringe sending them out now, knowing how quickly they have become obsolete. The uniform has been in several old photoshoots, and in each different decoration. I have now made them permanent, and this is how it will be.

He now must be in charge of the Squadron, He often wears standard breeches and a light blue shirt with standard woven insignia sewn to it too. The uniform is topped off with the expensive Officer Schirmmütz that has been crushed, as is favored by many combat veterans.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but when it comes to “Fancy” uniforms, or “Bling” of today, the Luftwaffe pilots and decorated officers are it for the Germans, the SS is more sinister, and Heer, more business-like like maybe, and Kriegsmarine is the same as most Navies, I suppose. They share many decorations, but some seem to apply more the the Airforce, like from the 1st War, or Legion Condor are seen with Air crews, and the powder blue, a sorta respectful, rather than menacing. Maybe it’s because, like the Afrika Korps against the Desert-Rats, they’re thought to have been more chivalrous, or played by the rules of war, no one does in war, of course, it's whatever it takes to win, but how airmen and the air-war is perceived.

The image perhaps formed during the Battle of Britain, where the campaign was decided in the air, RAF against the Luftwaffe, where legends were made for both sides, but the bottom line was that many really paid the price of going down in flames, not a pretty picture. We have to glorify war to get people to perform it, I suppose. Trying to justify medals for buddies, the price was high and very clear. The number of losses for all sides was repulsive at best. By the end of the war, the world had lost millions, let alone how many lives were taken on the ground and at sea, and civilians caught in the middle was astronomical. I don’t know if the world would recover from another world war and what we’re capable of now. With Biological, Chemical, Nuclear weapons, and God knows what.

“Updated Pictures” Hauptmann (Captain), Stuka Pilot:

A similar situation with the nice dress 4-pocket uniform, and serving through much of the same situation, but he has gained the rank up to Hauptmann (Captain), a good place to be nonetheless, though now his aircraft has become much more obsolete, and his opponents are multiplying, with more modern aircraft, his fate must be pretty clear. Now serving in Russia, he has tried to adapt the aircraft to low-level bombing and using 37mm guns mounted under the wings to take on the hordes of enemy tanks that keep pounding away at the German Infantrymen, and now pushing them back, and winter is coming.

Unteroffizier, Kampfgeschwader 88. ‘Legion Condor’ & Kampfgeschwader 1. ‘Hinddenburg’ :

Kampfgeschwader 88 flew in Spain as part of the Condor Legion, flying early variants of He-111 and Do-17 Medium bombers. The Legion served until 1939, when the Spanish Civil War was declared over by the leader of the Nationalist Forces, Francisco Franco.

Formed from Stab/KG 152 Hindenburg at Neubrandenburg in May 1939. I./KG 1 was formed from IV./KG 152, II/KG 1 was formed from the contribution of ‘I' and ‘III./KG 1 in December 1939. They flew in the He-111 and later He-177 aircraft, engaging on every front from the Battle of Poland to the Italian Campaign at the end of the war. Eastern Front battles included the Siege of Leningrad, the Demyansk Pocket, the Caucasus Mountains, as well as the Battle for Kursk and Stalingrad.

This Unteroffizier wears the standard Luftwaffe Fliegerbluse as part of his dress uniform, perhaps for a photo for home. For his service in Spain, he wore the Spanish Cross with Swords, in Bronze as well, and the Spanish Campaign Medal. Wounded during his time in Spain, he has been awarded the Wound Badge (Created from a mix of the 1914 badge with a Swastika applied to a larger 1st World War helmet).

Serving as a gunner and flight engineer, he has been awarded the ‘Luftwaffe Fligerschutzenabzeichen fur Bordschutzen und Bordmechaniker’ for five operational flights. In addition, he has been awarded the Kriegsverdienstkreuz mit Schwerten II. Klasse and the Winterschlacht im Osten.

With this uniform, he will wear matching trousers, a shirt, marching boots, and an enlisted belt with a buckle. He can wear a variation of headgear to include the Schirmmutz, Fliegermutz, or Stahlhelm.

*Oberfeldwebel, Guschwader Boelcke, Bombardier~Navigator:

KG 27 was formed in May 1939, and first saw action in Poland, in September 1939. Then during the buildup, and what was called the “Phoney War,” they flew reconnaissance flights over France, getting intelligence for the Real war that would come later. In May 1940, they bombed Belgium and then went over and bombed France throughout 1940.

In July 1940, KG 27 began the “Blitz” on England, bombing into 1941. In June 1941 the unit began the assault on the Soviet Unio,n opening up the “EASTERN FRONT” and flying there till 1944. For a short spell, they were withdrawn to assist in the evacuation of the German-occupied region. It returned to the Eastern Front until November 1944.

With the obvious collapse of the Reich, all three combat groups converted into fighter units for the Defence of the Reich. It’s not known when KG 27 was disbanded. Rudolf Kiel was relieved of command on 10 April 1945, there was no one to take his place.

The Oberfeldwebel is pretty decorated, having the German Cross in Gold and 22 battle mission bars on his combat clasp. Long Service Ribbon, First Russian Winter Ribbon, he’s been recognized for his efforts, with the Iron Crosses I and II Classes. He was wounded on several of the missions as well.

Note: The photographs are off the internet, so some have appropriate credits, and these may be edited out of here when II find the story and add it here, but show the other basic German Bombers, the Junkers Ju-88 bomber, and the Mistle Bomb” with the controlling aircraft on top! And the rest are some good shots of the Dornier Do-17 Flying Pincile Bomber in action, these went through several modifications, ended up with a completely different aircraft, and went from a Daylight Bomber to a Night Fighter.

And like what happened the ME-110, was far more effective in this role, going after the heavy Allied bombing raids, rather than bombing missions where they carried few large bombs, and while very effective, and terrifying, they were but one of the super secret weapons that would save their war, it was a leap, and they had incredible technology.

Still, these weapons were always few, and way too late, they could not compete, let alone with conventional weapons, against the United States, Soviet Union, and England, with all its kingdoms against them-it was a bit overwhelming in circumstances.

The German Luftwaffe never built up a mass training facility and realized the need for long-range 4-engine bombers too late, they did manage to produce aircraft but there were never enough trained and skilled pilots to fill the seats, let alone have enough fuel to fly them and oil to lubricate them, though here, again they started using synthetic fuel, and used forced labor in large to produce it.

*Note: It has been pointed out that the collar “Cut” is incorrect, weird, and just wrong. I’m not going to argue that point, I don’t know all the variants in the cut or patterns of the Luftwaffe in WWII, but I’m pretty sure there was more than three, and no idea how many shops produced them.

As for the insignia, most are in the trapezoid shape, but I have seen squared tab sets as well. I worked with what I got, and some uniforms were far more expensive than others, and some took many, many, months to get altogether the way I wanted, others were just called as that’s all we could do at the time, so it goes, that’s all I got, sorry I’m not perfect, nor do I have infinite funds, and they have to come together before they get stinky, a few have been redone and updated, but I’m not going to cut the collars. And I do not claim they are original period, they are not, some old reproductions are better materials than others, I have only 1 “Real” WWII-Luftwaffe Uuniform, it’s in the Hermann Göring section. Just trying to show them the best I can, and tell a story.