Germany - Third Reich: Luftwaffe Signals Branch Leutnant’s collar tab. Orange-Brown wool construction collar tab with one hand embroidered rank "gull" positioned above an open topped, oak-leaf half-wreath all in bright silver/aluminium wire threads. The collar tab is piped with twisted silver/aluminum cord and is mounted on a buckram backing. A good example of type.
Condition: silver wash crisp, overall Good Condition.
The Reichsluftwaffe was officially established on 26th February 1935 as the third branch of service of the Armed Forces. On 9th March 1935 the formation of the new Reichsluftwaffe was announced to the foreign press and on 16th March conscription was reintroduced for all three branches of service. On 21st May 1935 the Reichsluftwaffe designation was altered to Luftwaffe. Collar tabs were adopted by the newly formed Luftwaffe on 14th April 1935 and followed the basic pattern of the collar tabs that had been utilised by its earlier civilian forerunner the, DLV, Deutscher Luftsport Verband, (German Air Sports League). The collar tabs 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 Colour), with Orange-Brown being chosen for personnel serving with Signals units, which was generally displayed as the base colour of the collar tabs.