Description
Product Description: This Radio Operator Air Gunner Badge is an absolutely choice early piece. Both the eagle and the wreath are made of nickel silver, a high quality alloy used in the early production period. The wreath has developed a very nice, even patina, with nice shine to the highlights. The eagle retains most of its dark tinted rhodium electroplating, with light wear to the high relief areas that reveals the light golden tones of the nickel silver. Both pieces of this fine badge are held together firmly with two nickel silver rivets. On the reverse, this attractive Radio Operator Air Gunner Badge is marked on the back of the eagle with the cloverleaf maker mark of BSW indicating manufacture by the firm Brüder Schneider AG, in Vienna. The long barrel hinge (typical for BSW) and “question mark” shaped catch are intact and without repairs, and the round wire attachment pin is functional. The name of the original recipient. “Hoyer,” is scratched on the back, as well as the school at which this Luftwaffe man was trained: “Gross Kampffliegerschule 5.” This named badge has fantastic eye appeal. The condition rates as excellent.
Historical Description: The Luftwaffe Radio Operators Badge (Bordfunkerabzeichen) was instituted by the head of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Goering, in 1935. It featured a German eagle clutching two lightning bolts, surrounded by a wreath with the German swastika at the bottom. The badge was awarded to all Luftwaffe radio operators at the conclusion of their training, upon issue of a certificate from a flight school authorizing them to serve as radio operators. In this sense, it was a trade badge of trained radio operators, rather than being an individual award for military achievement, though it could also be issued prior to the conclusion of training by personnel who flew operational missions. With the annexation of Austria, the Luftwaffe Radio Operators Badge was also issued to Austrian radio operators taken into the German armed forces.
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