Pierre C.

What about showing us your Luftwaffe pilots. Pierre

Italian-german campaign medal with its not so common package. This one has been found by my father on a morning of 1943 in the garden of the villa in Bizerte (Tunisia) he was living in (his father was serving there as a navy officer) with hundreds of cigarettes. During the bombing of the Bizerte bay one cargo boat full of medals and cigarettes has been hit and exploded covering all the area with its cargo. Unfortunately probably due to the combined explosion's heat and pressure the cigarettes became unsmokable as they turned as hard as stones but the medals (at least one) didn't suffer too much. Don't hesitate to post your variants. Pierre

This is the right season to pay a visit to this interesting site. My advice would be waking up early to be able to take one of the first buses in order to be up there to enjoy the site before the arrival of the tourists flood. Lunch is good and the Weizenbier is at the right temperature I have been on a good bunch moutaintops in this area but it's the only one which is so....popular. I still don't understand why... :D Pierre

This cross isn't probably the right one to use to start this thread as I think that this one is a post 1918 production (correct me if I am wrong) but unfortunately that's the one one I have. Looking forward to see yours. Pierre

I have picked up a box full of flare rounds, a mix of german WWII and what I suppose to be WWI flare rounds in a cardboard box. Is there somebody with more information on them? Pierre

For years I have been asking myself this question and I thought that a couple of KM experts from the forum could explain me how I could make the difference. I have recently found two reissued M 35 helmets. One eagle looks silver colored and the other one gold colored. Does a "golden eagle" means Kriegsmarine or is it just the way the decal is ageing? There is no specific KM stamps or markings in the helmet with the "golden eagle". On the left the "gold eagle" and on the right the "silver one" Pierre

Don't know if you are like me guys, but M43 caps with metal insignias on the side are particularly sexy. What about showing the different types of insignias seen on them? I will start with a Jäger insignia. Pierre

It took me years to find this early Erel. It's the only one I own and it's probably my favourite visor. I think that it would be interesting if some of you would be kind enough to open their collections and make of this thread a kind of reference for this type of visor. Pierre

When the Fallschirmjägers came back to their base in Gardelegen after the Crete battle the city offered them a beer mug. Different versions are existing "1941", "Kreta 1941", "Den Siegern von Kreta". Don't hesitate to add yours. Pierre

Common item compared the Eduardo's and Peter's rare items but at least in rather nice condition. Does the K above the size just means "Kriegsmarine" or something else? I would definitely like to see an officer's overseas cap if some KM collectors would like to share what's on their shelves. Pierre

Perhaps somebody will have one in better condition than this one which is in a Summer visor as you can see. Pierre

Helmut EBERSPACHER Hauptmann (Born) Geboren am: 18.11.1915 in Tübingen (Died) Gestorben am: 19.06.2011 in Esslingen/Neckar (Knight's Cross) Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes: 26.01.1945 als Hauptmann u. Staffelkapitän der 3. Staffel/ Nachtschlacht-Gruppe 20. (Awards) Orden u. Ehrenzeichen: 05.05.1914 Eisernen Kreuzes 2. Klasse 05.08.1941 Eisernen Kreuzes 1. Klasse 20.03.1944 Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg 23.07.1944 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold 26.01.1945 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes More information: 7 confirmed Air Victories

Adolf DICKFELD Oberst (Born) Geboren am: 20.02.1910 in Jüterborg/ Mark Brandenburg (Died) Gestorben am: 17.05.2009 in Dreieich/Hessen Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes: 19.03.1942 als Leutnant und Flugzeugführer in der 7. Staffel/ Jagdgeschwader 52 Eichenlaub (94.): 19.05.1942 als Leutnant und Flugzeugführer in der 7. Staffel/ Jagdgeschwader 52 (Awards) Orden u. Ehrenzeichen: 13.12.1939 Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse 12.01.1940 Eisernen Kreuz 1. Klasse 15.12.1941 Ehrenpokal für Besondere Leistungen 19.03.1942 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes 19.05.1942 Eichenlaubs zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes More information: 136 air victories 1072 combat missions For more details his biography (in German) "Die Fährte des Jägers Kriegerlebnisse eines Jagdfliegers"

I would like to have your opinion on this one. There is a faded Juncker marking in the back (hard to see on the pic but possible with a magnifier). The weight is 34g which should match with a type "J" hybrid (Durante's book on the FJ badges). The flat-topped rivets are there. Pierre

Very popular among the Luftwaffe collectors and of course heavily faked but it's not so hard to make the difference between the good ones and the bad ones. This type of armband has probably saved german airmen from being beaten up as parachuted aircrew members suspected to be Allied ones weren't very well received by the german population... Pierre

These Sommer tunics aren't very popular among the collectors as they weren't really worn in action. But several aces (like Oberst Walther Dahl for instance) of famous Fallschirmjäger officers (like Major Walter Koch) have been pictured wearing it. This one belonged to a Legion Condor member, unfortunately unnamed. If some of you also have one (or more) don't hesitate to show it. Pierre

Now I understand why it's so hard to see a LW visor with a great shape on the market . Congrats to the owners of these beauties. Pierre

Probably the most unique WWII tomb, the only one you are able to spot from the cemetery entrance. No, it's not me who has put the KC 8H) . Don't know for how long it has been there ( since the 8th of August perhaps... ;) ) but on the 26th of August it was still there... Pierre

I have always been fascinated by the great look of this belt and I needed to have one even if I am not a DAK collector. Too bad that the LW officers didn't have the same idea. Pierre

I will start with a silver grade. I don't think that this one has seen much action. Pierre

And especially desirable due to the fact that this award has been worn. Pierre

I think that there are serious chances that this set of awards are belonging to von Krosigk. The place where he has been buried after the soviet air-attack which killed him is unknown to the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge (he isn't in their database). He got the KC in 1944 which perfectly matches with a Klein & Quenzer KC. Pierre

Beautiful condition. I think that these small ones are made for the single seater airplanes. Pierre

As for the Spanish crosses I still don't know which maker I prefer between Juncker and Meybauer. I'd think that the Meybauers are harder to find than the Junckers. Very nice one, Jacek but concerning this one isn't it a gold grade in silver? Pierre

Many thanks to Jacek and Sebastien for your pics and explanations. Pierre