Third Reich Luftwaffe Air Ministry / Construction Oberleutnant Collar Tab
The Reichsluftwaffe was officially established on February 26th 1935 as the third branch of service of the German Armed Forces. On March 9th 1935 the formation of the new Reichsluftwaffe was announced to the foreign press and on March 16th conscription was reintroduced for all three branches of service. On May 21st 1935 the Reichsluftwaffe designation was altered to Luftwaffe. Collar tabs were adopted by the newly formed Luftwaffe on April 14th 1935 and followed the basic pattern of the collar tabs that had been utilized 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 Color), with black being chosen for personnel serving with RLM, Reichsluftfahrtministerium, (National Air Ministry), and Bau-Verbände, (Construction Units), which was generally displayed as the base color of the collar tabs. Of Note: RLM personnel discontinued use of the black branch of service color in July 1939, and from that point on it was worn only by construction unit personnel.
Black wool construction collar tabs with two hand embroidered rank "gulls" positioned above an opened top, oak-leaf half-wreath all in bright silver/aluminum wire threads. The collar tab is piped in twisted bright silver/aluminum cord.
Very good condition, has some wear and glue / paper on the back from framing with one glue spot on the front.
