A susbtantial part of the history of world war 2 is the history of the german Luftwaffe. Due to the versailles treaty it was foundet in secret with training of pilots in flying clubs in the Weimar era. It saw its first combat during the spanish civil war with the legion condor supporting the fascist Franko. The participation in this conflict gave the luftwaffe an advantage in combat experience with modern equipment. As the war broke out in 1939 the luftwaffe was a formidable, modern and experienced airforce. As with all branches the luftwaffe equipment was changed due to combat experience and the coming lack of resources and need for efficient production.
Officers of the wehrmacht/luftwaffe had allowance and responsibilty to buy their own unifomrs, visors and gear. Within the luftwaffe all flying gear and equipment as flying boots, flightsuits, headgear etc was categorized as specialist equipment and supplied by the verkaufsabteilung.
Photo: author. Restored me-109 from JG5 "Eismeer". Wreck caught in a net from at schrimp trawler
Die Schwarze manner - Luftwaffe mechanics
Einmann schlauchtboot - One man survival Dinghy
Pelz fliegerstiefel - Luftwaffe flying boots
Summer flight suits
AK39 armband kompass
The experiences with the Kapok led to the development of the 10-30 Schwimmweste. The initial design with closed inflatable back and no inflation back at the neck was replaced by an altered model late 1940, the 10-30-B1 shown right. It featured metal fittings and inflation champer to keep the pilot on his back in the water. The disadvantage compared to the kapok was that the 10-30 was weak vs sharp objects causing damage to the co2 bladder. Picture left showing an 10-30-b1 coming from a Norwegian airport. (Drontheim). The 10-30 was inflated by a co2 bottle opened by the wearer. It also had an inflation tube with mouthpiece for manual inflation. The example right bears the name "Kruger" written on the production label.
As with all field gear, materials and metals got scarce. The 10-30-b1 metal fittings on the mouth piece also caused the lips of the user to freeze in cold climate. Around 1941 the Modell 10-30-B2 saw its use. It featured bakelite hardware and iron D-rings cutting costs and need for machining parts. This version was made until the end of the war. The 10-30-B2 left was taken from the Sola airport after the war. The wests had 2 spare O-rings attached with wire to the Co2 bottle seal.
The lifewest was worn under the parachute. When landing in the sea the wearer had to release the parachute and then inflate the lifewest. The pilots also used the eInmannschlauchtboot wich was attached in a packhulle at the back. Opening the co2 valve would cause it to partly inflate and pack itself out of the packhulle.
Photo: Bundesarchiv
The luftwaffe had to fight the skies over water and a life preserver was basic part of the equipment. It started with the bulky socalled "kapok" schwimmweste 10-76. Several versions existed. It was a sausagedesign meant for inflation. Early versions also had "sausages" at the back, often causing the wearer to end face down in the water.
The back of the same schwimmweste showing the inflation bladder on the back of the neck. As with gasmasks, personal names are often found written on the lifewests as it was personal equipment. This bears the name "Felser", presumable belonging to Walter Felser of the 13/Jg5 as it is confirmed found at a Norwegian airport at the end of the war. Herrn Felser was credited for shooting down 11 aircraft and received the EK 1 & EK2. He survived the war and died in 1992.
Herr Felser as he might have been equipped. Wearing heated channel pants, early sitzfallschirm and fliegerbluse. The oxygen mask is not the correct one.
Another example of the 10-30-B2 schwimmweste. They had limited postwar use by the civilian population so many are dirty and have rusty D-Rings due to poor storage. This example is an estate find, it originates from the airport of Sola, one of the airfields used by JG5 "Eismeer". Found together with a sitzfallschirm missing the canopy (used by civilians for wedding dresses) taken from one of the Forus hangars at the airport complex of Sola.
A well trained pilot was not a resource in abundance. Therefore all airforces had a high focus on the survival and rescue of downed pilots. Seenotausrustung was developed inn all air forces. The germans even had fully furnished survival buoys placed in the English channel, tough this was more morale boosting than practical.
Flying over water caused higher risk of loosing the pilots, therefore japanese, British, Us and german airfoirces had one mann survival dinghys. The german einmann schlauchtboot was rolled up in a “packhulle”. The packhulle had straps going over the shoulders and a waistband. It was used as the back apron of the fallschirm, remaining in place when the parachute was released landing on water.
Picture of the Packhulle with schlauctboot showing the shoulderstraps and waist securing band
A pilot bailing out landing on water first released his parachute. At the left side of the packhulle he could open the co2 valve causing the einmann schlauchtboat to partially inflate. The packhulle is closed with a number of buttons wich the inflation of the boat would release. His schwimmweste would also be inflated by opening the co2 valve. The parachute backpillow on early parachute contained dye powder making a green high visible trail in the water (will show documentation as it was tested comparing dye from farbeutel and parachutepillow, coming soon).
The packhulle in opened position. The buttons on the side and bottom will open when the pilot opens the valve to the co2 bottle.
The production label found inside the packhulle.
The partly inflated schlauchtboot would be inflated fully when the pilot had entered. The bailing cup would be used to discard water and the drifting anchor would be deployed. In the channel pants he would have both a gravity knife and a leuchpistole with cartridges. Upon hearing engine noises etc the pilot could discharge the farbbeutel or fire signal to be rescued by the “seenots dienst”.
Seen here is the halteleine right, the drifting anchor in the middle and the gas bottle at the rear. Also seen is the pocket for the bailing cup (Schopfbecher). On the sid eof the tubes there are illustrated signalling instructions.
There was no paddle in the pack as it was discontinued due to the fact the pilot would exaust himself for no results. The main objective was to keep the pilot out of the water to be rescued by naval units or the "seenotsdienst". The larger 3 man schlauchtboot contained a packhulle with a paddle in three parts. The pack also included a pump, plugs and containers with seenotsausrustung.
Drawing from the technical and tactical trends no#9 dated 08.10.1942
1. Rubber tube. partly inflated by co2 bottle to make dinghy easier to board. Pilot to manually fully inflate.
2. Manual inflation tube
3. Bottom, early version said to have different pockets (2 pockets)
4. Pocket for bailer
5. Drifting anchor with line
6. Pocket for drifting anchor
7. Bailing cup
8. Handles for boarding
9. Handles for boarding
10. Cap for use when dinghy is inflated.
Until mid 1944 the schlauchtboot had bot FL-numbering and geratenumber. In 1944 they changed it to only gerate number. It can help date the schlauchtboot, but some manufacturing continued use of the Fi number. The schlauchtboot pictured here Is therefore probably manufactured in 1944 or 1945. It was believed that boats lacking the FL-number was kriegsmarine. The KM Dinghy often has other handles (4, 2 on each side) marked “einsteiggriff”.
It is manufacturer coded with “bpl” indicating production by Klepper werke in Rosenheim. A rubber Dinghy made in the alps of Bavaria. They also made raincoats and the Luftwaffe schwimmweste. It was heavily bombed in 1945, but rebuilt postwar. The company still exists today making kajaks and collapsable boats.
These Schlauchtboote are rare to find in good condition. The boats had some postwar use. One found for sale was used by the kida at a cabin on the nearby lake for paddling in the summer. Kept in the cabin since, it was in very good condition. The packhulle is the rarest, they were often discarded when the boats were used by the civilians postwar.
Luftwaffe groundcrew handling a Me-109. Note the suits and the caps.
(Photo: Bundesarchiv)
The luftwaffe mechanics was called "die Schwarze Männer" due to their black denim coveralls. Each luftwaffe "gruppe" had a flughafenbetriebskompanie led by an ingenur officer. Each staffel had appx 150 mechanics i a socalled betriebszug. They were responsible for maintenance, repair and re armament. Many of them educated themselves further to becoming flieger.
The suits was initially black giving the crew their nickname. Before the outbreak of the war the colour change to a dark blue. The coveralls was heavy in weight, They were inner lined for warmth and constucted from a denim like Hbt material. They are double buttoned and closeable at the neck giving the wearer proper insulation. On the waits left picture one can see the Tie in string. On the right the insulating liner of the coveralls.The dark colour is to conceal stains of oil and dirt. Ground crew can also be seen with white coveralls, but these are often radio mechanics. Comparing to period photos, insignia useage is rare. It is probable that insigna on items are postwar additions.
Picture right showing the HBT denim like material. Also showing the black string for tie in. Coveralls was often marked with ink and as their useage required often cleaning, they are mostly washed away. Left picture showing the leg and tie in. These suits became popular and were also later in the war issued to troops manning flak artillerie.
In addition to the coveralls the mechanics was issued an overseas cap. It is black in colour. Notice the size marking.
Luftwaffe mechanics is not a collectors prime choice, but i deserves its place with any luftwaffe flight collection.