Flieger Schirmmütze zu einem Flieger Konvolut

[Friedrich-Berthold]

This is not my cap, but it looks essentially the same save for lower rank.

[BenVK]

No questioning that this one is a real aviators silk top!

Hauptmann Eduard Wolfgang Zorer is celebrated for several reasons. The least of those is that he was nominated for the award of the Pour le Merite (Blue Max) in 1917, making him one of the earlier non-scout airmen to merit such a proposal. The best reason for his fame is that he is in a large part responsible for the creation of the Infanterieflieger missions.

As leader of Schusta 7 in 1917, Zorer began to develop infantry cooperation techniques. He intended to bomb and strafe opposing soldiers, machine gun nests and strong points at extreme low level to add an element of "mobile artillery support" to the infantry who would otherwise be storming machine gun positions without much help.

Fast CL-type two-seaters were quite effective at these offensive tasks, as well as at the defensive task of breaking up enemy counterattacks as 1918 would prove, after professional Schlasta's were established.

On 24 April 1917, Zorer and his pilot Josef Schleiffer made the first of their Infanterieflüge and were mentioned in the Heeresberichte (Army reports) the next day. They flew through the customary artillery barrage to engage the enemy soldiers. They suffered hits themselves and one bullet ruptured the aircraft's oil lines. Schleiffer made a good landing at Douai; Zorer immediately telephoned his report through to his superiors.

The morale boost to the infantry was immeasurable, the news had struck like lightning. The success of the mission led to the creation of Schlachtstaffeln (using the Schutzstaffeln as a source for personnel and material).

Zorer was promoted Hauptmann as a direct result of the mission and a Hohenzollern House Order Knight's Cross was bestowed on him on 5 August. His nomination for the PLM was shelved when he and his pilot Schleiffer were made prisoners on 1 September 1917

[M18922]

Great info Ben! The cap at the begining of the thread I didint end up buying. Though somehow I wish I did.

Cheers, Pat