"Rafwaffe" round Luftwaffe pilot badge?

**Jimmy65** · 05-12-2017, 09:24 PM

Hello all,
I was looking into these round pilot badges that pop up from time to time. The RAF 1426 nicknamed the "Rafwaffe" was assigned to test captured German aircraft. 1941-45. Is it possible these badges are GI souvenirs made circa 1945 for occupying forces? It would explain their quality construction and the use of different period eagles used on standard pilot badges. This picture of RAF 1426 commanding officer Lt. Lewendon in 1944 lends some fuel to this fire as he is pictured wearing a round Luftwaffe style pilot badge in cloth. This would also explain why no German pilots seem to have ever seen or heard of a round Luftwaffe pilot badge. Just food for thought, as always opinions are welcome.

**Danmark** · 05-12-2017, 09:46 PM

Thats a new one for me.... i dont really see the point of creating a badge to test the enemy's aircraft but still very interesting thanks! The photo shows they existed...

**bigmacglenn** · 05-12-2017, 09:55 PM

Very Cool and quite interesting! When I was in the Army we had what were called OPFOR Units- Opposing Forces- They wore Red Berets with a Generic Red Army-ish Badge as well...
cheers, Glenn

**Wagriff** · 05-12-2017, 10:08 PM

by Danmark

Thats a new one for me.... i dont really see the point of creating a badge to test the enemy's aircraft but still very interesting thanks! The photo shows they existed...

They're British! Think about it! lol

**Rakkasan187** · 05-12-2017, 10:24 PM

by bigmacglenn1966

Very Cool and quite interesting! When I was in the Army we had what were called OPFOR Units- Opposing Forces- They wore Red Berets with a Generic Red Army-ish Badge as well...
cheers, Glenn

Glenn,

I still have the OPFOR uniform I wore when I was in Berlin. We would rotate OPFOR responsibilities among the 3 infantry battalions to add realism to our Combat in the Cities training..

Smitty

**big ned** · 05-13-2017, 01:27 AM

Lewendon is also wearing a Luftwaffe LKpW101 flying helmet in the pic. On 13th October 1944, whilst carrying out local flying at Collyweston in a FW190, F/Lt Lewendon was killed. Here's the skinny on the aircraft in question and how it came to be captured and handed over to 1426 (EAC) Flight for flight testing, and it's eventual demise with F/L Lewendon at the controls.

Excerpt from 'The Captive Luftwaffe', by Kenneth S. West:

'This aircraft belonged to II/SKG 10 and, except for the engine cowling, was painted sooty matt black overall. It bore a yellow H aft of the Balkan cross and just discernible forward was a black equilateral triangle. This Focke Wulf was one of a number of I and II Gruppen aircraft of SKG 10 which were sent out at midnight on 16 April 1943, on the first experimental moonlight fighter-bomber attacks on southern England, the selected target being installations along the Thames near the Isle of Dogs in London's East End. Flown by Feldwebel Otto Bechtold, the Fw 190 left the Amiens area with one 250 kg bomb and two drop tanks carrying a total of 300 litres of fuel. The aircraft was put on a northerly heading over Cap Gris Nez and the drop tanks were jettisoned before crossing the Kent coast.

Navigation was difficult because of ground mist and Bechtold became lost. After flying on a northerly course for 40 minutes his aircraft was picked up by searchlights. He released the bomb and, after evading the searchlights, reduced height and headed back to France. After about half an hour the pilot saw several searchlights pointing in the same direction and, the anti-aircraft fire having ceased, he thought that he was over France. His fuel was running low so he followed the direction of the searchlights and saw the lights of an aerodrome. He lowered the undercarriage and landed at 01.10 to find himself at RAF West Malling.

The Fw 190 was flown to the RAE, given serial number PE882 and first flown with that identity on 20 April, 1943. It was delivered to Nº 1426 (EAC) Flight at Collyweston on 23 April, 1944, but on 13 October crashed on the Stamford to Kettering road. The aircraft was seen to be on fire as it crashed through three walls and came to rest in the garden of a house. The pilot, Flt Lt E.R.Lewendon (Commanding Officer of Nº 1426 Flight), was killed and the aircraft burnt out. At the time of the crash the Fw 190 was finished in standard RAF dark green and dark earth with yellow undersurfaces and had a yellow prototype P ahead of the fuselage roundel.'

Another photo of F/L Lewendon and other members of the flight in front of a Bf 110.

Regards, Ned.

**asterperious** · 05-13-2017, 03:24 AM

Thanks Ned- I just bought a copy off ebay to read. As for the Badge, despite American popular notions the Brits have a very diverse and eccentric sense of humour. Why not create a novelty flying badge to wear? In the second picture he is the only one wearing the device, perhaps a Commander's prerogative? The luftwaffe fight headgear makes sense as it would work with the aircraft radios etc. versus rewiring for RAF units, just retune the frequencies and keep the same operational characteristics and weight and balance in the captured aircraft. The other men in the picture have standard RAF flying headgear though so it is equally possible tht Lewendon is merely expressing eccentricity.