Luftwaffe Eagle onboard a U Boat?

[Saladin]

I came across this eagle quite a few moons ago, I don’t know if any of you men saw it on ebay in 2009/10?
Anyway I was interested in the story (I know don’t buy the story buy the item)
The story goes that it was given to the young lady seller by a neighbour who had recovered it from a submarine that had surrendered in 1945. The money raised was to go towards her wedding.
I kept the pictures that had been posted on ebay and going through my files I came across the eagle.
I had tried to buy it years ago but the price I thought was too much for an unattributed denazified Luftwaffe eagle.
Anyway…….cutting years of a long story short I managed to add it to my collection and here it is:::

[Saladin]

Now I can well believe that some enterprising young submariner robbed the eagle from some local Luftwaffe office and had it doctored to use as a boats good luck piece.
I have scoured the WWW and only come up with a couple of likely boats but it would be pure conjecture unless there was a period photograph with the bird on display.

Anyway as I think it was only the USA who insisted on a de swastikafication programme I think I may go down the route of having this bird re nazified…just for my sake

Here are a couple of close ups of the original denazification and original studs

[Saladin]

I just need to work out the right size swastika to have made?

[KMMorris]

A very interesting story..
Morris

[Wilhelm Saris]

This type of eagle, but a somewhat different form, was used at the housing of the bridge
from vessels from the Seenotrettungsdienst and Flugsicherung, which were
Luftwaffe assigned services/forces. I know they exist as such with a wingspan of 1.00 mtr or so!

Have one for the above mentioned Luftwaffe-services, but is meant to be used
in a book. The swastika is not on scale with the "restoration"; somewhat to large!
I made a scan from a photocopy. This I can do!

[Saladin]

Hello Wilhelm,
thank you for posting the picture.....it is very interesting. It looks as though the swastika could have been cast as a separate piece...It appears much brighter than the eagle.
I would like to add a bird that size to my collection! (I wonder what happened to them as I have never seen one for sale or displayed)
The one I have pictured has only got a wingspan of 35cm, so only about a third of the size as the ones that you mention.
It appears to be cast in a form of plated aluminium.

Hello Morris,
It is an interesting story but one I will never be able to prove.

All the best
Doug

[Wilhelm Saris]

Hello Doug,

I think they polished the swas. If it is a seperate piece one cannot see
with the original photograph. Many years ago (about later 1970's) I have
seen such an eagle in Germany, but with a shorther wingspan (I guess it
was about 70-80 cm). It was not known then for what it was used. The
eagle and swas were one piece. This I remember very well.
The possible material is known as Duranalium, an aluminum-magnesium
alloy, which was very weather and water-resistant. This material was used for
eagles for vessels and ships from the inland waterways administration:
Reichswasserstrassenverwaltung.

As far as known the eagles from the photograph were dismantled in
about summer 1940, as when also eagles for ships and vessels from the
German navy were removed. As one does not see them offered could
mean they were scrapped and the material used again for the war-
industry!

The shown shorter eagle indeed could be for a building, but I have not
seen a photograph which proves this!

[Saladin]

Thanks Wilhelm,
that is very comprehensive information and goes a long way to describing my eagle and what happened to the ones that were displayed on ships.
The polished swastika in the photograph just didn't look to be in the right position. But your knowledge has helped with my query

I of course remember MgAl now as it is found on a number of artefacts including the train eagles. This eagle has no markings whatsoever that I can find.

I have re measured the wingspan and used an eagle from the honour plaque to get the right sized dimensions and it is pretty much a 5cm swastika that needs to be made.

I will see how it looks and if I get the eagle restored I will repost it here

All the best
Doug

[gwzglasinlood]

here is one from the same order.
They were used for buldings, fences / gates and as mentioned by others, depending on their size.
They are made in one piece
Best regards,
G.W.Z.