I absolutely NEED any info I can get with RKTs w/ Oaks and Swords who served in the Bundeswehr.

[history-buff1944]

Hi Gents, I know there are several here much much more knowledgable than I am on RKTs and such. I do have Fellgiebels updated book as well as the Helion edition.

Anyway, I am needing as fast as possible? the most complete listing of RKTs who also had the Oaks and Swords-who served in the Bundeswehr--if at all possible?

I don't imaging a whole heck of alot of them served but-the most important reason why I am asking for this list is because I have a line on a 1957 RK W/ Oaks and Swords-which is a very early made piece and the Oaks are stamped .888 silver and this piece is made by Steinhauer and Luck. Im not sure but I think its "paperclip" is also stamped? I also have another line on a 2nd 1957 RK-which is still an earlier piece and this one also was made by Steinhauer and Luck.

Anyway, any info you Gents can help me will be most appreciated and I will owe favors for. Today I am one step closer to possibly owning these two items-and also some incredible photos too including one large one that had been in a German Generals estate that shows some Free Indian Legion members along with Germans-operating an Artillery piece. Other goodies I might get also include 9 original WWII photos of my absolute most favorite P.L.M Recipient and WWI Uboat Ace--Lothar von Arnauld de la Periere.

Thanks in advance and ill be keeping a definate eye out on this topic.

Cheers-HB (aka) Carl.

[big ned]

Hi Carl,

This may not be quite what you looking for, but is nontheless, worth reading. Note it says 711 RKT's served in the Bundeswehr. I guess you can pare that down when it comes to the oakleaves and swords!!

I'll give you one for free though; Adolph Galland.

Oakleaves... good or bad? - Gentleman's Military Interest Club

Regards, Ned.

[big ned]

Hi Carl,

I think that Bob Hritz is the man to answer your questions. I'm sure i read a post on another forum by him that was along these lines, and most informative.

Trouble is, i'm affraid i can't remember where!! I'm sure he'll be along shortly though.

Regards, Ned.

[Paul D]

Mate why didn't you just e mail me ??

Here are some to start with off the top of my head ,

Gunther Rall ( died recently )

Ernst Wilhelm Reinert

Friedrich Lang

Johannes Steinhof

Erich Hartmann

Otto Kretschmar

Heinz Georg Lemm

Erich Topp

regards

Paul

[history-buff1944]

Cheers Ned, Paul, ;-))

Ned thank you for the link and ill read it after I finish posting. It might provide a few necessary clues for my ex-law-enforcement-doused Brain, to figure out ;-)) Thank you for the help.

Cheers Mate, I would have sent you a Pm but my computer is working super slow these days and for some reason unknown to me ;-))

711 is about 4-500 fewer than I had figured but much much better for times sake ;-)) I started looking through all the names on that RKT site and only managed to do 4 pages of 17 listed. I couldn't get anything after Nr 4 to open for me so I just went to bed. Ill try that again later and see what happens? ;-))

Heh heh, wouldn't it be peachy if this set turned out to be Erich Hartmanns set-or Erich Topps :-))

Ill keep you Gents updated on this and the possibility to get this set-up. I may have a major trade deal going on and after finally learning how to attach photos to an email, I sent the pics to the person who wa interested in my wares ;-)) Imstaying up late tonight in hopes that before I go to bed, that he will have replied by then.

Take care Mates--Carl.

[history-buff1944]

Hi Gents, based on what I read in that thread, I don't think I have anything to worry about. Also, the dealer I may be getting this from os well-known and is trustworthy. He also has some sort of German laws and proclamations about the sellings of repo or fake items-which is a big no-no ;-))

However, the deal isn't "done" yet-but I at least got the dealer to bite and if I take a monotary loss on what I want to trade-that's OK because I got my trade goods years ago and for probably the amount I will end up letting them go for. I know that this set up is a bit overpriced but, I don't see many 57 RKs floating around out there. Before all is said and done, I plan on having at least 15 of these including a cased set.

[history-buff1944]

An update of sorts. I don't know if you can call this good news or not? but, I have possible names narrowed down to 15-and im sure there are at least 5 more or about 5 more I can add to that list. Ill list the names I ran across that could have been one of the Gents who wore the KC im trying to get. I finished looking up all the Swords guys and need to check a few of the Diamonds guys. This will be done sometime Friday and ill list names here if anyone is interested?

The bad news-if it can be called bad? is that I have not yet heard back from the seller about confirming this deal and completing it. So the deal is still up in the air. Im willing to take a fairly large loss on value of the multiple items I have that I wish to make a deal with in order to get this item. I sure hope that dealer isn't a member of this site to read this ;-))

[history-buff1944]

IF I do wind up with this set up? the following 15 names are what I came up with on who might have possibly worn these as these do show some wear.

The following RKT COULD have worn these at sometime-they are:

Gerhard Barkhorn Luftwaffe.
Wilhelm Batz Luftwaffe.
Erich Alfred "Bubi" Hartmann Luftwaffe.
Arthur Juttnet Army.
Otto Kretschmer Kriegsmarine.
Hans Kroh Luftwaffe.
Friedrich Lang Luftwaffe.
Smilo Frhe. von Luttwitz Army.
Horst Niemack Luftwaffe.
Gunther Rall Luftwaffe.
Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert Luftwaffe.
Johannes "Macky" Steinhoff Luftwaffe.
Werner Strieb Luftwaffe.
Erich Topp Kriegsmarine.
Werner Ziegler Army.

I can't prove that any of these Gents wore this very set up-but on looking through all the possibilities I could find-these 15 men are the best candidates of having once owned this set up ;-))

PS, BTW, the only RKT who was also a General during WWII to serve in the Bundeswehr was Smiol Freiherr von Luttwitz. Or at least he's the only RKT General who I can find ;-))

[history-buff1944]

I gotta correct something from above that I meant to originally say. That is that the ONLY WWII General with RK, Oaks and Swords to serve in the BW was Smilo Frhrvon Luttwitz. I am now checking the RK and Oaks only guys name as I have a line on a 57 RK w/ Oaks too and I already found one WWII General who served in the BW who got the Oaks. Ill post his name later after I finish going through all the names on the Oaks list.