Luftwaffe Flugzeugführerabzeichen...Original or Repro?

[fvrod1]

Thoughts?

[Eric Zentner]

I am not a fan of this one very soft.

Eric

[Adrian]

Original zinc badge attributed to Friedrich Linden of Ludenscheid. Very much the lower end and most affordable of the pilots badges they can be found with two types of hinge as you can see on my example below. I actually quite like these badges and I would like to find one in tombak.

[KSH]

Adrian, how come these IMO big differences between the badges then? I have circled some areas where this can be easily seen.



- Kenneth

[Anubis]

No problem here, original zinc FLL.

[StuG III]

After being stamped or press moulded (whatever process was used) each badge had to be finished individually by hand. That would explain slight differences in the profiles of the two pieces, no?
Tom

[KSH]

After being stamped or press moulded (whatever process was used) each badge had to be finished individually by hand. That would explain slight differences in the profiles of the two pieces, no?
Tom

I see your point, but I disagree. It is more likely two different eagle designs IMO. They were hand-finished yes, but only to a certain degree, I would think mostly to clean up eventual unwanted remains after the production process. I personally have never seen this kind of discrepancy between two badges of the same manufacture and design. In my eyes these are not slight differences, but quite noticeable differences that tell me that the eagles are not of identical production. If I'm wrong here I appreciate if anyone can correct me. Then I shall stand corrected

- Kenneth

[Adrian]

The badges as far as I'm aware are both from the same mould and the discrepancies are from the hand finishing. This type of eagle to my knowledge was only made by FLL. There are as many, if not more similarities than there are differences. Try a seach for them on dealers websites, not every one is the same as the next.
The eagle on mine is slightly squashed and off to one side which may account for the differences in the outline when compared to the wreath, note the positions of the swastika.

[KSH]

The badges as far as I'm aware are both from the same mould and the discrepancies are from the hand finishing. This type of eagle to my knowledge was only made by FLL. There are as many, if not more similarities than there are differences. Try a seach for them on dealers websites, not every one is the same as the next.
The eagle on mine is slightly squashed and off to one side which may account for the differences in the outline when compared to the wreath, note the positions of the swastika.

On second thought you may be right there. But for the record, I was not in any way implying that it wasn't a real one, or that it wasn't made by FLL. I just found the difference between the badges posted too great for them to be identical. What you and Tom are saying makes perfect sense, but it's really a first for me to see such a different outline from the same mould, hand-finished or not. But I learn everyday

- Kenneth

[Adrian]

These really do vary Kenneth, here are a couple I found quickly just on Kai Winkler's site.......