RK Frontflugspange für Nah-Nachtjäger in Bronze - Luftwaffe Short Range Nightfighter Clasp in Bronze

[MAP]

One of 4 clasps that arrived this past weekend.

See link below that was moved to the collection forum for backstory and Vet provenance with You Tube Video showing the vet pulling these and dozens of other awards out of a shoe box. All unissued.

A set of Frontflugspanges

A zinc Luftwaffe Short Range Night Fighter Clasp in Bronze. Maker Marked RK.

As with the others, with age/patina, it is difficult to determine if this is bronze or gold. I'm pretty sure it is Bronze but I think I can see remnants of gold in the leaves.

Thoughts are welcome.

[martyboy]

I have a Nightfighter Clasp in Silver that differs in a few ways from the one posted.

I have (as ever) been assured it is genuine and while researching it have noticed quite a few exact images classed as genuine as well as another type resembling the posted item also classed as genuine.

The main differences are 1. In the ringed centre the winged arrow points to the swaztika-in others it is at the base of the arrow.

2. The rear image of the leaves where it joins the laurel has double triangular cut outs whereas others have circular holes.

This set is marked with JMME as the makers. Other types have a longer imprint with the makers name and location.

These differences are not a leaf out of place or a differently painted laurel, they jump out at you.

Are they both genuine but by different manafacturers in different years?

I obviously would love to know. Thank you

[MAP]

To answer your first question.

Mine is a "short range" Night fighter. Your's is a "Long range" Night fighter


You can not really compare a different maker to confirm authenticity as they typically used different dies and hardware. That said, I am not aware the IMME (JMME) made night figher clasps. As far as I know they only made Reconnaissance clasps.

Furthermore, I have never seen an original clasp manufactured the way yours is made with two rivets holding attaching the arrow to the award.

[Saladin]

Hello Martyboy,
this is the first time I have seen a fighter badge with just the JMME stamp on the reverse rather than the JMME & SOHN BERLIN.
I'm pretty unimpressed with the gloss black paint job but of course this could have been applied by somebody with a big brush.

I have been trying to find an example of the flight bars with just a single straight bar to have the descriptive motif attached to. I have seen it before but can't remember where.

Without seeing all the hardware set up it's pretty hard to call it an original IMO even being an original with a pseudo stamp applied.

Hope I'm wrong and someone more qualified to make the call than me says it's a good one.

Michael...Super original piece in great condition. I'd plump for a bronze.

All the best
Doug

[martyboy]

Thank you for the great replies. Does the swaztika being at the point of the arrow in some of these clasps, and the feather end of the arrow next to the swaztika in other clasps, mean anything significant?

Seems very unlike the Germananic mind set to have such an obvious difference.

Thanks.

[MAP]

Thank you for the great replies. Does the swaztika being at the point of the arrow in some of these clasps, and the feather end of the arrow next to the swaztika in other clasps, mean anything significant?

Seems very unlike the Germananic mind set to have such an obvious difference.

Thanks.

If I understand your question, as I mentioned in my first post, the reason for the difference direction of the arrows is because one is for short range night fighter and the other is for long range night fighter.

[martyboy]

Thank you,

I didn't realise that the way the arrow points is the difference between a long range and short range award. Many thanks for clarifying that for me.

Mart