The uniform displayed
here is the Grundform or Basic Uniform of a Hauptgefreiter or Lance Corporal in
the West German Army’s Aviation Corps, the Heeresfliegertruppe. The uniform
jacket is the standard grey color of Heer uniforms with the silver-gray colored
piping of the shoulder insignia and collar bars known as kragenspielen denoting
the wearer's affiliation to the Aviation branch of service. Initially West
German Army tunics were over a darker gray color but were gradually lightened
after the reforms of the Bundeswehr in the 1960s-1970s.
When initially
enlisting into the Heeresfliegertruppe, the enlistee will be known by the title
of Flieger or 'Flyer' this would be equivalent to the standard Heer enlistee
title of Schütze or 'Rifleman'. They then progress along the standard
Bundeswehr rank system becoming a Gefreiter and so forth depending on the
desired career path of the enlisted soldier.
The pants worn with
the service uniform are the standard black trousers issued to and worn by all
West German Army personnel.
The shoulder epaulettes carry the grey Heeresflieger branch piping and the metal insignia of a
Bundeswehr Hauptgefreiter.
The patch on the
sleeve shows the unit affiliation to the West German Heer's I Corps commonly
known during the Cold War by its NATO designation I German Corps. In the event
of a war with the Soviet Union and the German Democratic Republic, I German
Corps would the forces of the United Kingdom (I British Corps), the Netherlands
(I Netherlands Corps) and Belgium (I Belgium Corps) to form NATOs Northern Army
Group to combat advancing Warsaw Pact armored formations across the North
German Plain. The patch depicts the German federal eagle against a gold
background with the Corps numeral designation.
Typically soldiers
assigned to the Corps troops and Corps staff. The black and gold braided edge
of the patch was significant of the status of being a Corps level unit.
The cuff bands bear
the insignia of the Army Aviation Corps depicting flying wings symbolizing the
task of the aviation branch. The insignia is essentially the same wing insignia
worn by Luftwaffe personnel only differentiating by being against a black
background rather than a dark blue standard of the Air Force. Soldiers of the
Heeresfliegertruppe were authorized the cuff title due to the relatively small
size of the German Army Aviation Corps.
Shown here is the
maroon beret worn by specialized troops of the Heer. Typically units wearing
maroon berets in the German Army are those with airborne or special operations
affiliations.
The Heersfliegertruppe beret crest depicts a stylized wing design
identical to the wing worn on the cuff band of the sleeve on the service tunic
with a vertical sword over the flag of the Federal Republic of Germany
surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves.
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