A Tarnished Legacy: The F-104 and the Starfighter Crisis

When the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter first flew in 1954, it was a state of the art interceptor capable of achieving speeds in access of Mach 1 or the speed of sound. The single seat, single engined fighter and its sleek slender silhouette would go on to serve with a number of Air Forces worldwide including not only the United States Air Force, Italian Aeronautica Militare, Royal Canadian Air Force and Japanese Air Self-Defense Force. Nowhere would the reputation and service of the F-104 be more diverse and defined than in the service of the West German Luftwaffe. In West Germany, the Starfighter would be developed into a fighter bomber with nearly 35% of all F-104s produced by Lockheed being manufactured for Luftwaffe service.

The aircraft was designed as a high altitude interceptor by legendary Lockheed aeronautical engineer Kelly Johnson. Part of the appeal of the aircraft was its radical wing design utilizing a small trapezoidal shaped wing positioned midbody of the fuselage versus the standard swept wing design of most fighter aircraft. The stabilator was mounted atop the vertical tail fin to reduce the effects of inertia coupling in high speed flight and the type utilized the power of the General Electric J79 turbojet engine to propel it to supersonic speeds. As a result of its design, the Starfighter had excellent acceleration capabilities, rate of climb and top speeds however the aircraft had poor turn performance at sustained speeds and was sensitive to control inputs which could prove unforgiving in the event of pilot error. Under license from Lockheed, F-104s would be manufactured by some of Europe’s finest aeronautical firms including Dornier, Fokker and Messerschmitt of West Germany, Fiat of Italy and SABCA of Belgium. A total of 915 F-104s would be delivered to the Luftwaffe with 30 of these airframes being F-104F standard, 444 being F-104G models operated as multirole fighter bombers, 136 TF-104G trainers and 355 RF-104 reconnaissance variants

The first F-104s to be operated by the West German Luftwaffe were F-104F models, two seat versions of the Starfighter used in the United States to train Luftwaffe instructors on the aircraft type. These initial airframes carried United States Air Force livery and serial numbers and were operated out of Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. After the initial pilots graduated from flight training, the airframes were turned over to Waffenschule 10 based out of Nörvenich in North Rhine-Westphalia. Upon arrival in West Germany, the airframes received a new Luftwaffe paint scheme and serial numbers and thus began the conversion of Luftwaffe pilots from the earlier F-84 Thunderstreak and F-86 Sabre airframes to the new F-104G Starfighter.

The first unit to begin operational conversion to the type was Jagdbombergeschwader 31 ‘Bölcke’ of Fighter Bomber Wing 31 ‘Bölcke’ also based at Nörvenich. Type conversion began in July 1960 with the Wing being declared fully operational in 1963. Following the fielding of JBG-31 with F-104Gs, additional units equipped with the type were Jagdbombergeschwader 32 based in Lechfeld, Jagdbombergeschwader 33 based at Buchel, Jagdbombergeschwader 34 based at Memmingen and Jagdbombergeschwader 36 located at Rheine-Hopsten. These units operated the type as multirole fighter bombers with two fighter wings being designated to use the type as solely interceptors. These units were Jagdgeschwader 71 located at Wittmundhafen and Jagdgeschwader 74 located at Neuberg. The RF-104G reconnaissance variant was operated by two Aufklärungsgeschwadern or Reconnaissance Wings. These units were Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 located at Manching and Aufklärungsgeschwader 52 located at Leck. The West German Marineflieger operated two naval air wings of F-104Gs these were Marinefliegergeschwader 1 at Schleswig and Marinefliegergeschwader 2 at Eggebeck. Marineflieger F-104G’s were operated in the reconnaissance and anti-surface warfare roles.  

The F-104G would also be a main weapon in the Luftwaffe’s nuclear delivery component. The nuclear weapons under the control of the United States, would be leased to the West German military for use. In the event of a nuclear strike, an F-104 would mount a single B43 one kiloton nuclear weapon along the centerline of the fuselage. Nearly 250 Luftwaffe Starfighters were committed to the NATO nuclear deterrent force with each wing maintaining six nuclear armed F-104s on twenty four hour alert status as part of NATOs Quick Response Force. As part of the QRF, Luftwaffe aircraft would be fueled and ready for launch within seventeen minutes of receiving the order to strike Warsaw Pact or Soviet targets. In this mission, Luftwaffe pilots utilized the Starfighter’s high speeds reaching operating speeds of Mach 1.4 to penetrate hostile airspace and deliver its deadly payload. After delivering their weapons, pilots would return to airfields in West Germany and be rearmed with additional nuclear weapons and redirected to secondary targets for further nuclear deployment.  

In the conventional strike role, the F-104G would typically carry the Lepus flare bomb, CBU-33 cluster munitions, 500lb iron bombs and LAU-3A unguided rocket pods. Marineflieger Starfighters would mount the Kormoran anti-ship missile on underwing pylons. The Kormoran had a range of nearly 23 miles and utilized delayed fuses for penetration of a ship’s hull structure before subsequently detonating deep within the vessel. The weapon was intended to detonate just above the ship’s waterline in an effort to inflict the maximum damage possible.

Problems began to arise almost from the beginning of the introduction of the aircraft into Luftwaffe service. At the time of the introduction of the Starfighter in 1961, there were two crashes. An intensification of flying regimens saw an increased accident rate with the type. As the years progressed, so did the number of crashes in the type. The year 1962 saw seven crashes, 1964 saw 12 F-104s lost, and in 1965 nearly 28 aircraft were lost in accidents. The lost rate calculated to nearly two aircraft lost each month. In 1966, sixty one F-104Gs would crash claiming the lives of thirty five Luftwaffe pilots. The alarming rate of loss of the aircraft soon became known as the ‘Starfighter Crisis’ with alarming records surfacing. The Crisis would peak with a loss rate of 139 aircraft for every 100,000 flying hours. The unsafe nature of the aircraft in Luftwaffe service sent the German media into a feeding frenzy giving the type derogatory nicknames such as Witwenmacher ‘Widowmaker’, Fliegender Sarg ‘Flying Coffin’, Fallfighter ‘falling fighter’ or Erdnagel ‘Ground Nail’. The surrounding controversy over the accident rate of Luftwaffe Starfighters also led to the rather unflattering joke of How does one own a Starfighter? Just buy property anywhere in West Germany and wait and sooner or later one would crash into the property.

The problem of the Starfighter Crisis, lie in the fact that the aircraft was extremely unforgiving in cases of pilot error and was extremely sensitive to control inputs. At the time of the types introduction, the F-104G was one of the most technologically sophisticated designs to enter service with the fledgling Luftwaffe and many of the pilots and ground crews of the Luftwaffe were accustomed to civilian jobs at the end of the Second World War. The lapse in aviation operations threw many pilots beyond the learning curve and they failed to keep up with the technological advances of jet powered aviation. As a response to this Luftwaffe pilots were sent to relatively short refresher courses in first generation jet aircraft which were underpowered in terms of the supersonic plus Starfighter. Luftwaffe ground crews were also introduced to the type with minimal to no maintenance experience on turbine engines, a reflection of the problem of national conscription into military service. As crews would come up to speed in learning to maintain the type, their service obligations would be completed and they returned to civilian life requiring a new technician to learn the maintainers course from the beginning.

Terrain and weather differences were also a factor. Luftwaffe pilots flying out of Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico and Luke Air Force Base in Arizona grew accustomed to operating the aircraft in the relatively favorable weather of the southwestern United States. When they returned to West Germany, many pilots found the north western European weather to be relatively poor. Flights in inclement weather coupled with flying at relatively high speeds, at low level through the hilly terrain of West Germany attributed to a great number of accidents designated as controlled flight into terrain or water.

On the airframe side, the F-104G was an improved version of the standard Lockheed F-104 Starfighter with a strengthened fuselage and wing structure. Other modifications included larger fuel tanks for increased fuel capacity, an enlarged vertical tail fin, strengthened landing gear complete with larger tires, revised flaps for improved control in combat maneuvering, as well as improved avionics suites like the Autonetics NASARR F15A-41B radar which was capable of both air to air and air to surface mapping capabilities, Litton LN-3 Inertial Guidance System and an infrared targeting sight. With the improvements to the airframe, it did not change the fact that the intended purpose of the aircraft was to be a high supersonic high altitude interceptor. In Luftwaffe service, the type was operated as a fighter bomber which often took the aircraft out of its intended element placing it in the unusual confines of low altitude operations. For operations in the low altitude environment the aircraft relied on the inertial navigation system which added additional weight to the airframe thus hampering its performance. The inertial navigation system was widely criticized as being a cause of distraction for the pilot as he would be monitoring the status of the system in low level rather than paying attention to the terrain around him in the low altitude structure. German media outlets often referred to the Starfighters as overburdened by technology and labeled F-104 pilots as overstrained and overburden aircrewmen.

Further damage to the Luftwaffe Starfighter fleet would come when the German media accused officials in the West German government of accepting bribes in the acquiring of the F-104 in West German service. The fallout and frequent scandals revolving around the crisis would lead to the passing of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in 1977 by the United States government which restricted any American businesses, trading securities, citizens, nationals or residents from engaging in any corrupt practices regardless of whether or not they are present on United States soil and it governed payments of anything of value involving foreign officials, candidates, dignitaries or parties that could effectively involve national interests. 

Not to say that all loses of the type were induced solely by the pilot many accidents were also attributed to many causes which burden all methods of aerial transportation.  Many accidents were attributed to bird strikes where a bird ingested into the engine could cause problems, lightning strikes, pilot spatial disorientation, hypoxia and mid air collisions. Other causes included technical issues involving the J79 engine itself with its variable afterburner nozzle, contamination of the pilot’s liquid oxygen system for high altitude operation which led to loss of consciousness and malfunctions of the aircraft’s automatic pick up limiter system.

Compared to the NATO average of Starfighter pilots flying twenty hours per month, West German Luftwaffe pilots received roughly only thirteen to fifteen hours per month. The F-104 required thirty eight to forty five hours of maintenance for every hour flown and with hastily often poorly trained maintenance crews, the aircraft typically did not receive the required level of maintenance and the results were catastrophic.

One of the most notable accidents involving the Starfighter in Luftwaffe service occurred on 19 June 1962 at Knapsack, North Rhine-Westphalia when a formation of four F-104F two seat variants of the Starfighter were practicing formation flying to celebrate the types introduction into active service. The aircraft crashed together following a descent through a cloud formation killing three Luftwaffe pilots and one United States Air Force pilot. The cause of the crash was determined to be spatial disorientation of one of the inexperienced Luftwaffe pilots causing his aircraft to fly into his wingman. All four aircraft were destroyed and this incident resulted in the Luftwaffe instituting a policy of forbidding an aerobatic formation flying display team.

In 1966, Johannes Steinhoff, a veteran Luftwaffe pilot of the Second World War accredited with 176 aerial victories took over command of the Luftwaffe as the Inspekteur der Luftwaffe ‘Chief Inspector of the Air Force’. One of Steinhoff’s first moves following his instatement as the head of the Luftwaffe was to ground the entire F-104 fleet. He was determined not to release the aircraft back into active service until he felt the underlying causes to the high loss rate of F-104 Starfighters was resolved if not eradicated. During his investigation, Steinhoff noted that F-104s of the United States Air Force and other non-German Air Forces had significantly lower accident rates in the aircraft. With further investigations, Steinhoff and his Deputy Inspector Günther Rall also a fellow World War II veteran would journey to the United States to learn to pilot the F-104 Starfighter under instruction and supervision by the type’s designers at the Lockheed facility in Burbank, California. During their period in the United States, Steinhoff and Rall annotated the lack of inclement weather and mountain flight training combined with the handling characteristics such as sharp high G turns could lead to accidents.

Upon return to West Germany, Steinhoff and Rall introduced a redesigned training regimen for Luftwaffe Starfighter pilots and as a response loss rates dropped to being comparable to those of other Starfighter operators.  With an improved safety record, a new problem soon emerged in the form of structural failure in the wing structure. The F-104 design calculations had not taken into consideration the high number of G force loading cycles that would be exerted on the airframes operated by the Luftwaffe. Another issue that Steinhoff and Rall noted lie in the ejection seat operated in Luftwaffe Starfighters. Lockheed had initially supplied the Luftwaffe F-104Gs with the C-2 ejection seat which used a powerful 10100 booster rocket manufactured by the Talley Corporation. The use of the Talley rocket was said to give the ejection seat a zero-zero capability however they caused a destabilizing effect following ejection from the aircraft. On 8 March 1967, the F-104 fleet was grounded again and all C-2 series ejection seats were replaced with improved Martin Baker Mk-GQ7A zero-zero ejection seats.

Initial successes in the improvement of the Starfighter’s safety record were soon overshadowed with F-104 crashes climbing to between fifteen to twenty aircraft each year between 1968 and 1972. The attrition rate would continue at a 9:11 ratio each year until the type was phased out and replaced by the Panavia Tornado. The subsequent jump in the loss rate of the aircraft led to the West German government in Bonn to approve the order of 50 additional F-104Gs to replace aircraft lost in accidents. Finally in 1971, the decision was made to begin the retirement of the F-104 from Luftwaffe service. The first units to withdraw the F-104G were the Reconnaissance Wings AKG 51 and AKG 52 which adopted the McDonnell Douglas RF-4E Phantom II in its Wild Wiesel configuration for tactical reconnaissance. These were followed by JG71 and JG74 in 1972 and 1973 when they received F-4E Phantom IIs as air superiority fighters and JBG36 received Phantoms in 1976.

The first Marineflieger unit to phase out the F-104G was MFG1 which phased out its F-104s in favor of the Panavia Tornado in July 1982. The F-104G training school at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona was closed down and by the middle of the 1980s, the Luftwaffe had relegated the F-104G Starfighter to secondary roles. The last Luftwaffe unit to operate the F-104G Starfighter was JBG34 which finally retired its Starfighters upon receiving the Panavia Tornado in 1987. Only a handful of F-104Gs and TF-104Gs remained in Luftwaffe service operated out of Manching for various test, development and research programs. The last flight of the F-104G in Luftwaffe service would occur on 22 May 1991 when the F-104G a formidable airframe flew into history as part of the resurgence of Germany’s defensive capability.

By the time of its retirement, the Luftwaffe would lose some 270 F-104s to accidents, equaling roughly 30 percent of West Germany's entire Starfighter fleet. Even more costly is the irreplaceable human toll of the deaths of nearly 110 German pilots at the controls of the Starfighter. The Starfighter's legacy in German military service is one of admiration, intrigue and in certain circles discontent. Many pilots had a love-hate relationship with the type, but in the end it would be the lack of proper training, maintenance, unforeseen technical issues and operating the type in environments it was not designed to operate in that would tarnish the image of the supersonic interceptor. While certain circles champion the F-104, others still hold the aircraft in negative light unable to move past the derogatory titles such as 'lawn dart' or 'tent peg'.   

Uniforms of the West German Bundeswehr

West German military regulations regarding uniforms were laid out in the Zentralen Dienstvorschrift ZDv 37/10 "Anzugordnung für die Soldaten der Bundeswehr" or Joint Service Regulation ZDv 37/10 "Dress Code for Soldier's of the Bundeswehr. Chapter 2 of the regulations divided the uniforms of the armed forces into several categories: Dienstanzug or Service Dress was covered in Section III, Kampfanzug or Combat Dress was covered in Section IV, Gesellschaftsanzug or Formal Dress was covered under Section V and Sportanzug or Sports Uniform was covered under Section VI. Each uniform section is differentiated between the respective services of the Bundeswehr.

The Dienstanzug in its basic form is authorized for wear outside of military installations and as a lesser version of a dress uniform when worn within military installations, command posts and at other special events and services. There are also specialized modifications authorized for the Dienstanzug such as different headgear or raincoats all of which is further outlined in the ZDv 37/10.

Heer Uniforms

The Dienstanzug of the Heer in its basic form differs between men and women accordingly. For men, the Dienstanzug uniform consists of a beret or Bergmütze which is the specialized cap worn by the Gebirgsjägertruppe, light grey service jacket known as a Dienstjacke or grey skibluse or the Mountain jacket for the Gebirgsjägertruppe, dark gray trousers, long sleeve service shirt, gray-blue necktie, smooth black belt for wear with the trousers, black socks and black service shoes.For women the only differentiation is the wear of a gray skirt, long sleeve service blouse, a blue necktie, and light gray stockings. A special variant of the Dienstanzug known as the Sommerdienstanzug or Summer Dienstanzug is authorized for wear outside of West Germany and was typically designated for wear south of the 40th parallel north latitude line. This uniform typically worn by personnel on assignment to locations such as Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico or assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas in the United States consists of a sand tan colored uniform variation of the service gray uniform. 

A specialized version of the Dienstanzug known as the Großer Dienstanzug or Great Dienstanzug is only worn on command and special occasions. In this form of the service uniform, boots are worn with the trousers bloused accordingly. A black leather belt is also added worn over the service jacket. In cold weather scenarios, a greatcoat is authorized for weather over the service jacket with the black leather belt over it. In certain scenarios, the beret may be substituted with a helmet.

The primary uniform designated for the Kampfanzug or Combat Dress of the West German Bundeswehr is the Feldanzug, Olivfarben or Olive colored field uniform. This uniform was introduced in the early 1960s to replace the poorly received Feldanzug, jagdmeliert which consisted of a three piece olive-yellow suit which had a goretex like lining and caused discomfort and annoyance amongst the troops. The Feldanzug, Olivfarben was inspired by the olive green service uniforms worn by uniforms of Germany's NATO partners such as the OG-107 uniform worn by the United States Army. The uniform itself consisted of field trousers, a field jacket, field shirt, field cap which could be substituted by a side cap or beret and combat boots. For winter operations a combat field jacket was authorized as well as knitted and leather gloves authorized for wear. In the 1980s an olive green sweater was authorized for wear over the field shirt inspired by the sweaters of the British Army.

In 1990, the Feldanzug, Olivfarben was phased out for the introduction of the Feldanzug, Tarndruck or camouflaged field uniform. This uniform which utilizes the 'speckled' pattern referred to as 'Flecktarn' is the camouflage battle dress of the Bundeswehr.

For social occasions, the Gesellschaftsanzug or evening dress uniform is authorized for wear. This is designated as the Ausgehuniform. It is only authorized for wear by non-commissioned as well as commissioned officers accordingly. Male soldiers Gesellschaftsanzug  consists of a jacket with chain closure, trousers with a black silk dress stripe running along the leg known as a 'Seidengalon', a black 'Torerobund' waist sash or black cummerbund, and a white dress shirt which has concealed buttons, collar, ruffles and embroidery as well as a black bow tie, and black dress shoes. As a variation of the Gesellschaftsanzug, a black silk smoking jacket with a black collar and black silk-covered shoulder epaulettes is authorized for wear. This jacket is worn with miniature versions of awards and decorations. For women, the Gesellschaftsanzug consists of a long dark blue skirt, a white blouse with the federal Bundesadler insignia on the right collar with a long scarf worn across the chest and over the white blouse a dark blue, short velvet jacket is worn. As a modification to the female Gesellschaftsanzug, a short white silk jacket is worn in conjunction with a blue blouse.

The Sportanzug or Sports Uniform is worn primarily during physical training events and in its basic form consists of a blue tracksuit available in two variations. One variation consists of a pair of blue shorts and a blue shirt and the second variation a blue pair of sweatpants and a windbreaker jacket. Different forms of the Sportsanzug are also available in regards to the type of activity being conducted. Other variations include a  swimwear / swimsuit, sports jersey, sports shorts, sports socks, sports shoes for indoor and plastic-coated sports facilities and sports shoes for the terrain.

Other uniforms are authorized for wear by specialized branches within the Army such as the Sanitätsdiensttruppe who when serving in military hospitals wear uniforms similar to civilian doctors consisting of a consisting of a white shirt and white trousers. Rank insignia is worn on the shirt.  Medical personnel in the field environment are authorized the wear of the white armand with the red cross insignia on the left arm of the uniform. Aviators assigned to the Heeresfliegertruppe are authorized the wear of the Flugdienstanzug, or flight service dress consisting of an olive green one piece Nomex flight suit and soldiers assigned to armored units such as the Panzertruppen are authorized the wear of the Panzerkombination or Panzerkombi, a one piece uniform with pockets secured by zippers rather than buttons. The Panzerkombi is made of flame retardant Nomex material similar to the  Flugdienstanzug which is fire retardant in the event of  direct contact with fire, taking several seconds to catch fire, thus increasing the chance of survival by the crewmember in the event of a vehicle fire. On the back of the Panzerkombi, is an internal rescue loop, which is hidden under a Velcro slit where a wounded crew member can be saved easily in an emergency without assistance from the vehicle.

Luftwaffe Uniforms

The Dienstanzug for the Luftwaffe is similar to that of the Heer instead differentiating by color utilizing the colors of the Luftwaffe. For men, the Dienstanzug consists of a blue sidecap, a blue service jacket, blue trousers, a long sleeve service shirt, a blue necktie, smooth black trouser belt, black socks and a pair of black shoes. For women, the Dienstanzug consists of a similar uniform but authorizes the wear of stockings. As with the Army versions, there are specialized variations which include a greatcoat, with black gloves and a visor cap as well as a version with a blue jacket or blue pullover sweater with West Germany's flag on the shoulders of the sweater.

The Luftwaffe also has a form of the Sommerdienstanzug, or Summer Dress uniform of the sand tan color which is authorized for wear in overseas postings. It is essentially the same as the Army variation worn with Luftwaffe insignia and Luftwaffe issued headgear. The Luftwaffe also maintains its own variation of the Großer Dienstanzug as well as the Gesellschaftsanzug. Others uniforms worn by Luftwaffe personnel include Air Force approved versions of the medical service uniform as well as a blue gray version of the Flugdienstanzug for those on flight status.

Bundesmarine Uniforms

The Dienstanzug for the Bundesmarine is similar to that of the other branches of the Bundeswehr yet more reminiscent of Navy's around the world. It however differs amongst enlisted personnel and non-commissioned and commissioned officers. For enlisted personnel or Mannschaften, the uniform consists of a white service middy with blue collar and black tie, worn with black trousers and the white round 'Donald Duck' style sailors cap with a black cap tally with gold lettering denoting the service of the sailor. This uniform is available in a white or dark blue version for wear during summer or winter accordingly. The Dienstanzug for Non-Commissioned Officers or Commissioned Officers consists of a white peaked cap, dark blue service jacket, dark blue trousers, a white long sleeve service shirt, a long black tie, a black trouser belt, black socks and a pair of black shoes. For females, a dark blue skirt and long sleeve white blouse is authorized for wear with the Dienstanzug as well as stockings.

Like the Heer and Luftwaffe, the Bundesmarine has an alternate version of the Dienstanzug authorized for wear depending on the order of the day which may include a jacket, greatcoat, sweater or Colani coat.

The Bundesmarine also maintains a version of the Sommerdienstanzug but also maintains a secondary specialized uniform unique to its service. The weiße Sommerdienstanzug or White Summer Dress Uniform is authorized only for wear by the personnel of the Bundesmarine and consists of a white jacket and trousers, along with a white long sleeve shirt and dark blue tie. For women a white skirt is authorized for wear with the weiße Sommerdienstanzug.

Unlike the other services of the Bundeswehr, the Bundesmarine signifies rank with insignia embroidered onto the lower sleeves of the uniform rather than utilizing shoulderboards. Shoulderboards are however worn on uniforms such as the Sommerdienstanzug or weiße Sommerdienstanzug. On the enlisted personnel the rank insignia is usually sewn halfway upon the middy sleeve.

The Bundesmarine maintains its own Kampfanzug referred to as Bordgefechtsanzug or Board Battle Uniform. This uniform consists of a dark blue zipper jacket, a light blue shirt and dark blue trousers with leg pockets. The uniform is made of fire retardant aramid materials for better protecting the wearer from fires. Specialized board shoes and headgear are authorized for wear with the Bordgefechtsanzug. For cold weather operations there is a dark blue parka authorized for wear. For use during wet weather there is an orange wetsuit authorized for wear as well as specialized cold protective clothing. Soldier of the U-boat service also maintain their own specialized protective clothing.

Gefreiter Panzeraufklärungstruppe Uniform - Federal Republic of Germany

The uniform displayed above is the Bundeswehr designated Grunduniform for the Heer. It bears the golden yellow waffenfarbe branch of service designation for the Panzeraufklärungstruppe or Armored Reconnaissance Corps.As with all Heer uniforms it consists of a dark grey stone colored service tunic and a pair of black trousers. All service dress uniforms are worn with a black belt with a ceremonial buckle (not shown) on the front bearing the federal eagle or Bundesadler.

The belt consisting of a Koppelschloss (buckle) und Hosengurtel (belt) is very similar in design and appearance to belts worn by soldiers of the German Wehrmacht throughout Second World War. The German logo and Eagle was retained, instead using the Imperial style Prussian heraldry eagle rather than the outlawed Nazi Eagle & swastika and instead of Gott Mit Uns (God's With Us) which was also associated with the previous regime it has been replaced with the motto of the Bundeswehr taken from the German National Anthem "Einigkeit, Recht, Freiheit", or "Unity, Justice, Freedom".

Again the black service trousers are worn with the service dress uniform.

The shoulder epaulettes of the service tunic are bordered with the yellow gold coloring known as waffenfarbe for the Panzeraufklärungstruppe or Armored Reconnaissance Corps. It bears no rank insignia so the soldier wearing this uniform would be designated the title of Schütze or Rifleman. The lack of rank in the enlisted corps generally denotes a limited time soldier or a soldier serving his national service commitment.

The Heer collar bars rest against the yellow gold backing of the Panzeraufklärungstruppe  waffenfarbe.

On the right side of the tunic is the Schützenschnur in Gold award. The award was first reinstated in its existing form in 196h. The presentation of the award is based on one of three grades reflecting the soldiers competency in marksmanship. The award is a matt aluminum colored design which is worn by both Heer & Luftwaffe personnel with the federal eagle over oak leaves.

The patch on the left shoulder of the service tunic is the patch insignia of the Heer 6 Panzergrenadierdivision or 6th Mechanized Infantry Division stationed in Neumünster in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The unit insignia depicts a white nettle leaf against a red background with a yellow shield and two blue heraldry lions. The white nettle leaf on the red background is the family crest of the Counts of Schaumberg that was adopted as the coat of arms for Schleswig-Holstein. The blue lions on a yellow shield associate the region of Schleswig-Holstein's ties to the German emperor and a Danish fief. The coat of arms belonged to Adolf of Schaumberg and his lion coat of arms replaced the coat of arms of Denmark on the crest of Schleswig-Holstein. The white and black braiding along the border of the patch signifies the unit status of being a division.

A white border signifies the first brigade, with the 16th and 17th brigades using a red border and the 18th Brigade of the Division utilizing a yellow border.

Soldiers assigned to the Heer's Panzeraufklärungstruppe would wear either a visor cap with yellow gold waffenfarbe piping or a black beret complete with the Panzeraufklärungstruppe  beret crest depicting a wheeled armored reconnaissance vehicle surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves against two crossed cavalry lances alluding to the reconnaissance troops ties to scout cavalry units.

The Panzeraufklärungstruppe of the modern Bundeswehr is deeply tied to tradition related to the mounted cavalry force. The Panzeraufklärungstruppe worked alongside the forces of the Panzertruppe serving as armored scouts advancing ahead of the main armored force to locate and monitor enemy positions before reporting back to advancing maneuver forces for engagements. The main weapon of the Panzeraufklärungstruppe was the eight wheeled Luchs armored scout car during the Cold War. The vehicle armed with a 20mm cannon for light reconnaissance and for heavier engagements the Panzeraufklärungstruppe employed the Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

Fighting Vehicles of the Cold War Panzeraufklärungstruppe:

Spähpanzer Luchs

Type: Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle

Country of Origin: West Germany

Introduced into Service: 1975

Specifications:

Weight: 19.5 tonnes

Length: 7.74 m

Width: 2.98 m

Height: 2.84 m

Crew: 4

Main Armament: A single 20 mm Rheinmetall MK 20 Rh 202 automatic cannon

Secondary Armament: A single 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun

Engine: DaimlerBenz OM 403A 10-cylinder 4-stroke, turbocharged. 300 HP with petrol, 390 HP with diesel

Suspension: Hydraulic all (8) wheel drive

Operational Range: 730 km

Speed: 90 km/h on roads, 10 km/h swimming in water

Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Type: Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Country of Origin: West Germany
Introduced into Service: May 1971

Specifications:

Weight: 28.5 t (31.4 short tons)
Length: 6.79 m (22 ft 3 in)
Width: 3.24 m (10 ft 8 in)
Height: 2.98 m (9 ft 9 in)
Crew: 3 (Commander, Gunner & Driver) Plus seating for six fully equipped combat soldiers in the rear hull
Armor: Welded steel, protection up to 20 mm APDS DM43 from 0 m and 25 mm APDS from 200 m (220 yd)
Main Armament: 20 mm Rheinmetall MK 20 Rh 202 automatic cannon & MILAN anti tank guided missile launcher
Secondary Armament: 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun
Engine: MTU MB 833 Ea-500 diesel engine 600 hp (441 kW)
Power/Weight: 21.1 hp/tonne
Transmission: RENK HSWL 194
Suspension: Torsion bar
Ground Clearance: 0.45 m (18 in)
Fuel Capacity: 652 L (143 imp gal)
Operational Range: 520 km
Speed: 75 km/h (47 mph)

Obergefreiter Sanitätsdiensttruppe Uniform - Federal Republic of Germany

The uniform depicted here is the service dress uniform of an Obergefreiter or Private First Class in the West German Army's Sanitätsdiensttruppe of Medical Service Corps. The uniform is the gray color of the West German Army Heer with the blue color waffenfarbe piping of the Medical Corps. The collar insignia maintains the blue backing behind Heer enlisted collar bars, and the shoulder epaulettes of the uniform have the blue identifying color along the borders.

The black dress trousers worn with the Heer service dress uniform is standard of all Army branch service uniforms.

The shoulder epaulettes are piped with the blue color of the Heer Sanitätsdiensttruppe along with the metal insignia of an Obergefreiter. The Obergefreiter rank consists of two parallel bars and is the equivalent of the grade of E-3 in the United States military. Upon progression from the initial rank of Gefreiter, soldiers in the Heer then progress to become an Obergefreiter following satisfactory performance in the grade of Gefreiter.

The patch on the left shoulder of the service tunic is the patch insignia of the Heer 6 Panzergrenadierdivision or 6th Mechanized Infantry Division stationed in Neumünster in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The unit insignia depicts a white nettle leaf against a red background with a yellow shield and two blue heraldry lions. The white nettle leaf on the red background is the family crest of the Counts of Schaumberg that was adopted as the coat of arms for Schleswig-Holstein. The blue lions on a yellow shield associate the region of Schleswig-Holstein's ties to the German emperor and a Danish fief. The coat of arms belonged to Adolf of Schaumberg and his lion coat of arms replaced the coat of arms of Denmark on the crest of Schleswig-Holstein. The white and black braiding along the border of the patch signifies the unit status of being a division.

A white border signifies the first brigade, with the 16th and 17th brigades using a red border and the 18th Brigade of the Division utilizing a yellow border.

The Sanitätsdiensttruppe initially wore a standard visor cap with blue piping along the peak of the cap designating their branch of service. As shown here with the West German national roundel insignia on the peak of the cap and the Heer military service insignia of two cross swords surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves.

The peaked cap was later replaced by a blue beret designated for wear only by Medical units. The beret is accompanied by a metal crest insignia specific to medical forces.

The Sanitätsdiensttruppe beret badge insignia consists of the staff of Aesculapius, the long standing Greek symbol of a serpent and staff associated with medicine the world over in a wreath of oak leaves and the flag of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Hauptgefreiter Heeresfliegertruppe Uniform - Federal Republic of Germany

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. 

Hauptgefreiter Panzergrenadiertruppe Uniform - Federal Republic of Germany

The uniform here is of a Hauptgefreiter or Lance Corporal of the Panzergrenadiertruppe assigned to the Panzerlehrbrigade 9. All Bundeswehr soldiers enter the 12 week basic training program with the title of Schütze 'Rifleman' or another title of significance in relation to their desired branch of service and upon graduation are promoted to the rank of Gefreiter 'Private', after three months of satisfactory federal service a Gefreiter is then promoted to the rank of Obergefreiter or Private First Class and after nine months of satisfactory federal service the Obergefreiter is then promoted to the rank of Hauptgefreiter.

The uniform is designated with the green waffenfarbe color piping of the Infanterietruppe, the German Infantry Corps which is divided into two groups: Jägertruppe/Panzergrenadiertruppe effectively 'Light Infantry Corps/Mechanized Infantry Corps'. Being an enlisted soldier, note the metal Hauptgefreiter insignia on the shoulderboards. The metal insignia are typically mounted with five to six prongs pushed through the material of the uniform epaulette and then secured on the underside of the uniform shoulderboard.

On the left shoulder is the shoulder flash patch of the Panzerlehrbrigade 9. The patch displays two crossed swords with a white "L" for Lehrbrigade (Demonstration Brigade) against a red background with an accompanying pink border. It resembles the badge of the Armored Troops School. School units technically have an 'S' for School on their patches and the 'L' designates the unit as a Lehrtruppenteil or 'Training Force' of the Panzertruppenschule or Armored Corps School. The pink border is representative of the branch of service for the Armored Troops. Each Heer branch school has patches of similar constitution using the colors of their branch of service.

Also note the cuffbands on the sleeves bearing the unit name Panzerlehrbrigade 9 embroidered in white against a black background. The cuff title Panzerlehrbrigade was authorized for the Brigade by the German President on 24 September 1987. This is a fundamental coat of arms for the unit with influences from the Prussian era in the colors of black and white. The colors black and white were the colors of the standards and the lances of the Prussian-German cavalry forces dating back to the Napoleonic Wars. These colors were retained in modern German heraldry as a symbol of the armored corps which is regarded as the successor branch to heavy cavalry.

Here is the green beret of the Infantry Corps. The moss green beret is utilized by the Infanterietruppen, Army contingents of the Wachbataillon and Panzerjäger or Anti-Armor forces. 

The beret badge depicts an oak wreath with crossed Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles, the flag of the Federal Republic of Germany and a tank. This is the badge of the Panzergrenadiertruppe. 

When the Bundeswehr was established in 1955, it's troops were divided amongst three categories of force: Eingreifkräfte or 'Intervention forces' tasked with crisis intervention and contribution to intervention forces such as NATO Response contingents, Stabilisierungskräfte 'Stabilization forces' which provide forces for multinational, joint military operations of low to medium intensity. These differentiate from intervention forces in that they are intended for peacekeeping operations of longer duration. The last class being Unterstützungskräften 'Supply forces' tasked with providing logistic and manpower support for the operations of the armed forces.

The German Army maintains several specialized units known for conducting exercises known in Germany as Informationslehrübung Gefechts und Luftfahrzeuge des Deutschen Heeres or German Army Combat Vehicle and Aircraft Demonstration Exercises in English; which showcased the capabilities of the Army's fighting vehicles and aircraft and how they operate in a combined effort jointly in various scenarios. One such unit the pride of the Heer is the Panzerlehrbrigade 9 (9th Armored Demonstration Brigade), which during the Cold War was stationed in the city of Munster, Lower Saxony in West Germany. The unit was established on 1 June 1958 with with the new Army structure of four combat companies, a headquarters and a supply company.

The unit was reorganized further in 1959 under the reorganizations of Army Structure II which added the brigade headquarters company and a the Armored Reconnaissance Training Battalion. In peacetime, the unit trains both armored forces and mechanized infantry troops and in wartime it would be mobilized into a rapid reaction force.

The Panzerlehrbrigade 9 operated a force of Leopard main battle tanks, Marder infantry fighting vehicles and M109 Paladin self propelled howitzers for leading combined arms operations under a multinational or joint forces environment under the direction of a divisional command, in mobile and or networked operations.