Luftwaffe Flak Crewmen:

Luftwaffe Flak ‘EM’ in Shirt Sleeves:

Just to show how a troop may look with his jacket off, and because we spend 75% of our time at Photo - shoots fooling around and just winging it, (that’s why some of them are not exactly as they were intended, and the uniforms represented something different to each of us involved-in example, we all have ideas, but the uniform doesn’t fit, or we forgot something, etc).

Not to worry though, all good, here we see a Luftwaffe Flak-Trooper, broken down on the side of the road giving us an example of how the trousers were worn naval high back in the day, and a gook took at the blue shirt, rarely seen in photos. The shoulder boards were applied to the shirts when the jacket was not being worn much, and one of the reasons they were made removable.

Enlisted Man, Regiment 5, Fligerjake:

Unterfeldwebel u. Kanonier I. Abteilung /Flak-Regiment 5 (motorized):

The Luftwaffe Flakkorp was developed during the war to provide mobility with heavy firepower to be deployed as air defense for front-line units. Flakkorp regiments were deployed as mobile support with spearhead Panzer and motorized forces. Additionally, the Korp assets could defend river crossings as well as attack fortified positions. Flakkorp provided anti-aircraft in addition to the organic Luftwaffe flak units dedicated to Heere divisions.

The Flak Abteilung consisted of up to seventeen Batterie: 4 Schwere Batterie (heavy such as 8,8cm guns), Gemischte (3 Schwere Batterie u. 2 Leichte (20 u. 37 mm guns) Batterie ), 3 or 4 Leichte Batterie, and 3 or 4 A Schwere Batterie was equipped with four or six heavy guns (usually 8,8cm). Leichte Batterie is usually equipped with twelve to sixteen 20-mm (or nine to twelve 37-mm (1.45 inch)) guns. Often elements of the Leichte Batterie were deployed with the Schwere for close-in firepower. The Zug or platoon organic to the Batterie consisted of either two schwere or three leichte guns. I. Abteilung / Flak-Regiment 5 was formed 1 Okt. 1935 in München and used the cover designation Fahr-Abt. München as concealment during Germany’s secret military expansion.

In Mai 1940 the Abteilung was in France, supporting II. Armeekorps which was followed by deployment in Okt 1940 to Bodö, Norway then in Juni 1941 to Juli 1942 it operated in North Norway and Finland, supporting Heeres Gebirgsjäger Divisions. In mid-1942 the Abteilung transferred to Southern Russia to Stalino, in 1943 it deployed to Rostov, then in 1944 to Shmerinka, then in 1945 to Gumbinnen.

The Unterfeldwebel wears the Luftwaffe Waffenrock u. Schirmmütz für Unterführer. The regimental ‘5’, stamped in aluminum, is worn on the Schulterklappen or shoulder boards. The Kanonier, the term of rank used for the rank of private in the Flak unit, wears a Fliegerbluse with the regimental ‘5’ embroidered into the Schulterklappen which is sewn directly into the sleeve joint. All the rank insignia is tiefrot, or deep-red, Flak Waffenfarben. Both men wear the Luftwaffe flakabzeichn or Flak Badge, probably awarded during the French campaign. The Unterfeldwebel has also been awarded the Kreigsverdienst Kreuz mit Schwerten as well as the Eiserne Kreuz II. Klasse.

Unterofizier, Luftwaffe Flak Gunner, NCO, 6th Regiment:

I haven’t been able to locate the story for this uniform yet, it’s an odd one, but rest assured it is an early example as identified by the number on the boards.

Oberfeldwebel, Luftwaffe Flak Crewman, Mid to Late WWII:

One of the largest segments of the Luftwaffe was the anti-aircraft. Providing defense against air attack both on the fronts and over the Reich, flak gunners were feared by allied airmen. The Oberfeldwebel wears the standard post-1943 uniform probably as a replacement for one worn out in action.

With a rank showing probably prewar service this NCO has been awarded the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class, the War Merit Cross 2nd Class, his ribbons bar has the ‘Ost Winter’ Medal and the Sudetenland Medal, and hanging on the pocket, the Flak Battle Badge. Worn with the tunic is the standard-issue overseas cap and trousers.

He has been awarded both the War Merit Cross with Out Swords for actions that contributed to the positive outcome of a non-combat action, perhaps the fast movement of his battery at a critical time, and Iron Cross I & II Class for demonstrated leadership in combat. He has been awarded the Luftwaffe Flakabz or Anti Aircraft Combat Badge for repeated engagements. With his Fleigerbluse he wears standard M37 service trousers with a comfortable enlisted M43 field cap, and a helmet, I’ll admit having used several, like different ones in 3-4 different photo shoots, the one depicted here would imply he was operating in an anti-tank role, the wire mesh to break-up the shape, and put foliage through, bomber crews could hardly see the flak guns let alone their crews.

Flak Hauptmann, Luftwaffe Home Defence Group, 1945:

Protecting the Reich’s vital factories from the now continuous bombing raids, U.S. Air by day, and English bombers by night. Helping to clear the sky was the top priority for the Luftwaffe Anti-Aircraft (Flak Divisions). This Hauptmann has been in action in Spain and managed to get a lot of good duty over the years, staying in Germany, but the “Good Duty” situation, was quickly becoming serious, and he is right in the center of all the action, and he’s assigned to try and curb the Allied Bombing effort, and they are doing great harm to their enemies too, but they just keep coming now, day and night. He had been in the service for some time and managed to replace his original 4-pocket officer’s blouse, with one of an enlisted man’s Fliger Jacket.

Luftwaffe Gunner, Gebirgsjager / Group:

Luftwaffe Troops assigned to operations in the mountains, areas were issued Gebirgsjager uniform items. Page 13, Section G. of the Luftwaffe Soldbuch provides for issue of, Bergmutz, Windjacke, Berghose, Bergschule, Gelenkbinden (Puttees), Uberziehhandschuhe (Mittens), Scheeschuhe (Snowshoes), and Eissporne (Strap-on ice cleats for boots).

The Luftwaffe mountain uniform items were identical to those issued to the Heer Gebirgsjager but made in the Luftwaffe’s Feldblau as opposed to the Heer’s Feldgrau. In the case of the Bergmutz the Luftwaffe insignia was applied, not the Heer style. most all the rest of the clothing was Luftwaffe's general issue.

No documentation shows their training that we could find, but a few photographs show some of these rare soldiers in their Bergmutz. Current thinking is that the Luftwaffe personnel, officers, or enlisted man, that were assigned to mountainous regions, due to their military occupation such as weather reporting, or flak gun batteries, engineers, etc, would then be issued the items needed to use the equipment as needed.