Corps colours of the Luftwaffe (1935–1945)

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Luftwaffe colonel of the general staff, 1941/1942 Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1970-016-17, Heinz Trettner.jpg
Luftwaffe colonel of the general staff, 1941/1942

Corps colours, or troop-function colours (ge: Waffenfarben ) were worn in the German Luftwaffe from 1935 until 1945, in order to distinguish between several branches, special services, corps, rank groups, and appointments of the ministerial area, the general staff, and the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW). The corps colours were part of the uniform piping, gorget patches, shoulder straps, arabesque and lampasse ornaments of general and flag officers. They were also part of heraldic flags, colours, standards, and guidons.

Contents

In the Luftwaffe, there was a strictly defined system of corps colours for collar patches, piping, and coloured edging around the shoulder boards or straps. The chevrons on special clothes for Luftwaffe personnel, e.g. flight suits and jumpsuits, also showed corps colours.

Colours and examples

The table below contains some corps colours and examples used by the Luftwaffe from 1935-45.

Troops, unit, appointmentCorps colourExampleRemark
White (Weiß) WMacht Lw OF9 GenOberst h 1945.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs Generaloberst 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman Generaloberst 3D.svg Generaloberst
Spod 2pszw.png Lampasses (uniform trousers, breeches)
White
(close patch)		 Luftwaffe collar tabs Unterfeldwebel 3D.svg Unterwachtmeister
Deep-red
(piping)
  • Anti-aircraft troops
  • Air force artillery
Deep-red (Tiefrot) Luftwaffe collar tabs Feldwebel 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman Feldwebel 3D.svg Lw Fahne Flak Artillerie VR.svg
Officers in general staff service (Generalstabsoffiziere)Carmine (Karmesin) Luftwaffe collar tabs Oberst 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman Oberst 3D.svg Oberst i.G. (colonel in general staff service)
Gold-yellow (Goldgelb)Lampasses (uniform trousers, breeches)
Military judicial service (Militärgerichtsbarkeit)Purple (Purpur) Luftwaffe collar tabs Hauptmann 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman Hauptmann 3D.svg Stabsrichter
Field chaplains Purple
(#C154C1)		 Wehrmacht Lw Militargeistlicher 1945collar.jpg
Aviator engineer(ing) service (Fliegeringenieurdienst)Pink (Rosa)From Generalleutnant (engineer) OF7 to Leutnant (engineer) OF1a
Gold-yellow (Goldgelb) Luftwaffe collar tabs Oberfeldwebel 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman Oberfeldwebel 3D.svg Fliegende Einheiten Abteilung Luftwaffe.svg
  • Radar units
  • Air traffic control
Bright-green (Hellgrün) Luftwaffe collar tabs Hauptgefreiter 3D.svg Luftwaffe - Hauptgefreiter.svg Hauptgefreiter
Luftwaffe Field Divisions (prior to changing to white under Heer control in 1944)Hunter-green (Jägergrün) Lw Fahne Fallschirmjager VR.svg Troops standard
Universally used by the Militärverwaltung of the LuftwaffeDark-green (#00703E)Main colour of the uniform gorget and collar patches' backgraund
  • Transport units (Transporteinheiten)
  • Air force reserve (Luftwaffenreserve)
Light-blue (Hellblau)
Air force medical corps (Sanitätstruppe)Blue (Blau) Luftwaffe collar tabs Stabsgefreiter 3D.svg Luftwaffe - Stabsgefreiter.svg Stabsgefreiter
Air communications corps (Luftnachrichtentruppe)Saddle brown (Braun) Luftwaffe collar tabs Major 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman Major 3D.svg Lw Fahne Nachrichteneinheiten VR.svg
  • Major
  • Corps standard communications battalion
Black (Schwarz)N/A Luftwaffe paraman Stabsfeldwebel 3D.svg Stabsfeldwebel

Exceptions & special cases

Special regulations applied to corps colours of units, services, and special troops, attached permanently to the ground services of the Heer.

See also

References

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