Corps colours, or troop-function colours (
ge: ''
Waffenfarben'') were worn in the German ''
Luftwaffe
The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
'' 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.
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 suit
A flight suit is a full-body garment, worn while flying aircraft such as military airplanes, Glider (aircraft), gliders and helicopters. These suits are generally made to keep the wearer warm, as well as being practical (plenty of pockets), and ...
s 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.
Exceptions & special cases
Special regulations applied to corps colours of units, services, and special troops, attached permanently to the ground services of the ''Heer''.
* Division "''Hermann Göring''": ''Kragenspiegel'' and shoulder strap piping (''Schulterklappenvorstoß'') "white", collar patches´ piping (Kragenspiegelvorsto''ß'') in corps colours:
** White (with black border line): infantry,
** Scarlet: artillery and anti-aircraft defence (''Flugabwehr'')
** Golden-brown: communications
** Black: engineer
** Rose-pink: armour, antitank (''Panzerjäger'') and armoured reconnaissance (''Panzeraufklärer'').
* Air Force divisions: Collar patch main colour: green piping to collar patches and shoulder straps in corps colours:
** Yellow: cyclists (''Radfahrer'') and reconnaissance (''Aufklärer''),
** Rose-pink: antitank troops (''Panzerjäger'')
** Scarlet: artillery and anti aircraft defence (''Flugabwehr'')
** Bright-blue: Supply (''Nachschubtruppe'') and Administration (''Verwaltungstruppe'')
** Golden-brown: communications
See also
*
Corps colour
*
Corps colours (''Waffen-SS'')
*
Corps colours of the German Army (1935–1945)
*
Ranks and insignia of the German Army (1935–1945)
*
Ranks and insignia of the ''Luftwaffe'' (1935–1945)
References
*
Glossary of German military terms
* Adolf Schlicht, John R. Angolia: ''Die deutsche Wehrmacht, Uniformierung und Ausrüstung 1933-1945''
Vol. 1: ''Das Heer'' (), Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1992
Vol. 3: ''Die Luftwaffe'' (), Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1999 (Very detailed information and discussion but no coloured images)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corps colours of the German Luftwaffe (1935-1945)
German military uniforms
Military insignia