Italian Pilot's Badge

[Chris Goss]

The photo of Hahn was taken late BofB but before mid-Nov 40 so he would have had plenty of time to interact with his Italian counterparts. I also have a photo of Hogeback who also sports the same badge-didn't Marseille also have the 2?

[fran]

Hello,
The Italian Pilot Badge its nothing to wear as a gift like a staffelnadel or so. It was formally awarded by the Italian Air
Ministery 'Ad Honorem' to foreign pilots.
Here are one of such documents awarded to a german hauptmann. Sorry I can't disclose the name because the item isn't mine.
Regards

[Csaba B. Stenge]

Significant number of Hungarian pilots wore that badge (the first one) as well and not just the ones, who were trained in Italy before the war started. So I guess, it was not so rare at the Luftwaffe as well. BTW my Hungarian aces book contains the foreign pilot badges as well (some Hungarian aces wore the Italian, or Bulgarian or Croat pilot badges too) I have some nice pictures about Hungarian pilots with foreign pilot badges as well.

[Csaba B. Stenge]

Originally Posted by fran

Hello,
The Italian Pilot Badge its nothing to wear as a gift like a staffelnadel or so. It was formally awarded by the Italian Air
Ministery 'Ad Honorem' to foreign pilots.
Here are one of such documents awarded to a german hauptmann. Sorry I can't disclose the name because the item isn't mine.
Regards

Nice document, fran, I have official docu copies to Hungarian pilots too (who were trained in Italy)

[fran]

Hello,
Here you are a italian pilot volunter in the Spanish Civil War (note the spanish Foreign Legion embroided badge)
so the photo is obviously taken before before 8th Sept 1943 and he's wearing the wings without the crown.
What's the explanation? I was told that pilots members of the 'Black Shirts' militia broke off the crown as a rupture gesture
with the monarchy.
Regards
Fran

Originally Posted by JG53_Volto

Look at the pictures

The first is the pilot's Badge of Regia Aeronautica (before 8th Sept 1943);
the second is the badge of Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana,without crown 'cause Repubblica di Salò was a "Republic" and not a monarchy.The 3rd shows the badge of the pilots of South Italy,flying with the Allies, with the English crown (and without fasci evidently).
Regards
Alessandro