Imperial German/Prussian Pilot Badge – C.E. Juncker. Berlin- (wartime die)

Condition: Excellent
Maker: C.E. Juncker

Weight: 31.38Grams
Height: 69mm
Width: 43mm

Hello, at first I thought this was a post-war badge but it clearly is not. the die-stamping tool used to produce awards from 1913 up to 1918 has the same characteristics as the badge I have, you can see the dent in the side at the top of the crown. (Look at photos.) In the book Flight Badges of the Central Powers 1914 – 1921 Volume 1 by author CDR. Robert S. Pandis, USNR (Ret) reference pages 36, 37, 39, 40, 42. 44-47.

This badge is well marked with “C.E. Junker Berlin” with the crescent moon which means it has silver content. The detail is very good but the alloy strike has some pitting in the background sky. (This is NOT a casting bubble) The badge has been put on an XRF analyzer and has been tested to be 50% silver – 50% other metals. I think there is a repair to reattach the catch. in the close-up of the catch, you can see file marks underneath the solder. I suspect the old solder was filed down and catch re-soldered, also here’s an observation I made, every copy currently on the market, on eBay or off Google, does not have the same hinge/pin as this one. this is an imperial Germany-type hinge/pin, 1900s to 1930s

The Imperial Prussian military instituted a number of flying awards and badges prior to 1918, to recognize the skills and achievements of pilots and aircrew before and during the First World War. The Prussian Army Pilot’s Badge was officially instituted by the King of Prussia and Emperor of the German Empire Wilhelm II on January 27, 1913, as a qualification badge. The criteria for the award of this badge evolved during WWI, making it more of an award; pilots were expected to have completed some actual combat flying. In addition to the Pilot’s Badge, an Observer’s Badge was also instituted; in January 1918, an Air Gunner’s Badge was also instituted. There was also a Commemorative Flyer’s Badge, which commemorated service with the German Army air service. At some point in WWI, the issue of these badges ceased, and aircrew members who met the qualifications for wearing the badge were simply given paper certificates; they had to purchase their own badges. Perhaps for this reason, various private purchase styles of these badges are generally more common than the stamped metal issue types. Wear of these badges continued after WWI by those men who had earned them.