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Unread 03-29-2008, 03:33 PM   #6
George Anderson
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Goertz and Wacker indicate markings for Flieger Bataillone as 1.F.1.4. The first numeral is the battalion number and may be from 1 thru 4. They indicate Luftschiffer Batalione as 1.L.1.4. As with the Fliegers the first numeral is the battalion and in the case of Luftschiffer they run 1 thru 5.

I am inclined to believe that the Luftschiffer units referred to are captured balloons rather than Zepplins as the first Battalion was organized in 1884 and the last in 1913.

The authors go on to list T,O&E for all types of units within the Imperial German army in 1914. P08's are the only pistols indicated but make up a very minor part of personal weapons allocated. For instance within a Flieger unit only three P08's were issued versus 83 k98's. The pistols went to the Feldwebel, Sanitaetsunteroffizier and the Werkmeister, one each. In Luftschiffer units the ratio is a bit better for P08's at about two K98 to one P08. Most of the P08's went to drivers (not pilots) the rest to corporals, senior NCO, medic and colorbearer.

I think that the arming of aircraft with LP08's, while real, is all anecdotal. I have a copy of a photo of an observer or pilot in his airplane with an LP08 and an acquaintance knows of a P08 that is marked to a specific Zepplin officer. The latter is in all liklihood the officer's private purchase sidearm.

As many flying officers early in the war were actually observers with NCO's piloting and these observers were typically drawn from the most relevant branches (cavalry and artillery) I think they just brought the weapon of choice with them.
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