WW1 pilots with Iron Cross and Luger Photo

George Anderson · 06-26-2004, 09:02 AM

Most German pilots in WWI transferred from other units and kept the uniform of the unit from which they transferred. In fact they may have been on some sort of TDY. In this photo you have a couple of cavalrymen and a few others that may be infantry or actual air service.

The formerly mounted officers are easily picked out by their open belt buckles. Many cavalry officers went into the air service as it seemed to befit their training as the scouting or recon arm of the service, also cavalry was on the way out and most fought dismounted.

The fellow second from the right may have been a Kurissair or heavy cavalry and I think he wears an observer's badge not pilot.

They are all Leutnants or Oberleutnants except the guy on the right, he's an NCO. It's interesting that through the second war, only the US required that all pilots be officers. The Germans and the British had alot of NCO pilots. I believe that in the RAF it wasn't strange to have an NCO pilot with officers as copilot and navigator. The pilot commanded.

06-26-2004, 09:02 AM	#10
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,531 Times in 788 Posts	Most German pilots in WWI transferred from other units and kept the uniform of the unit from which they transferred. In fact they may have been on some sort of TDY. In this photo you have a couple of cavalrymen and a few others that may be infantry or actual air service. The formerly mounted officers are easily picked out by their open belt buckles. Many cavalry officers went into the air service as it seemed to befit their training as the scouting or recon arm of the service, also cavalry was on the way out and most fought dismounted. The fellow second from the right may have been a Kurissair or heavy cavalry and I think he wears an observer's badge not pilot. They are all Leutnants or Oberleutnants except the guy on the right, he's an NCO. It's interesting that through the second war, only the US required that all pilots be officers. The Germans and the British had alot of NCO pilots. I believe that in the RAF it wasn't strange to have an NCO pilot with officers as copilot and navigator. The pilot commanded.