By Jacques Calero and Sebastian Bianchi

The Air Radio Operator & Air Gunner badge was instituted on January 19, 1935 and dedicated at first (before the institution of the gunner badge) to radio and gunner qualified personnel.  Personnel had to success the training course and to participate  at least at 5 operational flights.

Mark Miller Collection

Manufacturing and Technical Information

The badge was oval shaped and slightly vaulted surrounded by a silvered wreath composed of laurel and oak leaves with a swastika on the base. On the precocious models, the swastika upper branch is cut out. The old silver oxidized eagle is fixed to the wreath by two small round rivets.  The eagle clutched in its claws two crossed lighting bolts which could, depending the manufacture, be more or less detailed and cut out or not.

The employed metal varied all along the war from aluminum and tombak, to a silver-nickel called ‘’Neusilber’’, zinc, and pot metal.

Though initially a cloth version was not authorized, one was later introduced and was found in both bullion and silver wire embroidery.  

The following maker’s list is not exhaustive and the sizes are only representative of badges observed.

Maker Mark Metal Dimensions
Eagle
(in mm)
Wreath
(in mm)
Weight 
(in Grams)
ASSMANN LÜDENSCHEID A Tombak 41.2 53.4 x 43.5 40.6
ASSMANN LÜDENSCHEID A Neusilber 40.4 53.2 x 42.8 38.2
ASSMANN LÜDENSCHEID A Zinc 41.1 53.0 x 41.7 25.4
JUNKER
BERLIN

C.E.JUNCKER
BERLIN S.W.

Neusilber 40.9 52.4 x 41.2 24.4
JUNKER
BERLIN
C.E.JUNCKER
BERLIN S.W.
Tombak 41.8 52.3 x 41.2 23.6
JUNKER
BERLIN
C.E.JUNCKER
BERLIN S.W.
Tombak 41.8 52.7 x 40.9 30.3
JUNKER
BERLIN

C.E.JUNCKER
BERLIN S.W.

Silver 800   52.0 x 41.2 24.15
JMME JMME & SOHN
BERLIN
Tombak      
JMME

JMME

Neusilber 41.8 52.8 x 40.3 39.5
DEUME R W. DEUME R
LÜDENSCHEID
Tombak      
DEUME R

W. DEUMER
LÜDENSCHEID

Zinc 42.5 53.5 x 41.0 27.5
BERG & NOLTE
LÜDENSCHEID
B & N
L
Tombak      
BERG & NOLTE
LÜDENSCHEID

B & N
L

Zinc 43.1 52.9 x 41.1 30.5

BRÜDER SCHNEIDER
WIEN

B   S
W
Tombak      
UNMARKED   Zinc 43.3 53.6 x 41.8  

 

Presentation, Wear, Documents  

The badge was presented in a dark blue box of which several variants exist, with velvet, cloth or flocage lid. The letters on the top are always golden.

A certificate was presented to all personnel who received the badge which was worn, as with most war badges, on the lower left breast, below the Iron Cross.

Award Criteria

As implied by the title, the badge was presented to Air Gunners and Radio Operators and mechanics who completed two months training or five missions.  The criteria was shortened if the soldier received a wound in action.

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