Germany, Luftwaffe. A Flight Personnel/Paratrooper Major’s Tunic for a Crete Veteran

(Luftwaffe Waffenrock für Major der Fliegertruppe/Fallschirmtruppe). A very well-preserved Luftwaffe Flight Personnel/Paratrooper Major’s tunic, constructed of dark grey whipcord wool. It features a turned-down collar, trimmed along the outer edge with twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire piping, transitioning into double breast lapels. The collar is flanked on each side by tabs constructed of golden-yellow wool, trimmed with twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire piping, and bearing a single hand-embroidered gull within an oval oak leaf wreath, similarly of silver aluminum wire composition. Each tab measures 45 mm (w) x 60 mm (l) overall. The shoulders are each adorned with boards constructed of golden-yellow wool with card stock cores and bearing four bands of interwoven silver aluminum wire piping. Measuring 40 mm (w) x 110 mm (l) overall, the boards are secured in place with machine stitching at the outer edge and with pebbled magnetic metal buttons on the inner edge. Stitched onto the left cuff is a Crete campaign cuff title, constructed of a white cotton-blended base and bearing a central machine-embroidered golden-yellow inscription of “KRETA” flanked by palmettes of identical construction, in turn trimmed with golden-yellow piping. The cuff title measures 35 mm in width. Each breast flap has two pockets, all opening with scalloped horizontal flaps with reinforced buttonholes meeting pebbled magnetic metal buttons. Stitched onto the tunic just above the upper right pocket is an insignia consisting of a dark grey wool backer bearing a hand-embroidered Luftwaffe eagle clutching a mobile swastika, measuring 95 mm (w) x 55 mm (h) overall. Set into the tunic around the upper left pocket are threaded loops for the attachment of badges and ribbon bars. It closes with four pebbled magnetic metal buttons on the right flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left flap. Looped through the top buttonholes are ribbons for a 1939 Iron Cross II Class and Eastern Front Medal, secured in place at both ends with hand stitching. Also affixed to the tunic with the right shoulder board and top button is an Officer’s aiguillette constructed of multiple rows of twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire, completing at each end in a decorative silvered zink fixture. The interior is fully encompassed by a high-quality multi-piece rayon liner, which features dual breast pockets. Unmarked, the tunic measures approximately 510 mm across the shoulders, with an arm length of 540 mm, and an overall body length of 790 mm. The top right pocket button has been replaced, and there is minor soiling and material fatigue evident to the exterior wool and aiguillette, respectively. The tunic is in an overall extremely fine condition.