Germany, Luftwaffe. A Flight Personnel Oberst’s Summer Tunic

(Luftwaffe Sommerdienstrock). A well-preserved Luftwaffe Flight Personnel summer tunic issued to a decorated Oberst, constructed of a white cotton-blended cloth. It features a turned-down collar which transitions to double breast lapels, and which is flanked on each side by tabs. The latter are constructed of golden-yellow wool with buckram cores, trimmed with twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire piping, topped by three silver aluminum wire gulls situated within an oval oak leaf wreath, and measure 45 mm (w) x 60 mm (l) overall. The shoulders are flanked by boards constructed of golden-yellow wool with card stock cores, topped by four bands of interwoven silver aluminum wire piping, and pinned with two gilded zink pips. Each measuring 40 mm (w) x 105 mm (l), the boards are secured in place with machine stitching at the outer edges and with pebbled aluminum buttons on the inner edges. Four pleated pockets are distributed across the breasts, all closing with horizontal flaps perforated with reinforced buttonholes, in turn meeting pebbled aluminum buttons. Three threaded loops set into the tunic just above the top right pocket formerly accommodated a metal eagle insignia, while two additional loops allow for the addition of a decoration with a vertical pinback (most likely a German Cross or Spanish Cross). Four additional sets of dual loops are distributed across the upper left pocket for the addition of further decorations, while horizontal loops above the same pocket previously retained a ribbon bar. The tunic closes with four pebbled aluminum buttons on the right breast meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left breast. Notably, all buttons on the tunic are maker marked on the reverse with the logo of F.W. Assmann & Söhne, with dates for manufacture years 1937 and 1938, indicating late pre-war construction. The interior is plain and fully unmarked. It measures approximately 43 cm across the shoulders, with an arm length of 56 cm, and an overall body length of 66 cm. Minor issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include minor soiling throughout the exterior, with additional signs of fatigue to the material at the seams and high-contact points. This field-worn tunic issued to an evidently highly-decorated Officer remains in an overall better than very fine condition.