(Flugzeugführerabzeichen). Constructed of silver, consisting of a finely-detailed oval laurel and oak wreath tied together at the bottom by a bowtie-style ribbon, the obverse with a central monoplane flying over a rural landscape, topped by a German State Crown, the reverse with a barrel hinge and vertical pinback meeting a flat wire catch, the pinback with a silver purity mark of “800”, with a plate inscribed “Richard Drekmann s/l. Bruder Heinz. 5. April 1918.”, measuring 44.54 mm (w) x 71.13 mm (h), weighing 18.6 grams, in extremely fine condition.
Footnote: Heinrich “Heinz” Drekmann was born on 5 April 1896 in the Hamburg borough of Harburg. Drekmann scored his first kill on 17 August 1917 while part of Jagdstaffel 26, later transferring to Jagdstaffel 4, where he scored a further ten victories and attained the rank of Leutnant. Throughout the war he flew a Pfalz D. III biplane, and scored his eleventh and final kill on 30 July 1918. He was killed in action the same day over Grand Rozoy, France. Drekmann’s family had a significant presence in the Deutsche Luftstreitskräfte (German Air Force) during the war; his brother, Hanns, was killed in action in October 1915 while serving with a Feldflieger Abteilung (Field Flier Company). Another brother, Leutnant Richard Drekmann, served as an observer and commissioned this award for the late Heinz.