WWII German Luftwaffe 2nd Model 1946 - 1947 Officer's Dagger -
The Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946.
The second pattern Luftwaffe dagger was introduced in 1937. Various officer ranks wore the dagger and there was no visible difference between them. The dagger used by the Luftwaffe prior to the model shown here was known as the
first model
The 1946-1947 style daggers were produced after the war. People that worked at the factories used left over
parts to make them to sell to the GI's. This was one way a person could make a living in post-war Germany.
As parts ran out repalecements were produced.
The design of the dagger consisted of a ball type pommel with leaf type ornamentation on the sides and the swastika
displayed on the face. The swastika was guilded but in many examples the coloration wears off and leaves it
silver colored.
A swirl type celluloid handle with silver wire wrapping. The cross guard is in the shape of a flying Luftwaffe
eagle clutching a swastika. The scabbard is of black leather construction and has the word "Germany"
stamped on the side. The fittings are made of brass. One is applied to the tip and the other on the
throat.
The blade was of type stiletto with the main features being a double edge and a flat plain in its center.
The brand of the manufacturer would normally be placed on the blade. The example shown in this page has a
manufacturer's marking.
The grip was manufactured from celluloid and consisted of a grooved spiral design. A wire composed of three
strands was placed in the groove. The wire was aluminum and silver in appearance. The grip was available in
white, yellow or orange. If the buyer had the necessary finances, it was possible to purchase ivory grips.
The various types of grips available were strictly a matter of purchaser preference and not a symbol of rank
or status within the Luftwaffe. This dagger was produced by a very large number of manufacturers.
This page is a recognition and identification guide for German bayonets. Multiple
detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out specific
points that should be noted.
One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my German bayonet worth?".
A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the Nazi bayonets is
reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth
of the police sword in the collector's market is illustrated.
This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of
MilitaryItems.com,
a company dedicated
to the preservation of military history and to providing quality military antiques and
collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.
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The logo of the manufacturer can be found near the center of the dagger. It consists of two a cross with
the letters B & A placed in the arms. The name Solingen 1939 is written next to it.
B&A was a well known manufacturer of edge weapons after the war until the swastika was declared illegal in
1937 in Germany.
Many German edge weapons are currently
reproduced.
It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because
the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with
the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this item.
Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of
the collectible.
If you have an interest is seeing other edge weapons of the Third Reich, you can do so by going
to our
WWII German daggers and Swords
identification guide, Where we cover blades from the Heer (Army), Navy (Kriegsmarine), Air Force
(Luftwaffe) and other organizations.
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