EAST GERMAN AF EM COLLAR TABS NEW
In stock
- SKU
- 19420100
- Color
- Green
- Style
- Insignia
Description
Add genuine Cold War-era militaria to your shelves with these original East German Air Force (Luftstreitkräfte der NVA) Enlisted Collar Tabs. Issued in unused condition and sold as a matched left/right pair, these tabs are the real article — pulled from East German military stocks, not a reproduction. For collectors, reenactors, surplus shoppers, and uniform restorers, that authenticity is what closes the sale.
What They Are
Collar tabs (Kragenspiegel) were worn on the dress and service tunics of the National People's Army (NVA). This pair was issued to enlisted personnel of the East German Air Force, identifiable by the distinctive sky-blue branch color and the small metal "flying gull" wing insignia — the traditional symbol of German air services dating back to early 20th-century aviation tradition.
Who Buys Them
- Militaria collectors rounding out NVA, DDR, or Cold War uniform displays
- Reenactors and living-history groups portraying Warsaw Pact units
- Uniform restorers and tailors sourcing correct period insignia for tunic projects
- Surplus and curio shoppers drawn to authentic, affordable European military items
- Fashion-forward vintage buyers using genuine military patches and tabs as accents on jackets, caps, and bags
Construction & Details
- Sold as a matched pair (left and right collar)
- Sky-blue wool face — the official Luftstreitkräfte branch color
- Affixed metal "Schwinge" (gull-wing) device in a silver-tone finish for enlisted ranks
- Trapezoidal NVA pattern, sized to sew onto a standard service tunic collar
- New, unissued original surplus stock — not a reproduction
- Made in the former German Democratic Republic (DDR / East Germany)
Why It Sells
Authentic DDR insignia gets harder to source every year, and original air force tabs in unissued condition are a fast-moving impulse buy at the counter. They display well in a small case or on a card, ship cheaply, carry strong margin, and pair naturally with NVA visor caps, tunics, belts, and badges already in your surplus mix.
