A Spanish Made Legion Condor Honour Plaque Of The Heavy Flak Unit "F 88"

Silvered die-stamped tombac, illustrating a map of Spain in relief, with a flak artillery gun in front, a ribbon banner inscribed "LEGION CONDOR" with an open-ended wreath between the words with the inscription "1. F.88" inside the wreath and Luftwaffe eagle above the map, a raised elongated plate below inscribed "IM KAMPF GEGEN DEN BOLSCHEWISMUS 1936 SPANIEN 1938" (In the Struggle Against Bolshevism in Spain 1936-1938), maker marked "Otto B. Löbig. CARTAGENA" along the recessed bottom edge, 165 mm x 120 mm, die holes placed in each of the bottom corners. Near mint.

Footnote: Although mention of the Condor Legion always brings its flying units to mind, in fact its largest unit was the anti-aircraft artillery group, F88, with an establishment of 1,400 men. Unlike other countries at the time, German AA artillery (Flak) formed part of the Air Force (Luftwaffe) rather than the Army (Heer).