Germany, Luftwaffe. The Tunic And Awards Of Bomber Ace Leutnant Alfred Sticht

(Luftwaffe Besitz). This is a fine quality uniform and award grouping credited to Luftwaffe bomber ace Alfred Sticht, who served with distinction as part of Kampfgeschwader 53 on both the Eastern and Western Fronts of World War II. The group consists of:

1. Sticht’s tunic constructed of dark grey whipcord wool. It features an integrated collar transitioning into a double-breasted lapel, with twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire piping fully trimming the collar. It is flanked on each side by tabs, both constructed of golden-yellow wool, trimmed with twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire piping, and bearing a hand-embroidered silver aluminum wire gull above an oak leaf wreath. Both tabs measure 40 mm (w) x 60 mm (l). Each shoulder features a board constructed of cardboard-reinforced golden-yellow wool, bearing four bands of silver aluminum wire piping. The boards are secured in place by machine stitching at the outer edge and by a pebbled magnetic metal button on the inner edge. Stitched onto the right arm just above the cuff is a postwar veteran added cuff Condor Legion cuff title, constructed of woven dark blue rayon and bearing a machine-embroidered white inscription of “LEGION CONDOR” in Fraktur script. The cuffs of each sleeve are rolled up to a depth of 130 mm and are held in place by a piece of machine stitching. Each breast flap bears four pockets, all opening with reinforced horizontal flaps with reinforced buttonholes meeting pebbled magnetic metal buttons. Stitched onto the tunic above the upper right breast pocket is an insignia in the form of a dark grey wool backer bearing a hand-embroidered silver aluminum wire Luftwaffe eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika. The eagle insignia measures 95 mm (w) x 55 mm (h). The same pocket features two vertically-arranged threaded loops, with two additional sets of vertically-arranged loops over the upper left pocket, as well as two sets of horizontally-arranged loops above the same pocket, for the accommodation of a variety of decorations with vertical and horizontal pinbacks. The upper left pocket is also perforated with circular hole for the inclusion of a decoration with a backplate attachment. Stitched onto the tunic over the lower portion of the tunic is a Luftwaffe C-Class Glider Pilot’s Badge, constructed of dark grey wool, with the obverse bearing three hand-embroidered silver aluminum wire gulls within a circular wreath of identical construction. It measures 42 mm in total diameter. The tunic is closed with three pebbled magnetic metal buttons on the right flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttons on the left flap. The left flap also features an additional button and buttonholes through which is looped a 1939 Iron Cross II Class ribbon. The interior features a complete rayon liner, which presents in a dark grey throughout the torso, transitioning into a pinstripe design through the arms. It features an integral belt, with dual rayon straps emanating from the breast flaps and completing in polished magnetic metal buckles. There is a single interior pocket located at the upper left breast flap, with a small reinforced horizontal slit underneath this pocket for the accommodation of a dress dagger. It retains an original maker’s label reading “SCHUNK U. SCHMAUS, FÜRTH”. The tunic measures approximately 450 mm across the shoulders, with an arm length of 610 mm and an overall body length of 700 mm. Issues consistent with age and use are evident, and include some soiling and material fatigue of the exterior wool, evidence of removal and reattachment of the collar and shoulder insignia (with modification of the insignia displayed on the former), repair to the left sleeve near the armpit as well as the seam of the back, and patchwork repair to the interior armpits. The tunic is in an overall very fine condition.

2. A German Cross in Gold, constructed of silver and patinated tombak with gilt and enamels, the obverse consisting of a double-overlaid eight-pointed radiant star burst, with a central silvered disc bearing a raised black enameled swastika, within a stamped gilt laurel leaf wreath wrapped with ribbon and joined together at the bottom by an institution date of “1941”, with red enameled rings trimming the wreath along both the inner and outer edges, the reverse with four visible rivets securing the obverse features in place, with a barrel hinge and tapering, flattened vertical pinback meeting a rounded catch, the pinback maker marked with Präsidialkanzlei code “20” for C.F. Zimmermann, Pforzheim, measuring 63.16 mm (w) x 63.15 mm (h), weighing 44.2 grams, with minor oxidation evident, in overall extremely fine condition.

3. A Pilot’s Badge, constructed of tombak and nickel-silver, consisting of an oval laurel and oak leaf wreath, joined together at the bottom by ribbon, overlaid by a swooping Luftwaffe eagle clutching a mobile swastika, the reverse with two visible rivets securing the obverse eagle in place, maker marked with the logo of Berg & Nolte, Lüdenscheid, measuring 61.75 mm (w) x 53.38 mm (h), weighing 45.8 grams, with minor loss of finish evident, in extremely fine condition.

4. A Bomber Pilot’s Front Flying Clasp, Gold Grade, constructed of gilded zink, the obverse consisting of a circular laurel leaf wreath, joined together at the bottom by a swastika, around a downward-pointing winged bomb, flanked on each side by nine oak leaves, the reverse with a central rivet securing the obverse bomb in place, with a barrel hinge and tapering horizontal pinback meeting a round wire catch, unmarked, measuring 75.98 mm (w) x 25.45 mm (h), weighing 17.8 grams, with minor loss of finish evident, in near extremely fine condition.

5. A 1939 Iron Cross I Class, constructed of iron and silver, consisting of a Cross Pattée with a blackened magnetic iron core within a ribbed silver frame, the obverse with a central mobile swastika, the six o’clock arm with a reinstitution date of “1939”, the reverse with a central threaded lug and backplate, the twelve o’clock arm with a stabilizing pin, maker marked with LDO code “L/18” for B.H. Mayer, Pforzheim, measuring 44.31 mm (w) x 44.30 mm (h), weighing 20.0 grams, with an age-appropriate patina throughout, in overall near extremely fine condition.

6. A DRL Sports Badge, Bronze Grade, constructed of bronze, the obverse consisting of an oval oak leaf wreath, joined together at the bottom by ribbon overlaid by a mobile swastika, around stylized initials “DRL” on a hollow background, the reverse with a barrel hinge and flattened vertical pinback meeting a flattened catch, maker marked “HENSLER, PFORZHEIM”, measuring 39.30 mm (w) x 48.38 mm (h), weighing 16.9 grams, in near extremely fine condition.

7. A ribbon bar featuring three decorations, including a Wehrmacht Long Service Medal with a first-pattern Luftwaffe device, an Anschluss Medal, and a Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar, set on a 45 mm-long zink bar with a horizontal pinback, unmarked, with slight bending to the zink core, in overall better than very fine condition.

Footnote: Alfred Sticht was born on 28 May 1914, and entered Wehrmacht service on 4 April 1934, receiving ideological schooling and weapons training through the end of the year. By 1937, he transferred to Luftwaffe service, and received flight training over the summer of that year. Sticht eventually served with Kampfgeschwader 53 (KG 53), nicknamed the “Condor Legion”, a Luftwaffe bomber wing with exceptional longevity, seeing action in all theatres of the European war from 1939 until 1945. For much of the war, he was an observer aboard a Heinkel He 111 bomber, where he notably flew 28 bombing runs over France in the spring of 1940, 52 runs over England during the Battle of Britain, and 82 runs over the Soviet Union, winning an array of decorations for his service. He ended the war as a flight instructor at a Luftwaffe technical school.