English: Items from Wehrmacht Luftwaffe, the Air Force of Nazi Germany, on display in the World War II exhibition at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton, Ohio. Photo taken by Logan Rickert in January 2022, originally published on Flickr.

• LUFTWAFFE – DEFENSE OF THE REICH – see WWII Luftwaffe Aircrews

By the fall of 1944, Luftwaffe (German Air Force) pilots faced the impossible task of defending Germany against the huge, escorted bomber formations of the USAAF by day and the Royal Air Force by night. By this time, many of its best fighter aces had been killed and replaced with inexperienced, poorly trained pilots.

• • German Fighter Pilot; The mannequin on the left wears typical flight gear for a Luftwaffe fighter pilot in late 1944. Of particular interest are the white plastic zippers on the inseam of his flying trousers (or "Channel pants"). Increasing shortages of materiel caused by Allied bombing forced clothing manufacturers to replace metal with plastic.
  • Luftwaffe seat parachute used by fighter pilots.
  • War trophy taken from a downed British bomber and used by a German night fighter unit to record their aircraft "kills".
  • Sterling silver goblet awarded by Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering to Lt H. Roeber on October 10, 1942 for 10 aerial victories.
  • German Fighter Pilot Service Dress; The right mannequin represents the service dress for a Luftwaffe fighter pilot with the rank of Hauptmann (or captain). The "day fighter clasp" above the left breast pocket identifies him as a fighter pilot. On his left breast pocket is a pilot's badge (an eagle over a laurel wreath), an Iron Cross First Class, and a black wound badge.
  • Luftwaffe Officer's tropical service cap typically worn by Luftwaffe pilots in the Mediterranean Theater.
  • Enlisted Luftwaffe personnel wore woolen eagles on their right breast like the one displayed here. Officers wore eagles made of aluminum bouillon like the one on the mannequin.

For further information, see uniforms and rank insignia of the Luftwaffe (1935–1945) at English Wikipedia