Luftwaffe Daggers

Luftwaffe daggers are some of the most common daggers on the collector market. This is because when adopted in 1934, all officers, NCOs and officer candidates were approved to wear them. They were also available for private purchase, which surely means many officers had multiples.

The first pattern can be found in three main construction styles. The earlier version in solid nickel which was phased out in 1937. The early version is generally the most sought after. The next version of the first pattern was produced in pot metal and silver coated/plated. These are pretty common and generally in poor condition due to base metal oxidizing. The final version was the aluminum type. Even though the second pattern came out in 1937, the later styles of the first pattern were still being made and supplied to flying personnel and officer candidates awaiting their initial commissions. This can be further verified by the existence of Factory Miniature sales kits and catalogues containing both first and second pattern daggers.

When the second model was available in 1937, it came with a solid celluloid grip and was designed to have a similar overall style as the Heer daggers. Later on, the late period versions suffered from material shortages and the solid celluloid grip was replaced with a cheaper molded plastic (some still say it's celluloid) that was now wood and plaster or just plaster filled. These later style ones always have white grips as the cheaper material did not take on the striking oxidation characteristics of the earlier versions. All second models will have aluminum pommels and cross guards. Scabbards are steel and usually have aluminum bands.