The German leather jacket became one of the most recognizable items of clothing worn by Luftwaffe fighter pilots during the Second World War. Designed to provide warmth and protection in the cold conditions encountered at high altitudes, these jackets were typically manufactured from heavy black or dark brown horsehide or cowhide leather and featured a double-breasted front, large lapels, waist belt, and often a fleece or wool lining. The most famous model was the Luftwaffe Fliegerjacke, which was worn by pilots serving in fighter units such as Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen", Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter", and Jagdgeschwader 52. Unlike standard military uniforms, leather flight jackets were highly valued personal items and frequently became associated with experienced airmen and Jagdflieger aces. The durable construction protected pilots from wind, oil, and weather while flying aircraft such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Many fighter pilots personalized their jackets with unit insignia, rank insignia, award ribbons, and occasionally painted artwork, reflecting their combat experience and individual identity. Photographs of famous Luftwaffe aces wearing these jackets contributed to their legendary status, and they were commonly seen on recipients of prestigious decorations including the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, Eichenlaub, Schwerter, and Brillanten. As the war progressed and material shortages increased, production standards varied and alternative cloth flight garments became more common, but the leather flight jacket remained an enduring symbol of the Luftwaffe fighter pilot and continues to be one of the most iconic pieces of military aviation clothing from the Second World War.
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LEDERJACKE
After becoming the Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 50 (JG 50) in
June 1943, Hermann Graf was allowed to pick any pilots he wished for the
new unit, and he chose a three aces Alfred Grislawski, Ernst Süß, and
Heinrich Füllgrabe from his old unit - the 9. Staffel of JG 52. This
picture shows the
first "Karayaexperten" (Karaya Experts) from JG 52, but now with the new
high-altitude "Höhenjagdgeschwader" JG 50, in the defense of the Reich.
From left to right: Oberfeldwebel Heinrich Füllgrabe
(Jagdlehrer), Major Hermann
Graf (Geschwaderkommodore), Hauptmann Alfred Grislawski (Gruppenkommandeur I.
Gruppe), and Leutnant Ernst Süss (Staffelführer 1.Staffel / I.Gruppe).
Oberst Josef "Pips" Priller (1915-1961), born on 27 June
1915 in Ingolstadt and who died on 20 May 1961 in Böbing following a
heart attack, was one of the Luftwaffe’s most successful Western Front
fighter aces, credited with 101 aerial victories in 307 combat missions,
the vast majority against Supermarine Spitfires along with eleven
four-engine bombers and other Allied types. After beginning military
service in 1935 as a Fahnenjunker in Infanterie-Regiment 19 and
completing pilot training, he rose through Jagdgeschwader 51 to become
Staffelkapitän of 6. Staffel, scoring his first victories during the
Battle of France before claiming his twentieth enemy aircraft, a Hawker
Hurricane over Tunbridge Wells, on 17 October 1940 as Oberleutnant; this
achievement brought him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 19
October 1940. Transferred in November 1940 as Staffelkapitän of 1.
Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter", Priller enjoyed an intense
scoring period over the Channel in June and July 1941, reaching his
fortieth or forty-first victory around 19 July and receiving the
Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz on 20 July 1941 while still an Oberleutnant.
Appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 26
"Schlageter" in December 1941 and promoted to Hauptmann, he later became
Geschwaderkommodore of the entire Geschwader as Major in January 1943,
continuing to lead from the front while flying first the Messerschmitt
Bf 109 and later the Focke-Wulf Fw 190; on 6 June 1944 during the
Normandy invasion he and his wingman Feldwebel Heinz Wodarczyk carried
out one of the few Luftwaffe attacks of the day, a daring low-level
strafing run against Allied troops and landing craft on Sword Beach. By
the time he achieved his 100th victory, a Consolidated B-24 Liberator
bomber, he had been awarded the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
on 2 July 1944 as Oberstleutnant and Kommodore of Jagdgeschwader 26
"Schlageter". Promoted to Oberst on 1 January 1945, he led his unit in
Operation Bodenplatte before ending operational flying as Inspekteur der
Jagdflieger Ost; after the war he studied brewing and successfully
managed the Riegele brewery in Augsburg.
Oberst Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke was born on 11 March 1913 in Schrimm in the
Province of Posen and initially enlisted in the cavalry in 1934 before
transferring to the newly formed Luftwaffe as an officer candidate the
following year, completing his pilot training and serving as an
instructor at the Jagdfliegerschule Werneuchen prior to a brief tour
with the Legion Condor in Spain. Returning to Germany he joined
Jagdgeschwader 53, rising by the outbreak of war to Hauptmann and
Staffelkapitän of the 7. Staffel of III. Gruppe, scoring his first
victory over a French Potez 637 on 7 November 1939 and adding further
successes during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain, where
he was forced to bale out over the Channel on 13 August 1940 after
engine failure yet was rescued. In the opening phase of Operation
Barbarossa he claimed his twenty-fifth aerial victory and was awarded
the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 6 August 1941 as Hauptmann.
After a period of service in North Africa, Malta and Sicily from
December 1941 to May 1942, during which he added four more victories, he
returned to the Eastern Front and transferred to the Geschwaderstab of
Jagdgeschwader 3 “Udet,” becoming Kommodore of the Geschwader on 12
September 1942. Having achieved his one-hundredth victory on 6 September
he received the Eichenlaub on 9 September 1942 as Hauptmann, and on 17
December 1942, during the fighting over Stalingrad, he became the fourth
fighter pilot to reach one hundred and fifty victories. For a total of
one hundred and fifty-five confirmed aerial victories he was awarded the
Schwerter on 23 December 1942 as Major and Kommodore of
Jagdgeschwader 3 “Udet.” Although officially grounded from further
operational flying after the award of the Schwerter, he continued to fly
combat missions in the Defence of the Reich and on 23 March 1944, after
claiming his one-hundred-and-sixty-second and final victory, a Boeing
B-17 and a North American P-51 Mustang, he was himself shot down near
Schöppenstedt by American Mustang fighters and killed in the ensuing
crash, having flown seven hundred and thirty-two combat sorties and
attained one hundred and sixty-two confirmed victories, twenty-five of
them in the West including four four-engined bombers.
Major Anton Hackl (1915-1984) was one of the Luftwaffe’s most successful fighter aces of the Second World War, credited with 192 aerial victories achieved over the Eastern Front, Western Front, and Mediterranean theaters. Born on 25 March 1915 in Regensburg, Bavaria, Hackl began his military career before the war and eventually served with several prominent fighter units, most notably Jagdgeschwader 77 and later Jagdgeschwader 11. His combat record steadily grew during the intense air battles over the Soviet Union, where he demonstrated exceptional skill as a fighter pilot and leader. By the spring of 1943, Hackl had accumulated a remarkable number of victories while serving as Staffelkapitän in III./Jagdgeschwader 77, earning recognition throughout the Luftwaffe. In acknowledgment of his combat achievements and leadership, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 25 May 1942 after surpassing 50 aerial victories. Continuing to distinguish himself in combat, particularly during the fierce defensive operations against Allied air forces, Hackl increased his score dramatically and received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 9 August 1942 as the 109th recipient of the decoration. His success did not end there; while serving in increasingly responsible command positions and leading fighter formations against overwhelming Allied air superiority, he achieved further victories and demonstrated outstanding tactical leadership. As a result, he was awarded the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub on 9 July 1944 as the 78th recipient of the Schwerter. By the end of the war, Hackl had become one of the most decorated fighter pilots in the Luftwaffe, with his sequence of Ritterkreuz, Eichenlaub, and Schwerter reflecting a career marked by sustained combat effectiveness, leadership, and exceptional success in aerial warfare.
Major Herbert Huppertz (1919-1944) was one of the notable Luftwaffe fighter aces of the Second World War, credited with 68 aerial victories during approximately 380 combat missions on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. Born on 3 June 1919 in Rheydt, he entered the Luftwaffe in 1937 and was assigned to Jagdgeschwader 51, where he gained combat experience during the Battle of France, the Luftschlacht um England, and later Operation Barbarossa. By the summer of 1941, serving as a Leutnant and pilot in 12./Jagdgeschwader 51, Huppertz had achieved 34 confirmed aerial victories, including numerous Soviet aircraft destroyed during the opening months of the campaign against the Soviet Union. His outstanding combat record and leadership qualities led to the award of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 30 August 1941. He subsequently served as Staffelkapitän in several fighter units, including Jagdgeschwader 1, Jagdgeschwader 5, and later Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen,” where he continued to increase his victory total against Allied aircraft over Western Europe. Promoted to Hauptmann and appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III./Jagdgeschwader 2, Huppertz distinguished himself during the intense air battles preceding and following the Allied invasion of Normandy. After being killed in action near Caen on 8 June 1944 while flying a Fw 190, his achievements and leadership were recognized with the posthumous award of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 June 1944, becoming the 512th recipient of this high distinction.
Major Erhard Jähnert (1917-2006) was one of the notable Stuka pilots of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War, earning distinction through his combat service with Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 on the Eastern Front. As a highly experienced pilot, Jähnert participated in numerous close-support and dive-bombing operations against Soviet forces, demonstrating exceptional flying skill, courage, and leadership under difficult combat conditions. His achievements steadily increased as he accumulated a large number of operational sorties and contributed significantly to the success of his unit in supporting German ground offensives. In recognition of his outstanding combat record and repeated acts of bravery, Erhard Jähnert was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 18 May 1943 while serving as Leutnant and pilot in the III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 3. The decoration acknowledged not only his personal effectiveness as a Stuka pilot but also his leadership in combat operations that inflicted considerable losses on enemy troops, vehicles, and positions. During his career he was credited with flying 622 missions. At the end of the war Erhard Jähnert was captured by British troops.
Hauptmann Hans-Karl Mayer (1911-1940) was one of the early Luftwaffe fighter aces whose combat record in both the Spanish Civil War and the opening campaigns of the Second World War earned him recognition as a highly successful Jagdflieger. Born on 8 March 1911 in Rouffach, he first gained experience with the Condor Legion in Spain, where he served with Jagdgruppe 88 and achieved eight aerial victories, for which he received the Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern. After returning to Germany, Mayer continued his career with Jagdgeschwader 53 and quickly established himself as one of the unit’s leading pilots during the Westfeldzug and the Luftschlacht um England. As Staffelkapitän of 1./Jagdgeschwader 53, he accumulated a growing number of confirmed aerial victories through aggressive leadership and repeated success in combat against Allied aircraft. His achievements culminated in the award of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 3 September 1940, bestowed in recognition of his outstanding combat performance, leadership, and more than twenty confirmed victories at that stage of the war. Shortly afterward, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I./Jagdgeschwader 53 and continued to increase his score, eventually reaching 39 aerial victories (including eight in Spain). Mayer’s promising career was cut short on 17 October 1940 when he disappeared during a flight over the English Channel, but his combat record secured his place among the distinguished Luftwaffe Ritterkreuzträger of the early war period.
Major Johann Zemsky (1909-1942) was born on 11 April 1909 in Vienna as the son of a civil servant and entered the Austrian Bundesheer in 1928 as a non-commissioned officer in the artillery, completing an officer course in 1932 and receiving promotion to Leutnant in 1936 before volunteering for the Luftwaffe after the Anschluss in 1938. By 1939 he served as an Oberleutnant and flying instructor at the Stukaschule in Insterburg, then flew combat missions with Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 against Britain in 1940, earning the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse on 24 February 1940. On 1 September 1940 he was promoted to Hauptmann and appointed Staffelkapitän of 6./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1, distinguishing himself in anti-shipping operations near Crete, Malta and the eastern Mediterranean that brought him the Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse in May 1941. Transferred to the Eastern Front for Operation Barbarossa, he assumed command of II. Gruppe/Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 in September 1941 after the death of Hauptmann Anton Keil and led highly successful dive-bomber attacks against ground targets around Bialystok, Minsk, Vitebsk, Gomel, Kiev and Moscow. For completing more than 300 combat sorties he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 4 February 1942 as Hauptmann und Gruppenkommandeur of II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1. Continuing operations on the southern sector through the battles for Kharkov and toward Stalingrad, where he marked his 500th sortie in July 1942, he was slightly wounded by anti-aircraft shrapnel in June yet remained in command. On 28 August 1942, during his 600th combat mission near Mal-Rosowka in the Battle of Stalingrad, his Ju 87 was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft fire; although he managed to bail out, his parachute failed to open and he was killed. Posthumously promoted to Major with effect from 1 August 1942, he was awarded the 117th Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz on 3 September 1942 as Major und Gruppenkommandeur of II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 in recognition of his 600 operational sorties.
SS-Untersturmführer Karl Brommann (1920-2011) was one of the most successful SS-Panzer commanders of the final phase of the Second World War and earned a reputation as a highly effective armored warfare specialist while serving with schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 503. By the spring of 1945, as the Third Reich faced collapse on all fronts, Brommann distinguished himself during the desperate defensive battles fought in Hungary and Austria, where his Tiger II tanks repeatedly engaged numerically superior Soviet armored formations. As a Kompaniechef in schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 503, he was credited with an exceptionally high number of enemy tank destructions and demonstrated outstanding leadership under increasingly difficult combat conditions, often directing counterattacks and organizing defensive actions despite shortages of fuel, ammunition, and replacement vehicles. His tactical skill, personal courage, and continued combat effectiveness during the final months of the war brought him recognition from the highest levels of the German military command. In early 1945, Brommann would command perhaps the most effective King Tiger Tank and crew of the detachment in the fighting around Arneswalde and Gotenhafen in Pomerania. In fact on 10 April 1945, the official Wehrmacht Communique contained the following announcement: “In the battle area around Gotenhafen, SS-Untersturmführer Karl Brommann, company commander in the Heavy SS Panzer Detachment 503, prominently distinguished himself. He has, with his tank crew, in the time period from 2 February 1945 until 18 March 1945, despite being wounded 3 times, destroyed 66 enemy tanks, 44 artillery pieces and 15 trucks.” In acknowledgment of his battlefield achievements and leadership in armored combat, Karl Brommann was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 29 April 1945, one of the last such decorations conferred during the war. The award recognized both his personal record as an SS panzer ace and his contribution to the combat performance of schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 503 during the final defensive operations on the Eastern Front, where he remained in action until the closing days of the conflict.
SS-Sturmbannführer der Reserve Hans Flügel (1919-1989) was one of the notable panzer officers of the Waffen-SS, serving with formations such as SS-Division “Das Reich” and later the 5. SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking” on the Eastern Front. Having joined the SS in 1935, he advanced through the ranks during the war and gained extensive combat experience in armored warfare, first as a company commander and later in battalion-level leadership positions. During the fierce fighting against Soviet forces in 1944, Flügel commanded II./SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 “Wiking”, leading his battalion in a series of defensive and counterattack operations characterized by aggressive armored tactics and determined resistance under difficult battlefield conditions. His leadership, combat effectiveness, and success in directing panzer units during these engagements led to the award of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 16 October 1944, when he held the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve and commanded II./SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 “Wiking”. The decoration recognized both his personal bravery and his ability to maintain the combat strength of his battalion during some of the most critical phases of the war on the Eastern Front. After receiving the Ritterkreuz, Flügel continued serving with Waffen-SS armored formations until the end of the conflict and eventually reached the rank of SS-Sturmbannführer.
_Im_Vordergrund_Josef_Priller.jpg)
Josef Priller and Klaus Mietusch. They were closely connected through their service in Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter", one of the Luftwaffe’s most successful fighter wings on the Western Front. Priller, a highly decorated fighter ace and recipient of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern, served as the Geschwaderkommodore of JG 26 and became one of the most respected fighter leaders in the Luftwaffe. Under his command, Klaus Mietusch emerged as one of the wing’s leading Experten, achieving remarkable success against Allied aircraft while flying with III./JG 26 and later commanding 9./JG 26. Priller recognized Mietusch as an exceptionally skilled pilot and leader whose combat achievements significantly contributed to the reputation of JG 26. Their relationship was based on mutual professional respect, with Mietusch operating within the command structure established by Priller during the intense air battles over Western Europe. Mietusch was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 18 August 1943 and later received the Eichenlaub on 18 November 1944 for his growing victory total and leadership, distinctions that reflected the high standards expected within Priller’s Geschwader. Both men became symbols of JG 26’s effectiveness, with Priller providing strategic leadership and Mietusch exemplifying the combat prowess of the unit’s frontline fighter pilots. Their careers remained intertwined until Mietusch was killed in action on 17 March 1945, only weeks before the end of the war, while Priller survived the conflict and remained one of the most famous commanders associated with Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter".
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LEDERJACKE MIT PELZ (LEATHER JACKET WITH FUR)Hauptmann Hermann-Friedrich Joppien (1912-1941) was one of the
Luftwaffe’s most successful fighter aces during the early years of the
Second World War and earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes through
his outstanding leadership and combat achievements while serving with
Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders". Born on 19 July 1912 in Bochum, Joppien
joined the Luftwaffe before the war and quickly established himself as
an exceptionally skilled fighter pilot. During the campaigns in Poland,
France, and especially the Battle of Britain, he steadily increased his
victory tally while demonstrating remarkable tactical ability and
courage in aerial combat. By the summer of 1940 he had become one of the
leading pilots of Jagdgeschwader 51, achieving numerous confirmed
aerial victories against Royal Air Force aircraft. He received the
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 16 September 1940 in recognition of
his 21st aerial victory during the Battle of Britain while serving as
Staffelkapitän of 1. Staffel in Jagdgeschwader 51, followed by the
Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on
23 April 1941
for his 40th victory, with the event marked by a presentation from Adolf
Hitler. Following the award, Joppien continued to command fighter units
with distinction and participated extensively in operations over the
English Channel and later on the Eastern Front. His reputation grew
further as he accumulated victories against Soviet aircraft, eventually
reaching a total of 70 confirmed aerial victories. As Gruppenkommandeur
of III./Jagdgeschwader 51, he was regarded as a capable commander who
combined personal combat effectiveness with strong leadership of his
pilots. His career, however, was cut short on 28 August 1941 when he was
killed in action near Yelnya during combat operations over the Soviet
Union.
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U-BOOT LEDERJACKE (U-BOAT LEATHER JACKET)
Kapitän zur See Klaus Scholtz (1908-1987) was born on 22 March 1908 in
Magdeburg and joined the Reichsmarine on 5 April 1927 as a
Seeoffiziersbewerber of Crew 1927, serving initially on training ships
and later on torpedo boats including the Jaguar, which he commanded from
1937 to 1939. In April 1940 he transferred voluntarily to the
U-Bootwaffe, completed the necessary courses, and on 22 October 1940
assumed command of the Type IXB submarine U-108 of the 2.
Unterseebootsflottille. On his first Feindfahrt from 15 February to 12
March 1941 he sank two ships totalling 8,078 BRT; on the second patrol
he sank the British Hilfskreuzer Rajputana of 16,444 BRT on 13 April
1941. Subsequent Atlantic patrols yielded further successes, including
seven ships of 26,931 BRT on the third voyage, and by the end of his
fifth Feindfahrt in December 1941 he had sunk thirteen ships amounting
to 61,760 BRT. For these achievements he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des
Eisernen Kreuzes on 26 December 1941 as Kapitänleutnant and Kommandant
of U-108. Promoted to Korvettenkapitän on 1 November 1941, he continued
successful operations, sinking five ships of 20,082 BRT on his sixth
patrol and five more of 31,340 BRT on the seventh. On his eighth and
final Feindfahrt from 13 July to 10 September 1942 he sank three
additional ships of 17,496 BRT, bringing his total to twenty-five
vessels of approximately 128,000 BRT. For these further successes he
received the Eichenlaub on 10 September 1942 as the 123rd
recipient while still Kommandant of U-108. He then relinquished command
and on 15 October 1942 became Flottillenchef of the 12.
Unterseebootsflottille based at Bordeaux. Promoted to Fregattenkapitän
in July 1944, he was captured by American forces on 11 September 1944
while leading remaining personnel from the isolated fortress of Bordeaux
and was released in April 1946. After the war he served in the
Grenzschutz See and later the Bundesmarine, rising to Kapitän zur See
before retiring in 1966; he died on 1 May 1987 in Bad Schwartau.
_Im_Vordergrund_Josef_Priller.jpg)
