Fall 2026 Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 377:
Description
Early Luftwaffe K So/34 Summer Flight Suit, Habelt. German Luftwaffe Fliegerschutzanzug, Summer Model K So/34, by Bekleidungsfabrik Habelt of Crailsheim/Wrttbg., with Karl Heister of Berlin C 2 D.R.G.M.-patented collar chain hanger, dated Baujahr 193[9]. Offered here is a well-marked example of the K So/34 one-piece flight suit, the standard warm-weather coverall issued to Luftwaffe aircrews for operations in moderate temperatures and summer conditions through the pre-war and early war years. The suit carries a clearly legible interior manufacturer’s label from Bekleidungsfabrik Habelt of Crailsheim, identifying the Baumuster as "KSo" and the Baujahr as ending in 193[9], the final digit faint but consistent with production in the closing years of the 1930s, a window collectors prize for its superior tailoring and cloth quality ahead of later wartime economies of material. The K So/34, short for Kombi Sommer 1934, was developed to meet the practical needs of Luftwaffe crews flying in open cockpits and early monoplanes, who required protection from wind and abrasion without the bulk of winter equipment. Cut from a flecked tan-brown cotton-linen twill, the suit’s diagonal chest zip allowed rapid donning over a uniform, while the chest map pocket, wrist zips, and reinforced leg openings addressed the daily demands of cockpit life. Of particular note is the collar’s wire-and-chain hanger strap, a fitting patented under Deutsches Reichsgebrauchsmuster by Karl Heister of Berlin C 2, intended to allow the garment to be hung neatly by its collar in crew lockers and ready rooms, a small but telling detail of German standardization even in flying kit. The suit is constructed of the characteristic flecked twill, with a broad collar, long sleeves, and a diagonal front zip closure fitted with a leather pull tab; a chest map pocket and further zippered openings appear at both cuffs, both trouser legs, and across the seat and thigh, each retaining dark leather pull tabs. The collar carries the sewn Karl Heister label alongside its woven chain-and-eyelet hanger strap, while the interior Bekleidungsfabrik Habelt tag remains sewn to its blue lining panel and fully legible, recording Baumuster, Baujahr, and Groesse fields. Condition is very good for a vintage flight garment of this age: the twill shows light handling creases, gentle overall fading, and scattered surface soiling consistent with issued use and long storage, with no heavy staining or significant tears evident in the photographs. The metal zippers appear intact with their leather tabs present throughout, and both interior labels remain stable and clearly readable, though the hanger’s cord shows some wear. A well-preserved and clearly marked prewar K So/34 summer flight suit, its dual manufacturer and patent labels offering collectors a rare combined snapshot of Luftwaffe clothing production and hardware design on the eve of the Second World War.
Share this lot:
