Imperial Germany: Patriotic WW1 Cap Badge of
an Etrich Taube (Rumpler Taube) fighter plane of
the Imperial and Royal (KuK) Aviation Troops of
the Austro-Hungarian Army (KuKLFT).
The Etrich Taube monoplane fighter aircraft, also
known as the Rumpler Taube, was designed in
1909 by Igo Etrich of Austria-Hungary and first
flew in 1910. It was the first military airplane to
be mass-produced in Germany.
The Taube served with the Italians in Libya (1911),
with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire in the
Balkan Wars (1912-13) and with both Germany
and Austria-Hungary in WW1 (initially as a fighter
and after 1914 as a trainer).
Many German WW1 aces learned to fly in a Taube.
The Imperial and Royal (KuK) Aviation Troops
was established in 1893 as a balloon corps.
It was re-organized in 1912 and remained
under the command of Major Emil Uzelac
until the end of WW1 in 1918.
The KuKLFT saw combat action mainly on the
Eastern Front and Italian Front. Its aircraft
were either domestically built or imported
from Germany (main types: Lohner, Albatros,
Aviatik, Lloyd, Fokker,Hansa-Brandenburg,
Knoller, Oeffag, Phoenix, Ufag and Etrich
Taube).
Notable is that while a total of 5431 aircraft
had been produced for the KuKLFT during
the 4 years of WW1, its strength had peaked
at only 550 operational aircraft, despite
having 4 fronts to cover.
A scarce badge.
WW1 1914 1918
Item 100% original
Condition as on the photos
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