My German co-author and I are finishing this document up and posting it on the Internet for all to study. It should be available by early next week. I do think you will find the information interesting. This article was started in Militaria International but the magazine ceased production before the article was finished. I know some subscriers read the first part and wondered what happened.

So this new site will conclude the article but in color. It is always important to mention that none of this kind of research happens in isolation. With both the Auto and Aero corps we had collectors helping where they could, questioning where needed and pushing us forward. As the Auto Corps or Kraftfahr Korps dagger became the first "Army" Dagger, the Aero dagger is the first "Luftwaffe Dagger" even though like in the US it was a branch of the Army. One historical event that helped us was the fall of the Berlin wall. Finally after many years all of the German Military records were assembled together in Freiburg and Berlin. The research assistants at these institutions made everything available to us. In some cases we had early documents they did not have and we have turned copies over to them for their files. We all benefitted from this endeavor. The heads of some of Germany's finest museums helped us as well.

Ebay and military forums around the world helped us turn up more information and rare items. The picture of an Aero dagger being worn---really blows your mind. This came to us from un unselfish collector. Amazingly that photo was "lost" by the postal service on its way to me. Just as amazingly it turned up after more than a month. This one picture provides us with those "1000 words" as the old saying goes. We finally had period, photographic proof of the dagger being worn. The daggers in the article are all incredibally rare. One of these daggers has received a standing offer of nearly $20,000. Not bad for a series of daggers that a few years ago no one cared about. But it is not about the money, it is about the knowledge. I cannot imagine any of these daggers will be sold for decades. Now at least the collecting world knows what they are.

Finally as with any research work we made the best educated assumptions based on the data we had. We looked at much of this information for months, scratching our head. If new stuff turns up we will add or revise as needed.

I have been pursuing these Auto/Aero daggers since Hermann Maeurer and I exchanged letters about them back in the late 1970's and I first published one of them in the Military collectors Journal in 1982. It is good to see it all written down. It took a great German friend and a host of other individuals before the mission could be completed. I thank everyone.

Further Acknowledgements for the Aero Study. As military researchers it is important to add to the knowledge base from original source data, not just copy someone elses work over and over. The following people and institutions helped us make this happen. The get our sincere thanks and a couple rounds of Paulaner.

Lieutenant-Colonel Kai-Uwe Graaf, Luftwaffenmuseum of the Bundeswehr, Gatow, Germany,

Lieutenant-Colonel Dr.Harald Fritz Potempa, Military History Research Institute of the
Bundeswehr, Potsdam, Germany,

Captain Eugen A.Lisewski, Bundeswehr Military History Museum of Dresden, Germany,

Luftwaffenmuseum Laatzen, Germany

Bundesarchiv Freiburg and Berlin, Germany

Vic--My sincere best compliments on completion of this difficult research and for your other invaluable contributions to the study of other rare daggers. Your true dedication to THE hobby is deeply appreciated.

You are also to be highly commended for furnishing the fruits of your labor and experience FREE to the collecting and historical studies communities.

Best Regards

The German Aero Picture

That is unreal!!!! Great photo!!!!

He just had to cover up the cross guard with that damn knot

Vic,

I second Houston's comments, you're to be commended for your service & commitment to everyone's education on these beautiful daggers.

Gentlemen,
H.H. and I really appreciate your support. I believe you will enjoy the document. This article was truly an International effort. It only came together due to Hamp's tireless efforts in tracking down research leads in Germany. "Sharing the Knowledge" is important for us. For me it is just giving back a little that has been shared with me over the years. Just knowing that all of the digging through original document after document; after all of these years we have been able add to the knowledge base about these historically important artifacts, and that all of our work has been accepted into the German National Archives for future historians and collectors is reward enough.

Gentlemen,
thanks a lot for your interest and your kind comments. It is an interesting subject, for sure. We both did our best to bring all the infos together.

The knot on this photo is a problem, indeed. But I have looked on that photo again and again and I´m sure there is a prop on that crossguard. There is a small shadow at the upper right corner. It must be from a propeller.

I think you can read the whole article lately at Thursday next week. As soon as I have the info, Vic will be happy to post it here. Sorry for the delay, but there is a lot of work to publish it properly on the internet.

Thanks for looking;
Best;
Dutch

Sorry, the shadow from the prop is on the lower right corner at the center of the crossguard. Sorry again.
Best;
Dutch

Concerning the prop on the crossguard, Dutch is right, however you have to have the original photo, photoshop it and take it to the pixel level which none of you will be able to do. Actually just looking at this dude----Esprit de Corps would not allow him to wear anything else.
For me the fact he has the dagger on is all I need. After looking at hundreds of pilot pictures and seeing all manner of short dress bayonets and hirschfangers, this picture still blows my mind!

Pure Fantasy! But a great period card.

http://www.kaiserlicherautomobilclub.de/aerocorps-website/start.html

100's and 100's of hours, just to expand the knowledge base. Enjoy, probe, question, ask, and add information. We will develop an addendum with the latest material just like we did with the Kraftfahr Korps. We are here to learn about this fascinating period in human history.

Click on the center of the opening page to move to the index.

We wanted to have all of this information in your hands before the Max show, but at least we made the SOS.

Here is a second door. www.aerocorps.de

Vic

Wepsite looks great!! I will have to dig in the scrolls downstairs to see if I can find more info. Thanks to all who worked on it with you!!

http://www.germanautoandaerocorps.com/

We have modified the site for easier access.

We are pleased with 750+ site hits the first week. This is on a complicated, obscure topic, regarding daggers that most collectors will never see. Thanks Vic

HEY BUDDY!!! Still enjoying the site!!!

Damast, Great spending some time with you in Louisville. It was a great show. What was fun to see the vast assortment of stuff. Learning something new. Of course the daggers I like were in very short supply, but it is important to get out of the rut and see different things.
A fun time for sure.

Vic,

The site looks great, like Damast I'm still having a good time perusing it. Well done

Billy, as one of our unheralded supporters from the first day of these projects, I am thrilled you are pleased with the outcome.

Vic

Aw Vic, I'm blushin' Always a pleasure to help, my friend. Keep up the good work!