Luftwaffe Pilot's badge(Luftwaffen Beobachterabzeichen ).
Maker marked 'P.Meybauer, Berlin''.
Overall a nice mid to late war produced badge.
Quite hard to make good pictures so we have added photos taken in different light.
For example the eagle is more or less fully black in hand.
The eagle was copper coated and then blackened.
The catch might be repaired but there are versions that look like this so could be factory made.
It's common to see Observer and Pilot badges with replaced or repaired due to their rather weak construction and that it was very easy that it got stuck with equipment straps etc.
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HISTORY:
The Observer’s qualification badge was introduced by Hermann Göring on March 26TH 1936 for award to Observers, Navigators and Bombardiers who had met the required criteria. The Observer’s badge was awarded on an individual basis and criteria for bestowal included five operational flights over enemy territory or a minimum of two months active service. As with other flyer’s specialty badges a cloth version of the Observer’s Badge was authorized for wear on the flight blouse with a machine embroidered pattern for EM/NCO’s and a hand embroidered pattern for Officer’s.
