# Flieger Friday: Everything You Need to Know About Flieger Watches



## conmcn

Hi all

I am after a bit of help. I've found what I think is an original Lange & Sohne flieger at a local auction. It is missing its big onion crown and the crystal in very scratched up but it appears to be genuine. It was in a box of parts and is described as pocket watch parts! There is also a Luftwaffe wrist compass which looks original too! I stupidly only took one photo!


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## conmcn

Does the movement look intact to you guys? Its a type B flieger but I stupidly forgot to take any photos of the dial. The lume is missing from most of the hands and as I said previously the crystal is scratched and the crown missing. The FL23883 code is still visible on the side and there is the vague remnants of another code stamped on the case back which I could faintly see under a loop. I think it is H15... but I can't quite remember if I'm honest. Is it possible to get these serviced and new crowns etc? Do Lange service these pieces themselves? I know very little about these great watches so any help offered is as always greatly appreciated.


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## StufflerMike

"News from the Watch Industry" does not seem to be the right place for your inquiry.

Anyway, the sale of the war relevant production started at Lange & Söhne in Glashütte with the B-Uhr No. 210131 on September 26th, 1940 and ended with the watch No. 216978 on April 30th, 1945. So the movement no. 213553 is a perfect match.

Since you asked something I post as a standard reply:

A.Lange & Söhne B-Uhr ? Some information >>>>>

The German term "Beobachtungsuhr" or „B-Uhr" dates back to navigator's watches of WW II. Strictly translated it means "Observation watch", but on most watch related fora you'll read either "pilot's watch", „B-watch" or even „Flieger", which is the expression I like most even if not correct.

These B-Uhren were made for the German Luftwaffe by only 5 manufacturers

A. Lange & Söhne
Laco (Lacher & Co)
Stowa (Walter Storz)
Wempe (Chronometerwerke Hamburg)
IWC

and contained high quality pocket watch movements:

Lange & Söhne: cal. 48/1 (due to limited capacities watches have been assembled by Huber/Munich, Felsing/Berlin, Schieron/Stuttgart, Schätzle & Tschudin/Pforzheim, Wempe/Hamburg).

Laco: Durowe cal. D 5

Stowa: Unitas cal. 2812

Wempe: Thommen cal. 31

IWC: cal. 52 SC (SC= „seconde central")

The specifications of these watches had been defined by the „Reichsluftfahrtministerium" (RLM) - Imperial Air Ministry (see attached file)










Due to those specifications all B-watches had the following features in common:


A case diameter of 55 mm
Marked on the back with FL 23883 (FL = flight, 23 = navigation)
Equipped with large crowns in order to be used with gloves
Hacking movement (the second hand stops when pulling out the crown / essential for a precise time setting)
Breguet balance spring
Regulated and tested as chronometers
Long leather strap (to be worn on the sleeve of a flight jacket).

If your are interested in watches of WW II and their history I recommend to visit the hompage of Konrad Knirim (www.knirim.de) or buy his books „Military Timepieces".

For repair and parts you need a knowledgeable specialist watchmaker. One of them is Uhrmachermeister Buse. And be warned: Repairing/servicing/parts of a WWII B-Uhr aren't cheap.


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## conmcn

Thanks Mike I really do appreciate the information and advice. I’d love to have it overhauled and in running order with the crown replaced. The movement looks super clean with no obvious signs of corrosion. I’ll consider placing a bid on it but it’s likely going to go well beyond my budget!


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## conmcn

Sadly I didn’t win the watch even though it went for only £530 not including fees. There was also a Luftwaffe navigators wrist compass too. The Flieger had its issues with the hands having no lume and the crown missing etc but the guy who won it got a bargain!


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## TR007

What a nice piece of writing! Thanks!


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## leonbeast

not my cup of tea


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## TheSecret

WOW, that's awesome post with bunch of information. Thank you! BTW, rely like fligers.


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## KRONO TIMEPIECES

A few of these are looking a little too similar to an ICW but a good look nonetheless. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## StufflerMike

KRONO TIMEPIECES said:


> A few of these are looking a little too similar to an ICW but a good look nonetheless.


The 5 WW II B-Uhren were made by IWC, Stowa, Laco, Wempe and ALS. So there‘s some good reason to say that IWC pilot watches look a little too similar to the competitors.😉


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