Flying gauntlets : Luftwaffe

Pair of Luftwaffe airman's leather flying gauntlets. The gauntlets are of thin brown kid leather with three raised ridges stitched down the back of each hand. There is a leather adjustment strap on the back of each wrist, with a brown plastic snap-fastener. The stiff cuffs have an expanding gusset at the bottom edge, and are lined with unfinished blocked leather. The white numeral '4' is stamped inside the left hand glove, and '10' and '7' inside the right.

This style of glove was favoured by Luftwaffe aircrew operating larger and less well heated aircraft on lengthy bombing and maritime patrol operations. Fighter pilots generally preferred to wear a shorter glove without the gauntlet, which was felt to give greater freedom of movement.