Extensive estate of Oberleutnant Wolfgang Loah, “Reconnaissance Aircraft - Reconnaissance”, test pilot of the Ar234 jet bomber / Kommando Hecht & Sommer. Oberleutnant Wolfgang Loah was born in 1915 in Hamburg, he began his service in the Luftwaffe after serving as ground troops in the Leichte Flugabwehrgruppe Wangernooge. In December 1940 Loah took to the air, in April 1941 he was assigned to the Aufklärungsgruppe ObdL.

Award document for the Honor Goblet for Special Achievement in Aerial Combat, issued on November 21, 1942, signed by Reichsmarschall Hermann Wilhelm Göring.
Award document for the Front Flight Clasp for Reconnaissance Pilots in Gold, issued on October 8, 1942, signed by Oberst and Gruppenkommandeur Theodor Rowehl,- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (September 27, 1940). Award document for the Front Flight Clasp for Reconnaissance Pilots in Silver, issued on August 27, 1942, also signed by Oberst and Gruppenkommandeur Theodor Rowehl. Award document for the Front Flight Clasp for Reconnaissance Pilots in Bronze, issued on August 8, 1941, also signed by Oberst and Gruppenkommandeur Theodor Rowehl. Award document for the Pilot and Observer Badge, issued on November 18, 1943, signed by Generaloberst Bruno Loerzer,- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (May 29, 1940),- Pour le Mérite (February 12, 1918). Award document for the Iron Cross 1st Class, issued on August 29, 1941, signed by General der Flieger Kastner. Award document for the Iron Cross 2nd Class, issued on July 6, 1941, signed by General der Flieger and Chief of the General Staff of the Luftwaffe Hans Jeschonnek. Award document for the Medal of October 1, 1938, issued on June 1, 1940. Provisional certificate of ownership for the Iron Cross 2nd Class, issued on July 6, 1941, signed by the Gruppenkommandeur. Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen booklet, with photograph, with entry for the Reich Sports Badge in Bronze, German Gymnastics and Sports Badge in Bronze, booklet cover loose inside. Luftwaffe pilot's license, with photograph, issued by FlugzeugführerschuleB14 on October 20, 1943, instrument flight qualified for the Ju86, Si204 and Ju88. Aviation license for glider pilots, with photograph, issued on September 30, 1943. Luftwaffe observer's license, with photograph, issued in Gotha on November 30, 1940. Identity card for flight personnel, with photograph, issued June 13, 1944. Identity card, with photograph, issued May 5, 1941. Military questionnaire, discharge certificate from Sonderausschuss Hamburg, dated January 15, 1949, extract from the personnel list, certificate of conscription to 1. Flakregiment 6, dated March 19, 1940, listing of his service career, and numerous other documents.

German silver (Alpaka) version with engraving “Loah”, stamped on the underside of the base “Joh. Wagner & Sohn Alpaka - Feinsilber Auflage”. Undamaged and uncleaned, with beautiful even patina, condition 2+.

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Luftwaffe Estate with the Honor Goblet for Special Achievement in Aerial Combat for Oberleutnant Wolfgang Loah

The Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg (Honor Goblet for Special Achievement in the Air War) stands among the most distinguished decorations of the German Luftwaffe during World War II. This prestigious award was instituted on 27 February 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. Although Göring considered it his "personal creation," the award was based on a World War I aviation honor, the Ehrenbecher für den Sieger im Luftkampf (Honor Goblet for the Victor in Air Combat).

The goblet was manufactured solely by Joh. Wagner & Sohn in Berlin, with funding for production provided by the German Aviation Industry. The first airman to receive this distinction was Oberstleutnant Johann Schalk on 21 August 1940. Recipients' names were published in the periodical Ehrenliste der Deutschen Luftwaffe (Honor List of the German Air Force), ensuring public recognition of their achievements.

The physical design of the goblet is striking in its symbolism. The obverse depicts two eagles locked in mortal combat, while the reverse bears an Iron Cross in high relief. Oak leaves and acorns adorn the stem, traditional German symbols of strength and honor. The legend "Für Besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg" (For Special Achievement in the Air War) is formed into the base. Each recipient's rank, name, and award date were engraved on the stem, personalizing the decoration. The underside bears the manufacturer's stamp "Joh. Wagner & Sohn" along with specific material markings.

The goblet was produced in two distinct material variants. Early examples from 1940 to mid-1942 utilized 835 fine silver. Production shifted in the first half of 1942 to silver-plated Alpaka (also known as German Silver or nickel silver), an alloy composed of copper, nickel, and zinc. Of the goblets actually produced, approximately 4,000 were made of silver. The goblet stands approximately 200 to 228 millimeters tall with a diameter of 100 millimeters, produced in two pieces which were fitted together into one unit.

The award criteria were strictly defined. The Honor Goblet was given only to flying personnel—pilots and aircrew—who had already been awarded the Iron Cross First Class but whose performance was not considered to merit the German Cross or Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This positioned the Ehrenpokal as an intermediate-level award recognizing sustained excellence in aerial operations. Isolated awards to non-flying personnel such as paratroopers or members of anti-aircraft artillery are also documented, though these remained exceptional cases.

This particular goblet was awarded to Oberleutnant Wolfgang Loah, born in 1915 in Hamburg, on 21 November 1942. Loah began his military service in ground forces with the Light Anti-Aircraft Group Wangerooge before transitioning to flying duties in December 1940. In April 1941, he was assigned to the Aufklärungsgruppe ObdL (Reconnaissance Group of the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe), commanded by Oberst Theodor Rowehl, a unit specializing in strategic reconnaissance operations. His extensive estate includes numerous award documents, including the Front Flying Clasp for Reconnaissance crews in Bronze, Silver, and Gold, the Iron Cross Second and First Class, various identification documents, and pilot licenses. His Alpaka goblet is engraved "Loah" and stamped on the underside "Joh. Wagner & Sohn Alpaka - Feinsilber Auflage" (Alpaka with fine silver plating).

The award had a relatively brief operational history. It was replaced by the Luftwaffe Honour Roll Clasp in January 1944, and the awarding of the Honor Goblet was discontinued at the end of 1944 on Göring's orders. From mid-1943, it has been reported that recipients only received the award document and not the actual goblet, likely due to wartime material shortages and production difficulties.

German archival records reveal a significant discrepancy between paper awards and actual production. Approximately 58,000 awards were made "on paper," but only 13,000 to 15,000 goblets were actually manufactured and awarded. This scarcity has contributed to the goblet's desirability among collectors. After the war, these goblets became highly collectible militaria items. Market values for authenticated originals typically range from 4,000 to 12,000 US dollars, reflecting both their historical significance and rarity in the collectors' market.