Heuer
rfa air force pilot 1550 sg 3h - bundeswehr flyback

Military flieger watch Heuer 1550 Flyback 3H with manual winding from 1962. A Cold War aviation chronograph classic, issued to Luftwaffe pilot squadrons of West Germany. This chronograph was highly appreciated by pilots of all nationalities and became emblematic of the era. Its popularity among NATO pilots was such that many American and foreign aviators stationed on German air bases demanded to be equipped with one.

A small production run of this chronograph was created without the “3H” marking specifically for this purpose and sold in the PX shops of NATO airbases in West Germany. Affectionately nicknamed “The Bund” in reference to its original military assignment, this chronograph became a prized item of exchange among military personnel involved in Red Flag exercises. Between 1970 and 1980, many deserving pilots received one as a reward.

Manual-winding flyback chronograph powered by a Valjoux 230 movement, housed in a 43 mm stainless steel case. Its black dial is highly legible thanks to its size and minimalist layout. Two navigation counters for 30 and 60 minutes. White markings with railroad-style outer minute and hour tracks, indexed every 5 seconds, and hour numerals enhanced with tritium. Central baton-style hands are white and luminous, with a central seconds hand shaped like an arrow. The red "3H" marking at the bottom of the dial indicates that the luminous material used on the hands and dial contains tritium (Hydrogen-3), identifying the watch as military-issued between 1960 and 1970.

A rugged, comfortable watch that’s very easy to use in flight thanks to a prominent crown and ideally placed pushers. Its bidirectional rotating bezel, marked with a highly visible triangular indicator, completes the list of essential features, making it an excellent aviation navigation watch.

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