New to Bundeswehr Collecting, First Display Attempt

[Collectinsteve]

Klaus,

I'd have to double check some sources and my own collection for sure, but I'm pretty sure that Filzlaus was introduced in 1959. For sure it was intended as the replacement for the Splittertarn uniform which was officially dropped in 1959. The Filzlaus examples made prior to 1963 had the standard pointed epaulettes, 1963 on they were rounded. I think they were produced until 1974.

Steve

[Asbjoern]

Having seen lots of Filzlaus items during the last years the majority was made inbetween 1960 and 1963. There are some 1959 made items too. The later made jackets for example are quite rare also, if found made in the mid 60ies. The latest items to be found frequently is the 3/4 trouser for the GJ which is quite often seen with dated in the late 70ies.

Jackets without national flags are made until today... they were issued to people from foreign nations trained by the Bundeswehr. They get a full set of Bw stuff minus the flags...

Jens

[Klaus1989]

Klaus,

I'd have to double check some sources and my own collection for sure, but I'm pretty sure that Filzlaus was introduced in 1959. For sure it was intended as the replacement for the Splittertarn uniform which was officially dropped in 1959. The Filzlaus examples made prior to 1963 had the standard pointed epaulettes, 1963 on they were rounded. I think they were produced until 1974.

Steve

I am aware of all this, I refer to date of photos in 1961 Reibert could be from earlier edition and when flags were introduced. Earliest uniforms had no flags, which were added later. Yes, I have seen several 1959 dated Filzlaus jackets.

From photos, it appear Splittertarn was used until 1961/62 by some units or individuals after introduction of Filzlaus. Have even seen a few photos of Fallis from 1970s(!) with just the jackets (and badges), which was probably against regulation...

btw How many foreign personal would have trained with Bw in early 1960s?

Regards
Klaus

[Collectinsteve]

Hi Klaus,

Splittertarn was officially out of service as of 1959 from what I've read. However, it was unofficially used well into the 1960s. However, it appears that they were widely used into the early 1960s when conducting field training. I have some pictures dated 1964 that show it in use. I also purchased my rare FJ "Broad Splinter" uniform from a US airborne NCO who cross trained with FJ in 1964. He said he got the uniform from a soldier that I presume was using it. Like you, I've seen a picture from very late (1980s?) of a panzer crewman wearing one. Obviously that was very unofficial

Steve

[Klaus1989]

I mean just when Splittertarn worn for interest of thread, not official dates. Of course, there is always transition period. It is still somewhat common to see in year 1960 and each year after that, become harder to find photos...

Regards
Klaus

[Guardian 5]

Gents,

Note the G3 in the hands of this Splittertarn clad greni, making this picture an example of the uniform being worn at or past its official withdrawal from service.

All the best,
TJ

[Guardian 5]

Here's the press release photo on the "felt louse" uniform dated August 14, 1959.

All the best,
TJ

[Asbjoern]

Going through several Albums with hundreds of pictures for my second book I assume that the camo stuff was issued to recruits for their basic training until the mid sixties while the instructors wear the Filzlaus or already moleskin. The same with the Affenjacke which was the first tunic for many soldiers beeing replaced by the four pocket tunic for the swearing cermony. On the same time they might have been equipped with the new field uniform too.

Taking in account that there were still large stocks of camo stuff in the 80ies - beeing used up for medical training to cloth soldieres pretending to be wounded - the basic purchase must have been enormouse...

Jens

[Collectinsteve]

TJ, that is a great picture of the first Panzerkombi.

Taking in account that there were still large stocks of camo stuff in the 80ies - beeing used up for medical training to cloth soldieres pretending to be wounded - the basic purchase must have been enormouse...

I do think the BW purchased a huge number of these uniforms. However, they must have destroyed many in training and perhaps even destroyed many to save the costs of storage. I say this because the size of the BW was many times larger than the Belgian Army of the 1956-1958 timeframe, but these Belgian uniforms are by far more common today and in generally better condition than Splittertarn. Very few of the Belgian items are in new condition, though much better condition than Splittertarn.

If both countries bought roughly the same number of uniforms, proportional to their force size, we could have good condition Splittertarn uniforms stacked up to the roof of our houses. But that is not the case. So either the BW bought a lot less uniforms per soldier than Belgium did, or BW destroyed huge quantities of uniforms, or some combination of both.

Steve