Female uniforms

[uscob]

Mõmmi, Strafvollzug is definitely a uniform I hope to find! What is the silver badge for?

Grenzflieger and Gordon great information.

I think I've been bitten by the uniform bug, spent the last hour clearing out the spare rooms closet so I have a place to store this stuff

The silver Badge is a Sports Badge. Is there something wrong with the Ribbon Bar? 4-3-4. It must be 3-4-4

[myddrcaps]

My newest addition a four button tunic.

[grenzflieger]

Congratulations! Nice one! No pockets and 4 buttons so it must been made between 1973 - 1978 if I am right. Nice matching 'kaffeebohne' (coffeebean).

A female Unteroffizier Grenztruppen uniform is on it's way to me. I will post some pics asap.

[myddrcaps]

grenzflieger, I look forward to seeing the photos

I picked this up on eBay yesterday. With a "Fallschirmdienst" badge. I should have it 'in hand' some time next week.

Found information on this badge in the thread DDR Fallschirmjäger Troops? posts #25 -26. Also in Walther's "Uniformeffekten... Band II" page 144.

It looks like an interesting tunic, so I had to have it Any thoughts or concerns about this tunic?

[ehrentitle]

Myddrcaps, Yes, It's the career service insignia for an officer of the Parachute Service (Fallschirmdienst) which were Air Force parachute riggers that packed parachutes, serviced survival equipment and oversaw parachute training for paratroopers and pilots. It was worn from 1965 to 1986 and only by the Air Force. It's quite unusual to see it on a female uniform. The NVA paratrooper career service insignia is slightly different, it has a gull wing at the bottom of the open parachute.

[ehrentitle]

Here is a thread I started in 2010 on the Parachute Service, it does not come up on searches for Fallschirmdienst because I used the full title of the organization:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=405972

[myddrcaps]

Here is a thread I started in 2010 on the Parachute Service, it does not come up on searches for Fallschirmdienst because I used the full title of the organization:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=405972

Thanks for the link, I appreciate the additional information I hope this tunic is not just "badged up". Collecting tunics is still new to me, so I'm eager to take a closer look at it. To see the stitching and see how these things were put together

[ehrentitle]

Female parachute riggers have been used by the Armies of many countries over the years, including the US. However, the Fallschirmdienst was a very small organization with just few hundred members and I've not yet heard mention of females working for it.

[myddrcaps]

Here is my 'Fallschirmdienst' female jacket. I would be interested in your opinions about woman working in this group.

The badge is the correct distance from the sleeve and is hand sewn on. The inner lining in the sleeve was opened at the seam and then sewn back up.



Also my new Volksmarine jacket, and I mean NEW still has a tag attached on the sleeve, the pockets are sewn closed and has never had shoulder boards attached.

Dated 1962... What is up with 1962 and female uniforms ??

[ehrentitle]

I did ask NVA paratroopers about this uniform. I didn't get much response, only one opinion that the Fallschirmdienst oval was probably added later to increase the value of the uniform.

Is there any indication of an NVA parachute badge being worn on the right chest? All Air Force parachute riggers were airborne qualified so if the uniform should have a round hole where the badge was worn.

[ehrentitle]

Also my new Volksmarine jacket, and I mean NEW still has a tag attached on the sleeve, the pockets are sewn closed and has never had shoulder boards attached.

Dated 1962... What is up with 1962 and female uniforms ??

1962 is the makers code, it is dated 1/P or 1st Quarter 1986.

[myddrcaps]

1962 is the makers code, it is dated 1/P or 1st Quarter 1986.

I need to open my eyes LOL. Thanks

[myddrcaps]

I did ask NVA paratroopers about this uniform. I didn't get much response, only one opinion that the Fallschirmdienst oval was probably added later to increase the value of the uniform.

Is there any indication of an NVA parachute badge being worn on the right chest? All Air Force parachute riggers were airborne qualified so if the uniform should have a round hole where the badge was worn.

No hole for a badge,

The cost difference between this and another NVA tunic with the same rank and same size was less than $4.00. Seems like a lot of work for so little gain. why pick 'Fallschirmdienst' instead of something else to "badge" it up with?

It's not a loss to me ether way. I still would have bought the same rank and size with or with out the patch. And no terrible damage was done to the tunic.

Percentage-wise what are the chances of this being authentic ? 40-60 ? Less ? Slim ?

Thanks

[ehrentitle]

It's hard to say if it's authentic or not unless you have something that ties it to an original owner. However there are many NVA surplus uniforms out there that have been altered for a variety of reasons other than for profit. For example, a collector who wanted a uniform with particular rank, badges or specialty for their collection. That's why one sees so many NVA Paratrooper Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel uniforms when in reality there were no Colonels and only 1-2 Lieutenant Colonels in the 40th Parachute Battalion/Air Assault Regiment.

There is also the fact that NVA parachute riggers were in very small detachments scattered at airfields and locations with paratroopers. Most of these were Noncommissioned Officers and Warrant Officers. There were very, very few commissioned officers.

[myddrcaps]

All Air Force parachute riggers were airborne qualified so if the uniform should have a round hole where the badge was worn.

This would mean trained to jump? If that's the case it would seem very unlikely for a woman. Then again there must have been some woman in the GST that jumped ? Could she have not gone into the air force after GST...

Good point about the rank, I can see how unlikely it would be.

I don't know I can't even see I/P as the date code todayLOL

Oh well, you know your stuff and I appreciate you time and comments. Thanks.