Question About Tropical Tunic Breast Eagles

[Captzak]

I have a repro tropical uniform and was wondering if the insignia below is for the tunic or the field shirt?



Also, would continental shoulder boards and breast eagle be correct for a tropical tunic? Thanks for your help.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Captzak, welcome to the forum!

Questions like these are best addressed within the Living history forum but I can help you.

The insignia you have shown is, to the best of my knowledge, a fantasy item. I do not believe any Officer's quality tropical insignia was ever produced. As a result, I would not use it on your uniform.

Continental pattern shoulder boards can sometimes be seen worn in period photos, often in the Italian campaign. I would keep to the tropical pattern breat eagle though. The odd non regulation peice of insignia is "OK" but any kind of living history impression (if that is what you are doing) is best kept to the regulations.

Hope this answers your questions?

Cheers, Ade.

[Captzak]

Tropical Tunic Eagle.

Thanks very much for your reply and I apologize for posting in the wrong area. One last question. What makes the insignia I posted the officer version? I have recently dove into putting together a FJ living history impression and I am still learning...and will be for a long time. Thanks again.

[Gene]

"Normally" when you see a Luftwaffe eagle on a trapezoid it's attached to a shirt and not a tunic; there were some sewn this way on tunics but by and large tunic eagles were sewn around the outline of the eagle itself. The bullion thread on your example would make it an officer version but I agree with Ade that it's a fantasy piece- I have never seen an original bullion tropical Luftwaffe shirt eagle nor have I ever heard of one.

[John Hodgin]

I do not believe any Officer's quality tropical insignia was ever produced. As a result, I would not use it on your uniform.
Cheers, Ade.

Excellent information Ade. However, officer's tropical insignia was manufactured. This was private purchase only, produced in very limited numbers, and rarely used.

You and Gene are correct. This piece, if used for living history, would look best cut around the shape of the eagle and then machine sewn to a tunic. As you stated though, a standard machine embroidered eagle in grey thread on tan cotton backing would be best, even for an officer presentation.

Regards,
John

[Captzak]

Tropical FJ Breast Eagle

You guys have been a great help. I knew I could get the answers I needed here. Thank you!