Field-Tailored FJ Tunic

[HptmCox]

This is a tunic in which I have owned for 2 years now. I purchased it from a friend who no longer desired to keep it because he was lucky enough to come across a water-camo FJ jump-smock. What I have here is a FJ tunic created out of some spare splinter-camo cloth. It has the nice FJ Eagle on the right breast and the goldish-yellow piped shoulder boards. I would provide better pictures and some close-ups but I need to save my damn money and get me a nice camera first. Hope this pic does my uniform some justice! (no that isn't a FJ helmet, obviously. It's a Luftwaffe green-camo M40. I can't afford a real FJ helmet, so this will have to do. Also, sorry for the poor editing-job)

[W Petz]

Hi,

Nice splinter field made tunic...many folks don't like to collect these because they don't know when they were put together. I do have a question for you though...what makes you think this tunic is FJ. Is there some history that attributes this tunic to a FJ. If not then anyone in the Luftwaffe could have had this tunic made. I've seen too many post-war made camo tunics so it would be nice to know if this one could be attributed directly to a FJ. Bill Petz

[Willi Z.]

I too would like to see some more photos, if possible. Is the camo double sided? Is it from a Zeltbahn? Since you said it was a FJ eagle, what kind is it? A closeup of the eagle would tell me in a flash.

As Bill said, very tough to know when these things were put together.

Willi

[HptmCox]

Unfortunately my camera is a really cheap one and I can not take close-ups because it is way too blurry. However, I can describe it to you. Willi, I know you are familiar with the book "German Paratroops". Somewhere in there, there are examples of FJ eagles. The eagle on my tunic is sand-colored, and green backed (not in the triagle type of backing, it folllows the design of the eagle). The book said, assuming memory is serving me correct, that these type of eagles went on late-war splinter-camo jump smocks? There is an example of these type of eagles on that page. The tunic is in fact double sided camo. There are also 5 of the correct type of loops on the left lower-torso to hang awards. The top one is of course the ribbon bar, which is occupied right now. And there other 2 are perfect size for an EK, FJ Badge, FLak badge, you name it. You know what kinda loops/size I'm talking about. As for knowing it is FJ. I bought it from a friend who purchased it from an estate of a man who collected Luftwaffe Items, specializing in Fallschirmjager pieces. That combined with the FJ eagle on the breast and the yellow-gold piped Leutnant shoulder boards leads me to believe it is authentic FJ. Yes, I am aware that the same kind of piping was used for flight personell, but they wouldn't be wearing a FJ eagle if I am correct...nor camo?

PS - I know that paragraph has bad grammar, but I just got up, so gimme a break

[Willi Z.]

Tough to figure out which eagle you are referring to. Since those eagles in there are mine, I am sure we can figure it out.

Was the estate you are referring to in NC? If so, I am very familiar with many of the items from there. And, there were several bad pieces.....across the full spectrum of FJ stuff. Also, some really choice stuff. I grabbed a few pieces early on. Not sure if I am on the same page as you on this one.

Can you scan the eagle? How is it stitched on? Is tha backing of the eagle green fabric with various colors of thread? Am puzzled as to how someone would find a loose FJ smock eagle in the field, in order to apply it to a uniform. Cutting it off a smock would seen strange. One never knows though...

That tunic could be made from a Zeltbahn. It is in Heer splinter pattern, and not Luftwaffe. Tough to prove when these things were made.....

Willi

[HptmCox]

I'll answer these to the best of my ability.

Was the estate you are referring to in NC?

Actually I think it was in Illinois somewhere. He said up midwest I think.

Can you scan the eagle?

I don't have a scanner

How is it stitched on?

There are stitches perpendicular to the patch spaced at about 3 or 4 millimeters.

Is tha backing of the eagle green fabric with various colors of thread?

The backing is in-fact green. However, all the threads are green, not different colors. Although this is a bad picutre, this will give you a general idea. Mine is the one on the bottom I believe, can't see details.

That tunic could be made from a Zeltbahn. It is in Heer splinter pattern, and not Luftwaffe.

Can you show me examples of each? I didn't know there were 2 different kinds of splinter-camo. Ask anymore questions you need and I'll answer. Thanks for helping.
!

[John Hodgin]

Hello Cox,

Yes there are two types of "splinter" camo. Luftwaffe camo is of a smaller pattern and a different shape than Heer splinter camo. Usually (but not always) Fj field made camo items are of Luftwaffe splinter. If you have reference books, look at some splinter jump smocks and compare these to zeltbahns, you will then see what we are talking about. Mike Beaver's Waffen SS Camouflage book is an excellent one for this; check the comparative camo section near the back. Even non-SS collectors should own this book. Many Luftwaffe short camo jackets were made by simply altering Luftwaffe Field Division jackets just as the one at the bottom of page 284 in Beaver's book. This example has darts taken up in the back so that it fits tightly and has the rakish look of a Panzer wrapper. Somewhere I have a period photo of an entire group of men with most all of them are wearing shortened splinter jackets just like this. Interestingly most are also wearing Meyer caps.

Yes, Heer splinter was used a lot for field items as well. But like Willi and Bill said, without direct provenance, it is impossible to know if the piece is WW II or post war fabricated.

Regards,
John

[JAMES.M]

As John said, you have to watch out for these! I got burned on one of these myself and only found out about it when I posted it here!

Cheers,
James

[K Bandow]

Well, I like the way it looks, even IF it was post-war assembled from actual war-time materials. Cason, have I shown you the pics of my dad's old original Heer splinter smock pics yet (I helped him sell it on ebay 3 years ago)?

[HptmCox]

No I haven't seen them yet karl. Please show!

[K Bandow]

Shall do. Here it is (sorry about the bad quality, but they were taken with a very crappy digital, much as the one you say you have.)