M-43 Imposter !!

[M. A. Miller]

I'm moving this here from the collections site. It was identified to be Swedish. I've had this for quite some time and had not looked at the inside for quite awhile.I believe the experts, so I want to post pictures for those like me, who are, by no stretch of the imagination an expert. For future referance : Do the Swedish tunics have the zigzag stitching on the collars ? Are there shoulder boards similar to german ?, because they match well.The name on the pocket is hand sewn thread!! has anyone seen this used before ? Thanks for your input, Mitch

[Patrick Dempsey]

Upsala.

Hello Mitch,
just a quick reply.
The Swedes during the war ( and immediately after it) essentially copied the cut of the German M43 tunic, and as such, this style of tunic used to be favoured by re-enactors .Construction methods were similar ( the collar zig-zag), and shoulder straps followed a similar pattern also (the "Slip on" style). The lining however differs from its wartime German "Cousin".
You can also see from the JPEGS you provided, where buttons appear to have been replaced with ones which look wartime German ( if i remember, Swedish buttons also have the three crowns motif embossed on them in a similar configeration to the lining stamping you have shown), and the tailors label places the tunic as being made in "Upsala" which geographically is to the northwest of Stockholm...in Sweden.
I don't have any pictures to show you of the typical lining to be found in a 43 pattern tunic (although i can send you some of the lining of a 36 pattern i own, which would have the same pattern of lining) to compare with yours i'm afraid, but there are some superb tunic collections on the site. Perhaps someone could post some interior shots of theirs perhaps?

All the best,
Patrick.

[Tommy]

Hello.

You can check it you must see the behind.
You never see by M43 Tunics this what i maked with a red circle.
The interior where the Woundbadge is is longer.

[Tommy]

The behind from a M43.

[Tommy]

The interior.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Mitch, sorry that you have discovered that your tunic is Swedish. I have converted some of these myself many years ago for fellew re-enactors. The reason that the shoulder straps match in colour is that the chances are, they have been made from spare Swedish material. I have not seen a name stitched in a German tunic like this, but I have in a pair of 1937 pattern British battledress trousers.
There is always a market for these jackets to re-enactors so the chance are you might get your money back?
Cheers, Ade.