Variation Luftwaffe Tunic?

[NickG]

converted post war DRK???

Thanks for clarifying Diane! Nick
PS: Speaking of DRK, I am in need of your DRK collar tabs.. if these are the enlisted- NCO quality ones, please PM me with best price!

[Willi Z.]

The relationship of the size of the collar versus the lapels are incorrect for a Luftwaffe tunic. Is there a label inside the inside pocket?

[NickG]

collar

No Willi... no trace of a maker label anywhere... but also no trace of a label being removed either (to hide something) so that's a good sign.... I've seen collar lapels in many different shapes (but I do admit these are very pointed) in period pictures and that doesn't bother me too much actually... Again were talking about a privately tailored officer's piece... so collar and lapel shapes variations are not uncommon at all when dealing with open collar tunics. Tailors (schneiders) used certain patterns or styles that they liked to use or that their customer prefered... There were tollerances... sometimes the cut is even influenced by civilian design as uniform tailors were also in the suit making business... Maybe it was made by tailor who specializes in KM reefer jackets, seen those lapels? And of course another possibility: foreign tailors supplying military officers could also explain oddities... What puzzles me THE MOST is the hip pockets (political style), but again that could also have been ordered that way as a customer preference...Who knows! Nick

[Willi Z.]

Nick, I am not talking about the shape of the lapel. I am talking about the width of the lapel in relationship to the collar. The lapels on this tunic extend beyond the collars. Unlike on photos and known original Luft tunics. The absence of a tailor label is not a good thing by any stretch.

And I certainly don't agree with the the theory that tailors could modify patterns as they saw fit.

[Diane]

Tailor Made Uniforms

Italian (and French) Tailors were notorious for tunic variations.

I once examined an Italian made LW Officers Fliegerbluse - with zipped front, silk lining and built in pocket for a small caliber pistol. The wool was Italian LW blue and it never had collar tabs, only shoulder boards which were sewn down completely to prevent their being torn off when the guy got in and out of his aircraft.

Although fantastic in workmanship & design that Fligerbluse was definately NOT standard issue.

I am sure that many variations and privately tailer tunics exist.

It would be nice if some of the more advance Luftwaffe collectors could post some of their oddities here for us to see.

Diane

[Mike Swan]

Variation Luftwaffe tunic

Nick,

Your tunic looks good in the photos. I wouldn't agonise too much about the lack of a dagger slit, however, the very wide lapels might give me some concerns. I must disagree with Willi, though. I have several tailored army and luftwaffe tunics that lack labels and that aspect doesn't worry me one bit. One of those is a superb cavalry waffenrock that was accompanied by an original letter of provenance.

A former RAAF wing commander and long-time local collector, sadly now departed this world, showed me a Luftwaffe flak hauptmann's tunic he received as a gift from a museum in Germany many years ago. He sent them a common RAAF officers uniform and received the other in return !!!!

This tunic features the lower slash pockets but they don't appear to be at an angle like yours. In all other respects, it's a textbook example with downtail eagle, no award loops. I still have the photo I took at his house probably 15 or more years ago. If it reproduces okay on my digital camera, I'll ask my mate Bob to post it for your information.

Regards,


Mike

[Bob Lyons]

Here ya go Mike...

Bob

[NickG]

Thanks for the replies guys, I would love to see the pic of that Flak tunic with unconventional (non patch) hip pockets!! That sounds encouraging, proof that there are variations with strong prevenance! I am keeping the tunic one more day before I make up my mind to buy it ! Thanks again! Nick

[NickG]

flak tunic

Wow thanks for posting, the hip pockets are less angled but more or less same style as mine and the pocket flaps are scalloped, unlike conventional 4(patch) pocket LW tunics which usually have straight pocket flaps. Great!!!
I am excited about my tunic now!!!! (based on the interesting history of the FLAK one!!!) Nice!! Thanks again! Nick

[Willi Z.]

This is the only one I have handy right now. A finely tailored NCO tunic. Attention to detail exhibited throughout. The tabs, tress, eagle and straps are of very high quality.

[NickG]

text book 4 pocket LW

Willi, for comparison purposes thanks for posting what a textbook LW 4 pocket tunic (here an NCO version made of officer's quality tricot ribbed wool I assume) is supposed to look like, showing pleated patch pockets all around and straight pocket flaps) That's the reason why I was interested in the plausibility of issuance of unique "variation" models, like the one that started this thread (thanks for posting Gene!) and now the Flak Captain that turned up in Australia with weird pockets, but iron solid provenance! Anybody else with variation ones to show? collar and lapel oddities? angled hip pockets? scalloped pocket flaps, etc... Thanks Nick

[Gene]

No problem Nick, glad to help. It'd be out of character for me not to have.

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Not something I would buy. If your looking for a Lw tunic that does not pose more questions than answers this is not it.

[SprogCollector]

We've been debating this jacket over in the BRD forum and we've been exploring early postwar Polizei uniforms. First image was provided by WAF member Guardian5. Second and third images via NickG from his posts on the BRD discussion thread.

Additional info provided by NickG indicates traces of a removed label along with an inked stamp reading "Schmidt & Knapwo???"
along with some other stamps -- "MW" and a large number "56". 56 could be a year or (a large) size.

[SprogCollector]

frank savage:
I think these are the Galland photos you we're referring to in your earlier posts





copyright as indicated




Rather than a custom-made, private purchase LW jacket, I'm wondering if he's wearing an M34 SS-VT jacket in either drill or wool material? Tough to tell the color in the Galland photos.