Strange Tropical Jacket

[Leroy]

These also existed, and fairly rare, with factory Luft tropical eagle, I've owned one, and it was confirmed by several as the real thing.

And also with a blue-backed eagle.

[BenVK]

Now that looks a bit special Leroy. Got anymore photos?

[Leroy]

Out the door to work right now, Ben. Maybe tonight!

[billbert]

Ben
16 th Reichfurher SS was a BIG wearer of these also in corsica and sardinia ..great restoration project... Billbert

[BenVK]

Not sure my resto skills are up this but there's only one way to learn!

[Scott A. Hess]

Very nice Leroy! I wish I'd kept mine, but such is life!

[NickG]

The majority of these (real ones, if you can find them) are 2nd model, meaning no pocket pleats.
Even though its in ratty condition, it being a 1st pattern is really neat and very much worth restoring!
Can't beat the price either! Congrats!

Does it have signs of prior insignia?
I agree that besides the Waffen SS also the Polizei used these and some indeed even ended up in Luftwaffe service,
most likely usually LW officers, who had easier connections to get one!
Perhaps the HG division, they also used SS smocks)

Here' s mine (a 2nd pattern Sahariana...no pocket pleats), representing a mountain unit SS doctor
(Heer pattern boards no black underlay) as often used by SS medical officers.

[Leroy]

Ben,
Just in from work and of course there is no light anymore. Here are a few (BAD!) photos.
AFRIKA cuff

[Leroy]

Eagle

[Leroy]

KRETA cuff

[Leroy]

Former location of original SS eagle. I think that this fellow got hold of this tunic, had the SS insignia removed and his insignia put on it. The sleeves have also been shortened and re-hemmed.

The tunic has loops, to the side of the EK1 location, which would accomodate a flight badge, a para badge or even a ground assault. If I had to GUESS, I would think a flight badge and that this person was probably a transport flyer (which would take him all over the place).

[BenVK]

Looks great, thanks for posting!

Anyone here attempted a restoration of a tunic as damaged as mine?

[Kaltenbach]

These "sahariana" style tunics usually had a tropical sleeve eagle, and were worn by LAH and RFSS troops in Italy mainly

Someone have photos of LAH wearing the Sahariana?

[Johnny R]

Looks great, thanks for posting!

Anyone here attempted a restoration of a tunic as damaged as mine?

Hello Ben, that is a pretty salty example. With that type of fabric you would need to do patching with original fabric or modern fabric of the same color or dyed to match. I have been experimenting with redying areas of bleach damage with about 50% sucess. It is very hard to get the bleached area back to the orignial cloth color in non-wool fabrics. In the end to be honest it is a personal choice to put that much work into something in this condition. My friend who is a master restorer usually just tells me to sell stuff like this but I never listen to him