Heads Up! Repro Luftwaffe Tunic

[John Hodgin]

Ebay item # 2136724883 is one of the reproduction Luftwaffe tropical tunics that Willi and I have been talking about. This tunic is just like others that were plentiful at the MAX last year. The paper tag is a joke and the eagle is as well. I believe the tropical shirt and five pocket tropical trousers listed along with this tunic are also the new reproductions. Note how nicely faded the markings are; very convincing. These are not made for renacting but to fool and cheat usmoremad and the producers are evil as far as I'm concerned.

Pissed off,
John

[J Melvin]

John, I spotted it as well and agree whole heartedly with your conclusions on all three pieces.

[John Hodgin]

Thanks Jack,

Remember the tropical eagle that I posted on the Luft. eagle thread that I considered bad? If you go back and look at that tropical eagle you will find it's exactly like the eagles on both the tunic and the shirt on ebay! After the very large number of legitimate eagle variations we posted on the Forum what are the odds of the two on ebay, and the one I doubted, all being identical? If you tried to find an authentic tropical tunic and an authentic tropical shirt with matching eagles it would be nearly impossible!

This is the style of eagle I remember on the reproduction Luft. tropical tunics and shirts at the MAX last year. Unfortunately, I couldn't carry a camera in the show and record the fake examples to post here. It took this long before I found photos to confirm with the one on the tunic my friend purchased. I should check ebay more often!

My friend purchased the tunic that is a different reproduction (it's a different weave) from a well known dealer. I suggested he return it. He didn't, perhaps he doubted me because these are very convincing. In any case, he paid less than $900 for it. Willi stated he wouldn't take $2000 for his with the tag. If a dealer that attends the MAX sells a mint one for less than $900 what does that tell you?!

Sorry Jos......

best,
John

[Jos L C]

Hello Jooohn,
I've noticed these items too and agree with you they're all fake.
What I think concerning the eagles used on these is that they probably used the type Willi and I have as a example to make these.
Remember the blue/grey backed eagle I showed you a while ago ?
They used that one as a example too to make fake ones.
I'm pretty sure my eagle is a good one,not saying it's original on my jacket,I'm not sure of that.
The eagle is old,much older than the fakes popping up now.
I've seen more examples of original eagles with the rather thin swastika,so IMO it's a type they used during the war,but I agree that seeing a almost identical eagle makes willi's and mine suspicious.
Please carry on to find out more about it,comparing them thoroughly will shed some light maybe.
If it all turns out that you're right about it,I'll burn my eagle(not the jacket)and I'll show you the ashes in this thread !!
Maybe Willi will post his loose example front and back here and we'll wait till we've better pics of the recent fake ?

See you later !
BTW,I'm looking for about 4 Africa-luft buttons,any idea where I can get these ??

Jos.

[John Hodgin]

Hi Jos,

You are correct, we need to stay aware of the current reproductions, they keep changing. What is really disturbing is how accurate the tunic and shirt are constructed. If the shirt and tunic had authentic eagles applied to them some unfortunate ebay bidder would think he had authentic ones for a deal......this may happen anyway.

For reference, here is the repro tropical eagle again. It is not a good eagle.

Best,
John

[Jos L C]

John,
Here's mine again,maybe we can find out more about them ?
First thing I see is the wings of my eagle are more curled and the backingcloth is different.
I also see some differences in the body part,the "breastfeathers"
on my eagle seem to be more pointy than on the other eagle,then comes the raised claw part that seems to have a strange bend where the "elbow" is.
IMO these eagles are the same pattern,but not the same.
What do you think ?

Jos.

[Willi Z.]

Ok Jos and John........I am now prepared to say that I do not like either eagle. Though not like the repro I posted before, I do not like the backing and some of the eagle detail.....specifically I do not like the left wing......the area which would normally have the 6 lines of detail on the upper wing (and 4 on the right wing). While attending the Max I will seek out the repro Luft tunics and pay attention. Might be a good show to bring digital cameras to record some of what we find.

Willi

[Steve in Florida]

John!!!

Please enlighten me on the paper tag. What's wrong with it? I'm not real up on cloth stuff. Was Otto Büske in Berlin an original maker of uniforms? Are all of these paper Büske tags bogus regardless of the inkstamps?? Thanks.

[John Hodgin]

Hi Steve,

Get out the Kurtz book and look at the paper tag on Willi's tunic on p.55. In addition the actual stamp on the repro is absurd. To stamp on a Luft tunic, "Luftwaffe," is stupid. If this was a small uniform piece the stamp Luftw. would be appropiate. I'm saying any more, here they know too much already.

Willi, yeah, I talking to you! I think if we started shooting digital photos in the MAX they would throw us out. To my understanding cameras are NOT allowed.....for this and other reasons.

best,
John

[John Hodgin]

Sorry, that's supposed to be "I'm NOT saying any more" haven't had my second cup of coffee yet.

[John Hodgin]

Good grief! I AM still asleep, the previous post is full of errors. When I said "in addition" it's after nothing. Sorry. That's because I deleted a sentence that I don't think should be "announced" to the makers about this bad paper tag.

Jos, my opinion of the eagle on your tropical tunic is the same as it's been from the begining....it is one of the current reproductions. (And, they have been in production for at least 7 or 8 years) Sorry, and don't burn it! In friendship,
John

[Jos L C]

John,
THE EAGLE IS BURNING !!!!

How do I find another ??

Jos.

[Willi Z.]

Damn John, you need something much stronger than coffee!

Jos, Luft trop breast eagles are much easier to identify as real when you find them loose (not sewn on to a tunic). The key is the back. But, they are getting tough to find...I grab maybe one each year.

Willi

[Steve in Florida]

Kinda figured the bright purple "Luftwaffe"

was not right. What about Otto Büske Uniformfabrik Berlin? I've seen the label before on uniform trousers (late war HBT) Original maker? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?