strange museum display Das Reich SS uniform

[NickG]

Sorry for the crappy pictures but that's all I've got... (its behind glass obviously)...
This Das Reich SS uniform was donated by a veteran (that's the story at least) to the airforce museum at March field (March AFB) here in California. Pretty much all other artifacts are airforce related and authentic, like General Doolittle's uniform which also was donated...(by the family no doubt) but this SS tunic definately does not look right...
Note open collar, strange cuffs, pleated breast + unpleated skirt pockets (Polizei style)... 4 button front, no closed neck feature..lacking hooks...looks like a permanent V neck??? Its not a converted Swede but what is it?
(the artillery waffenrock, the only other German uniform they have, is OK)

[Dr. Strangelove]

Crap

Crap

[NickG]

another image

another image...note no belt hook holes either...what it is?

[bwanek1]

Crap

No way. It is in a museum, so it must be right!

[Dr. Strangelove]

Right?

It's about as right as that Monkey you posted and then, there is a God, deleted. Let me guess, "It belonged to one of Goebbel's Children and was pulled from the Bunker by a Russian Soldier". Never buy the STORY !

[billbert]

Maybe the ole curator SWITCHEROO!! Billbert

[pete]

.

That never happens! Why would a curator ever do such a thing?

[Dr. Strangelove]

Switcheroo

Actually donating some really rare item to a Museum and the claiming it is worth a boatload of money is a great tax write off. Of course if it is fake and the Museum has no clue, well that is a win win situation. There is more than one reeason Museums are stuffed with fakes.

[Bobwirtz]

It's not an original WWII German garment and the insignia is probably not either. Noticed right off the difference in rank between the collar tab and the shoulder straps. I only believe half of what I see in museum's these days. If this museum is part of the Air Force Museum system, then perhaps they should work with the Army's Museum System and find something to trade for related to their theme... Waffen-SS and USAF...

Bob

[NickG]

museum

This is the place, adjacent March Air Force base in California...
http://www.marchairmuseum.com/exhibits.php

[KM-NZ]

EM rankpatch and NCO shoulderboards ..... hmmmm...

Mark

[NickG]

EM rankpatch and NCO shoulderboards ..... hmmmm...

Mark

maybe the previous owner removed the pips...That being the only original parts of this piece!
but what is the origin of this uniform? Its not a converted Swede...

[KM-NZ]

maybe the previous owner removed the pips...That being the only original parts of this piece!
but what is the origin of this uniform? Its not a converted Swede...

Nick, you mean as a Hauptscharfuhrer I take it, true did not think of that.
Wouldnt there be blatant evidence of tampering on the collarpatch then ?
Could it be a NVA tunic ?

Mark

[NickG]

Nick, you mean as a Hauptscharfuhrer I take it, true did not think of that.
Wouldnt there be blatant evidence of tampering on the collarpatch then ?
Could it be a NVA tunic ?

Mark

Agreed! That theory (of mine) still would not work with these open ended (tresse) straps...
Its a put together POS...
Just wondering what could have it been... prior to this transformation? Its not NVA as far as I can determine... Its not Dutch, even though the cuffs look Dutch...odd piece with lots of problems!
That's for sure!

[Bobwirtz]

I checked out the website and there's no email address to correspond to. I'd let them know about this piece and bet you they'd come back with some explanation and that they are the experts and know best.

Bob