SS tabs

[Johnny R]

Is this my imagination or are the runes on the tab set closer to one side than is usually seen, is this something special about these or are they early etc?

[John Pic]

Nope it just happens that way sometimes,its how they ended up when wrapped on the buckram backing. Nice set though.

[Johnny R]

Thanks, are they early late etc. can you tell. I want to use them for a restore on a circa 1944 Untersturmfuher tunic.

[C.P. Whitehead]

Very nice!

[John Pic]

Appear to be mid to later war.

[Johnny R]

Great, I will post my project here. I need rank pips that is it after a year.

[Johnny R]

Here is the tunic in progress with the tabs placed on without sewing. Do you think the signals and rank is a good choice for the award loops. I guess he could have been enlisted and then promoted later in the war. The central loops are to thin for an EK and IMO for a war badge. That was one reason I did not do infantry etc. Jacket is dated June 21st 1944, it has the order number but the name has sadly been cut out.

I contacted the tailor, now a corporation with help of German friends but the do not have order records for the War.

[AFF96]

Beautiful tunic Johnny!

[Johnny R]

Thanks, I wish I had the name but it is still a nice tunic.

[coloradocowboy]

nice!

[RobertE]

John, the arm eagle looks like it is sewn on higher that I would expect. Regarding the collar tabs and this being a non-army converted tunic, I'd sure want to look it over. For me, officers collar tabs that are oversized for the existing collar make me nervous. Unit tailors and certainly civilian ones could swap a collar faster that a jack rabbit on a date, or elongate the existing collar with a new green cover (larger, broader, pointier).

Seeing the collar top and bottom even with the tab piping seems to lack the asthetics usually seen on SS officer tunics. I'd look for smaller tabs if I were attempting a restoration.

regards, Robert

[Johnny R]

Hello Robert, I put the eagle on the tunic where the original was, there were ghosts for all the insignia, no other evidence of an eagle below it. It is 14 CM from the shoulder to the top of the eagle. The tabs are not sewn on the tunic yet and look odd on the collar. They fit into the "footprints" of the original tabs. I think I did a pretty good job so far. IMO these are nuch harder to restore than Heer and much more costly if a mistake is made.

[RobertE]

John, you do a superb job on tunic restorations, and my hat is off to you on your results - they are typically outstanding.

Most SS tunics i've seen have the eagle centered more between the elbow and shoulderseam, but it could just be the photo angle. If that's where the old one was, no way to argue with that!

The collar tabs just looked too large for the collar. If the tab piping is at the extreme top or bottom edge of the collar, then I would suggest a slightly smaller pair - which are hard to find, I know.

Again, this is just asthetics. You do a great job with these, and i'll look forward to seeing how it turns out.

regards, Robert

[Johnny R]

Thanks, the regulations for the early SS uniforms say "approximately 15-20 CM below the shoulder seam". This "floating" happens with GJ badges as well, regulation says 15CM but they show up all over the arm. I will look at the tabs, they are not taped and were put on there at a weird angle, that may be the problem.

[jacquesf]

Looking good, I would like to see the final product. I have been trying to find used Heer officer pips with absolutely no luck. Jacques