Meet the Waffen SS-untersturmfuhrer twins

[panzer wittman]

Awesome twins Nick!! Congrats

[NickG]

Awesome twins Nick!! Congrats

Thanks!
Here some "before" shots showing SS pedigree! and were carefully restored!

The Estonian impression was a black dyed tunic which was restored with Algemeine SS insignia and shiny RZM buttons...
Purchased stripped and the black dye I managed to remove! Resulting in the 2nd image = the SAME tunic!!!
but now revealing it's early green collar!

[NickG]

The sleeve eagle ghosts still visible on both tunics!
No doubt both Waffen SS used!

[NickG]

The "Nederland" tunic before restoration! All medal loops original! Cuff title ghost also very clear!

The "Estland" tunic theme was chosen as no cuff title ghost was visible on the sleeve and the Estonians (outside of Wiking if course)
were not issued any cuff titles! (at least not officially...but "Estland" CT's are none to have been made and worn on occassion.

[NickG]

Some more AFTER shots!

[NickG]

Period images of similar set up!
and the "Nederland" tunic with some more kit displayed! (shown before)

[NickG]

Here an all field-gray M40 tunic example! Enlisted belt + low boots with gaiters
this Waffen SS Untersturmfuhrer (promoted NCO???) blending in better with enlisted personnel at the front line!

[NickG]

Had not thought I would ever own 2 ligit Waffen SS combat tunics, (not even fixer-uppers as these )
but it happened thanks to contacts made on WAF! Just great! Thought it would be fun to show both side-by-side this time!

Just wish I could afford some decent Waffen SS head gear...Oh well... Maybe I will get lucky again! Thanks for viewing!

[TrondK]

Nice restoration Nick.

[Ian Hulley]

Nice job Nick but why promote the tunics to SS-Ustf when they had obviously been NCOs ? Not trolling just curious

Cheers, Ian.

[NCO]

Looks super Nick.
Cheers
nco

[Paul R.]

GREAT JOB! Nick

[Sjking]

.

Great restoration Nick, they look awesome..

[NickG]

Nice job Nick but why promote the tunics to SS-Ustf when they had obviously been NCOs ? Not trolling just curious

Cheers, Ian.

Thanks for the guys!

For Ian; Good question and it was posed before when I presented my Nederland tunic on it's own in 2011-12...

- I had most components readily available for both impressions (low budget restorations!)
- restoring the NCO tresse is hard to do and with possible mistakes it will never look convincing...So I was concerned it would make the tunic(s) appear to be post war upgraded NCO ensembles (from plain enlisted) if not done right...better to leave the collars on both tunics alone!
- both tunics had the belt support straps cut off, could be an officer conversion...
- the dagger hanger slit on the Estonian M36 uniform and the removal of the bellows on all the pockets of the Nederland M40/36 tunic ,
both are reasonable indicaters that these were indeed officer used field tunics, hence the chosen promotion theme, resulting in these twins!
The ghost tresse makes these uniforms both "talk" (as junior officer rank promotion examples, field promoted through the ranks!)

I realize these are "put-togethers" (creations) which some might frown upon... but better than fake repro ensembles!
(these will always remain real SS tunics with real insignia matching the condistions of both tunics) and these represent for me
the next best thing to untouched (frankly unaffordable) originals!! (if that can even be proven! always a risky high-dollar investment!)

Here one of my favorite pictures, Nederland Div. Officers (again note enlisted tab conversion for that "field use" combat look!)

"Tapferkeits offizier" btw translates to "courage officer" which means field promotion, the NCO was never sent to a Junker schule (officers school),
promoted on the spot and given a leadership (fuhrer) position in the field....a more common practice late war...)
So this Untersturmfuhrer on the right might even have NCO tresse ghosts on his M36 pattern field tunic! (something I tried to emulate on both tunics).
Now to find 2 SS schirmmutzes!!!

[viva_giulio]

this is a real good restoring project... and these tunics are really desiderable!