The SS Zeltbahn

[Winkelman]

What a great picture , thanks for sharing . And I just knew I had seen that collection before .. !

Same Zelt at a later stage ( with even more insignia ) - or is it earlier and were some removed & traded already .. ?!

from " World War II German War Booty " - 1982 Ltc. Thomas M. Johnson .

[PanzerFrank]

Winkelman- Thanks for posting! I've never read the Johnson book you referenced, so I was shocked😨 when I saw the same Zelt!
I would say your version is later. As you pointed out, there are many more "goodies" on it. Another factor is that in my photo, in the background you can see several other Zelts set up into tents, and empty fields.
In the Johnson photo, the Zelts in the background have been changed to what looks lite GI tents. Also, you can see the previously open fields in the background have been replaced by thick pine forest.
The caption on back of the photos state that it is May 1945, in a temporary POW "camp" in a town in Czech. called Konstantinsbad, which is close to Pilzen. Absolutely cool!
Kammoman- sorry I have taken the thread a bit off topic
Regards- Frank

[salt*creek]

Zelthaus

[PanzerFrank]

salt*creek- nice photo. That's one expensive "tent", by today's standards.
I see the zelt on the viewer's left has the 2 smaller grommets on the side edge. Do you or kammo man have any idea as to when these were discontinued? Also approx. when were the anodized grommets discontinued?
I Thanks again for all you and kammo man have contributed to the camo threads. Either of you going to the SOS?
Regards- Frank

[salt*creek]

Frank,
Unfortunately, not going to the SOS. Owen is.
I've had the green and brown anodized grommets on 1940 dated zeltbahns. I don't think I've seen any after 1941.
The small side panel ones were also anodized until then as well.
Here is a 1940 3/4 one. I think that certain manufacturers still made the zeltbahns with the extra side grommets until 1943. You see them on blurred and hand screened plane tree ones until about that date. Never seen them on zeltbahns dated after 1943.


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[kammo man]

See you at the show

[revi]

Same here, alu anodized grommets 5.5/1940 ( brown side ). Zelt 1941 with (alu)zinc alloy non anodised.

[kammo man]

I have never even held one of those
They are rare

[Fritz]

Frank,
Unfortunately, not going to the SOS. Owen is.
I've had the green and brown anodized grommets on 1940 dated zeltbahns. I don't think I've seen any after 1941.
The small side panel ones were also anodized until then as well.
Here is a 1940 3/4 one. I think that certain manufacturers still made the zeltbahns with the extra side grommets until 1943. You see them on blurred and hand screened plane tree ones until about that date. Never seen them on zeltbahns dated after 1943.


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Yes.

According to what I have seen: Anodized not post 1940. In 1940 a simplification was introduced and from that point on all buttons were brown on either side. Before this the buttons were green on the green side and brown on the brown side. Since the green side also shows brown sections it made quite some sense to make that change.

In 1940 they probably realized that anodized metal parts are a case of peace time over-engineering.

Also: The quality of the anodization was generally higher in earlier pieces. The very last of the VT Zelts often show a mix of anodized and raw metal finishes. Those are also 1940 pieces and all are WAREI made.

I also agree that the two small side grommets became obsolete (with ss Zelts) in 1943, depending somewhat on the maker. You can find these post 43 on Wehrmacht Zelts though.

Cheers

[PanzerFrank]

Revi, salt*creek and Fritz-- GREAT photos! Like Owen, I have never had one in hand. One fact I did not know, nor obviously have seen: a Wehrmacht Splinter zelt with the 2 small grommets along the side. Anyone that has a Splinter Zelt with 2 smal grommets in the middle of each side edge, please post photos!!
Hope to see kammo man, and anyone else here at the SOS. Dont know how to make that happen, but would love to meet you guys!!
Regards...Frank

[PanzerFrank]

Numbers

salt*creek, kammo man, Fritz, and others who have contributed to the thread..can you tell us how many SS Zelts you have in your collection. Thanks All in advance!
Frank

[TabulaTJ]

Found this in a Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler album.

[kubel44]

Zelts

Hello
I only have 6, I used to have 14 😥😥

[Fritz]

I have no idea as to how many I have had and how many I have handled.

These are VT Zelts and a contemporary WAREI catalogue.





Cheers

[salt*creek]

I still have 14