German camouflage?

[G.T.]

Hi to all, has anyone on this forum ever had any interest in German WW2 camo smocks, zeltbahns , jackets etc. etc.
When I was a young lad in South Dakota, around 5 o'clock in the afternoon, they, my dads veteran buddies, would knock down a bottle of boosted pop, (normally 7up or sprite!) Throw me in the back of the Jeep my dad had, (Korean war vintage, civil defense light blue) and we would be, in a minute or two, outside the city road hunting for pheasants and what ever else might pop up, like an occasional fox! The farmers back then didn't farm the fence lines, or ditches and the pheasant population was booming as a result, we always seemed to get birds, which went next to the sisters at the convent... But, etched in my memory, was several of my dads buddies would show up in a German coat of some type? I remember two specifically, one being a splinter pattern, and the other a brown camo coat that we noticed was remarkably colored very similar to the rooster pheasants we were hunting. The rest of the time it was flight jackets and bomber jackets , all totally worn out and used up. When the vets got back home, they went back to work, and used everything they had in that regard. It didn't hang in the closet for long for most of them... Anyway, the old memories have always had a spark of collecting interest for me. Of course, anything good is astronomically priced... So, I've been buying reproductions when they look correct and have even some quality. All just to hang in the "hobbit workshop" just for color.. I was wondering if any of the other members share this interest, and what experiences they might have had along the way... Best to all, til.....lat'r.....GT....

[spangy]

I am interested and wouldn't mind seeing some pics of your jackets.
I used to own a Brown leather bomber jacket in perfect condition that fit like it was made for me .... since stolen ... still looking for the scumbag that stole it should he be stupid enough to wear it. It had a beautiful and very warm sheepskin collar and I miss it every fall/winter.

I am always fascinated with the jacket that appears on Doubs posts.

He has a MAC patch on his jacket ... Military Airlift Command now called Air Mobility Command.
I have a large collection of military unit patches that I acquired from servicemen who came to the 'DEWLINE' (Distant Early Warning Line aka NORAD) sites I was stationed at in the Canadian high arctic.
http://lswilson.dewlineadventures.com/
We would trade patches ... I have about 38 patches from different units, mostly USAF.


NORAD 4700 OSS Dewline patches

MAC - Military Airlift Command patches.

[MikeP]

My dad, 506th PIR, brought home a German flight jacket he apparently wore out on the farm.
Most everyone in the area of that age was a vet. I never saw anything from their service time being worn by anyone.
I had my field jacket I wore while in school and general use in the 70s. Lots of VN vets were identifiable by that on campuses and other places.
Wore it to pieces, eventually.

[spangy]

Nice patch Mike. I don't have that one. any spares ?? I have various USAF doubles in my collection maybe we could trade.

[G.T.]

Hi Mike, I had one old vet enlighten me as to why you never see any of the sheepskin, (like B3) jackets around for long is they didn't last?? The tanning processes at that time didn't have as good of "lifespan" as the modern ones do? That is why most of the remaining original examples are brittle and cracked overall! And, at the time, the manufactures were laser focused into quantity! They didn't make stuff for down the road, they needed it now. Especially with the extremely high losses in 1943 bombing raids... I have had the new B3 bomber jackets in South Dakota, and they were incredibly warm, not too much need for that in Phoenix, so I gave it to a friend, best, til....lat'r....GT

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by spangy

He has a MAC patch on his jacket ... Military Airlift Command now called Air Mobility Command.
I have a large collection of military unit patches that I acquired from servicemen who came to the 'DEWLINE' (Distant Early Warning Line aka NORAD) sites I was stationed at in the Canadian high arctic.

Buy do you have the 328th 'Mushroom' patch???

[spangy]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

Buy do you have the 328th 'Mushroom' patch???

Nope But I definitely want one. That is one cool patch.

EDIT: Found one https://www.ebay.ca/itm/USAF-328th-A...item44740c6174
It's not the same if you buy one though ... it's gotta have a story behind it.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by spangy

Nope But I definitely want one. That is one cool patch.
EDIT: Found one

Wrong patch! That's the KC-135 Air Refueling Squadron patch; mine is the Tactical Airlift Squadron patch (C-130's). The TAS predated the ARS. Both AFRES. Theoretically the same squadron (same base), but totally different people.

And yes, there's stories.

(And another thread gets hijacked...)

Edit: The graphic (mushroom) is the same; it's just the airframe that has changed. And, like I said, the people. Everyone I knew back in 1998 (when I left) is gone. AFRES seems to be phasing out the C-130 for the C-17; I don't know why or how the KC-135 got involved. That's strategic; we were tactical. ~125 of us in the 328th TAS, and eight C-130's. All gone.

[lugerholsterrepair]

Remember in the rear areas of base
camps?A little mama san with a hand treadle sewing machine would make you any kind of patch you could show her.