Luftwaffe Belt Buckle and Tab.

[Killroy]

So guys, what would be the difference between the brown and the black tabs? I am not a buckle collector and this is a great chance form me to learn something new!

Jeff

[DUJAILAH]

The black tabs are rarer; but I reckon they were using whatever leather was available during the war. Tabs were soon discontinued on buckles after this date, cheers, Richard.

[curio bill]

I have been told that the tabs were designed to hold up the ammo pouches, but was the tab worn in addition to/on top of the normal belt attachment?? Thanks, Bill

[Ben Evans]

I have been told that the tabs were designed to hold up the ammo pouches, but was the tab worn in addition to/on top of the normal belt attachment?? Thanks, Bill

Bill, leather support tab was there to "support" the weight of the ammo pouch worn on the right (looking away from person). I believe this was a "left over" trait from WW1. In reality it did zip and they used two pouches anyway. The order to stop using the support tab was given in 1942 to conserve leather stocks.

[DUJAILAH]

Hi Bill, Bens got it right & I will add that I feel the support tab theory is a red herring. Even with a WW1 set the tab couldn't support a thing. I feel the tab is to stop the buckle slipping on the belt & to make it a better/tighter fit, cheers, Richard.

[groundgunner]

On the black tab versus the brown tab, my copy of Nash (pg. 166) states that Luftwaffe belts, Y straps and buckle tabs were originally brown. "Later the belt leather color was changed to black with many earlier brown leathers being re-colored. Black was to remain the offical color for the duration of the war."

He doesn't say when the change from brown to black was made. Does anyone know? Given that both the tabs posted on this thread are dated 1942, does that suggest the change happened sometime during '42?