Article about: Hi all, picked this 1939 dated Luftwaffe Waffenrock up recently and thought I'd show it. I know a little about this type of tunic, i.e that it was phased in from November 1938, the intention
Hi all, picked this 1939 dated Luftwaffe Waffenrock up recently and thought I'd show it. I know a little about this type of tunic, i.e that it was phased in from November 1938, the intention being to replace (as a universal tunic) both the 4 pocket Tuchrock and fliegerbluse, though it never happened partly as it was too close to the war to start changing uniforms, and also because the fliegerbluse had proved very popular with the Luftwaffe. According to some production ceased in 1940, although Brian L Davis (in his book Luftwaffe Uniforms and Insignia) says that it was issued until the end of the war. I suppose it's possible that with surplus stocks items can be issued even when out of production.
Although having 5 buttons instead of 4 and designed to button up to the neck, with the lapels pressed fully back (which can cover the top button) they look very much like the standard 4 pocket Tuchrock. I imagine that sometimes when you see 4 pocket tunics in wartime photos they may well be Waffenrocks!
If anyone can add to the above information ref these tunics I'd be very interested.
The maker is "C & O Dressel" (Cuno & Otto Dressel) of Sonneberg, Thuringia (Thüringen), the very same town that the LBA (S) Sonneberg Luftwaffe Depot was based in. Originally a doll and toy maker:-
as the war approached they clearly took up some of the military contracts on their doorstep! The company was around from 1789 until 1942 when it apparently ceased trading. The buildings that this Waffenrock may have been made in were apparently still standing until the late 1990's.
In 1789 the Dressel family started with the business of toys and dolls in Sonneberg. They operated from one generations to the next.
In 1873 the company was known as the Cuno & Dressel Factory.
In 1942 the production closed.
Dressel purchased bisque doll heads from manufacturers as Simon & Halbig, Ernst Heubach, Gebrüder Heubach, Limbach and Armand Marseille, Schoenau & Hoffmeister and possibly others.
Dressel expanded to three factories in which; dolls were produced in Sonneberg, metal toys in Nurnberg and wood toys in Grunhainichen, Germany.
Cuno & Otto Dressel produced dolls of bisque, celluloid, china, composition, hard paste, papier mache, wax or wood; Täuflinge or baby, child, lady and portrait dolls."
Hi Paul, very nice example. You have got it all covered, so nothing really to add.
Cheers, Ade.
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Hi, thanks for the feedback all. I should have it soon. I bought it from Mike Davis at the Virtual Grenadier, he has some nice goodies! At some point I'll take some photos of it with my Flak visor etc and add them to this thread.
Hi, a bit late posting but received the Waffenrock from Mike Davis at the Virtual Grenadier and put it on a mannequin with a matching minty (1938 dated) Flak visor I got from Willem at Tarn Militaria in the Netherlands. The Waffenrock was in a US collection for about 20 years and as it can only be traced back to the early 90's I changed the ribbon bar (pinned on) for something suitable for an early war 1939/ 40 look when this type of uniform might have been more widely worn, as the Winter 41 medal was not issued until 1942. The Flak badge did not exist at this date either, so added a couple of awards that could be seen in 1939/ 40. On close inspection I could see that the lower left arm had originally had a cloth Flak trade badge (for 9 months service), complete with a few remaining threads, so placed a mint example (not sewn on yet) there (from German War Booty in the US). Again, this would be early war appropriate, being instigated in 1935 I believe?
I got the belt and buckle (zinc 2 piece 'Parade' type) from Malcolm Wagner in the UK, he picked it up from a the estate of a deceased Luftwaffe veteran in Bavaria. The shirt and tie are reproductions () from Zib Militaria in Germany. As I understand it the blue shirt could be worn with the Waffenrock when used for service dress, the white shirt was for Walking out dress etc.
Luftwaffe Waffenrock (Flak Obergefreiter)
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) from Zib Militaria in Germany. As I understand it the blue shirt could be worn with the Waffenrock when used for service dress, the white shirt was for Walking out dress etc.
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