WTK : SS Saharian Tropical Shirts

[Bob Hritz]

They sure look like original shirts to me.

Bob Hritz

[blackheart0866]

They sure look like original shirts to me.

Bob Hritz

They do look exactly the same, buy just a couple small things are different, but those items like the shoulder boards tunnel type holders could have been added, as the rear button could have been added by the soldier, but the shirt seems to be un-issued.

Brian

[Bob Hritz]

Many people do not realize that because shirts could be used, after the war, they have become quite scarce. I know I am always looking for shirts to put under my tunics and find one or two a year, if I am lucky.

I have been trying to find the tropical Luftwaffe shirt with factory applied eagle and shoulder board loops. So far, no luck.

Bob Hritz

[blackheart0866]

Many people do not realize that because shirts could be used, after the war, they have become quite scarce. I know I am always looking for shirts to put under my tunics and find one or two a year, if I am lucky.

I have been trying to find the tropical Luftwaffe shirt with factory applied eagle and shoulder board loops. So far, no luck.

Bob Hritz

Yes, the shirts are really rare, and they was worn after the war, as they still needed clothing to wear, so majority was worn out.

This one seems to be un-issued, and i think that's why it survived, If i come across anymore shirts, especially the one you are looking for, I will let you know Bob.

I plan on putting a set of infantry Waffen-SS shoulder boards on it, and possibly a sleeve eagle also..


Brian

[Canuck63]

Hi Bob,
we all know that a hands-on inspection is nearly always mandatory.
In my opinion Brian's shirt is an original Luftwaffe tropical shirt of the Sahariana type while mine is definitely genuine,and I'm not telling that because it's mine!
This shirt has period applied shoulder loops made of the same green fabric found inside the chest pockets.
It has no traces of eagle on the chest neither there's evidence of an eagle being sewn on the arm at some point and it has been found along with his former owner's boots (soldier serving in mountain units seem to save as many uniform pieces as they can as souvenirs of their service,especially in Italy and Austria),documents and quite a lot of other personal belongings.Dunno why he didn't care about his tunic and trousers as well,but I think that they were used after the war.After all a German friend once met a Berlin Vet who served as a driver in a Stug III who told him that his two pair of Stug trousers were the only pair of trousers he had until X-mas 1946,and that he used the seat reinforcing patch of one pair to mend the other pair's knees!
This SS-mann tunic sure wasn't destroied to hide his "past",in fact he kept many Wss-related items...in my opinion it's been simply used until it was thrown away or used as a rag...sad fate for a very rare tunic !
As I've already said this shirt isn't a WSS shirt but a Luftwaffe tropical shirt and that only goes to show that even WSS weren't that picky when in need of the appropriate items!
Nice to see this kind of items posted....gonna post detailed pics soon if they are welcome!
Cheers
Manny

[blackheart0866]

Hi Bob,
we all know that a hands-on inspection is nearly always mandatory.
In my opinion Brian's shirt is an original Luftwaffe tropical shirt of the Sahariana type while mine is definitely genuine,and I'm not telling that because it's mine!
This shirt has period applied shoulder loops made of the same green fabric found inside the chest pockets.
It has no traces of eagle on the chest neither there's evidence of an eagle being sewn on the arm at some point and it has been found along with his former owner's boots (soldier serving in mountain units seem to save as many uniform pieces as they can as souvenirs of their service,especially in Italy and Austria),documents and quite a lot of other personal belongings.Dunno why he didn't care about his tunic and trousers as well,but I think that they were used after the war.After all a German friend once met a Berlin Vet who served as a driver in a Stug III who told him that his two pair of Stug trousers were the only pair of trousers he had until X-mas 1946,and that he used the seat reinforcing patch of one pair to mend the other pair's knees!
This SS-mann tunic sure wasn't destroied to hide his "past",in fact he kept many Wss-related items...in my opinion it's been simply used until it was thrown away or used as a rag...sad fate for a very rare tunic !
As I've already said this shirt isn't a WSS shirt but a Luftwaffe tropical shirt and that only goes to show that even WSS weren't that picky when in need of the appropriate items!
Nice to see this kind of items posted....gonna post detailed pics soon if they are welcome!
Cheers
Manny

But mine does have the WSS-style tunnel loops for the shoulderboards, and mine does have rear button that you mention, and i know where this one has been for the last 20 some years, and i have yet to find anyone making repro's of these, so This does make me feel that this is an original W-SS Saharian shirt.

Im no expert, i dont think this is an Luftwaffe shirt at all, there are small differences then the nice you posted pics of, I love the one you posted, but mine does have tunnel loops, and the rear button.

Here is a better pic showing the WSS-style tunnel loops for the shoulderboards.

Brian

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Brian, I don't think you have anything to worry about with the ones shown.

But I am 99.9% certain these are being reproduced for re-enactors. Last year I was chatting to some guys at an event who were displaying as 16th SS Div. I know they had the tunics and going from memory they had the shirts as well. Sadly, I never took a pic of them. But I have just discovered their website. I think you will see a couple of shirts if you are lucky:

http://www.16th-ss.co.uk/event-photos/

Cheers, Ade.

[blackheart0866]

Thanks for the link ;

Thats some pretty cool pics of them in uniform, but when i do a google on these shirts, i cannot find too much info on the shirts themselves, as i have been looking for pics to use for comparison.

It seems like the stuff they are faking is at least on the net for people to see, know what i mean ??

Like i said before, i have been trying for some time to get this shirt from my buddy, and he told me if i came back from Iraq alive, he would sell it to me, And recently he made good on that promise.

All he has done was have it stored inside a plastic bag with other shirts, he would never display it , like I'm going to be doing, as i have a set of pea dot pattern trousers that i will be displaying with it, i just need to find me a nice cap for it.

Brian

[blackheart0866]

Hi Brian, I don't think you have anything to worry about with the ones shown.

But I am 99.9% certain these are being reproduced for re-enactors. Last year I was chatting to some guys at an event who were displaying as 16th SS Div. I know they had the tunics and going from memory they had the shirts as well. Sadly, I never took a pic of them. But I have just discovered their website. I think you will see a couple of shirts if you are lucky:

http://www.16th-ss.co.uk/event-photos/

Cheers, Ade.

I have looked at those pics they posted on their web site, and i only see one person wearing one of these shirts we are talking about, and the other members are wearing regular non Saharian tan shirts, If these were being replicated, then i would think that everyone would be wearing one of them, as it seems like those guys have the funds to buy some serious equipment, as they have some vehicles. And they seem to be taking the re-enacting hobby very serious.


But, seriously , thanks for the link...


Brian

[Canuck63]

"As I've already said this shirt isn't a WSS shirt but a Luftwaffe tropical shirt and that only goes to show that even WSS weren't that picky when in need of the appropriate items!
Nice to see this kind of items posted....gonna post detailed pics soon if they are welcome!"...I was talking about my very own shirt of course!

I haven't read/seen/noticed that your shirt had tunnel loops....my bad, bud !Gonna find a partner to my poor lonely neuron soon so that they will (hopefully) reproduce !
Cheers
Manny