German tents.... help

[barryG]

Have a bit of a problem, need a new tent as our old ridge tent is past it now.

Problem is this......

Our group number 1 doesnt want any more of Pathfinders tan stabzelts on the display which is fair enough.
We need a large ish tent for the two of us plus gear for the display so at least 9x7 which is what we have.
Cant have another ridge tent as he says (rightly) that they didnt use them.
Cant afford a 16 man zelt and wouldnt want the cheap zelts so looking at a good £1100 or more!
Cant have a bell tent as I suggested, as we do 12th SS I thought we could use the bell tent to educate as to the origins of the 12th using HJ uniforms and kit.... but apparently they are too big for our pitches.

As you can see Im in a pickle, any suggestions for a tent that is period/German/not too big or small and one you think we could use?

[wolfsangel]

change group - joking! If you have lots of kit and want a big tent you could always use a modern tent and camp/sleep away from the display. Most shows cater for modern camping.
Its only in the last few years that everyone has taken to sleeping on the displays.

Another alternative would be the Italian zelts made into a command style set up,

[barryG]

Cheers, I wouldnt want to camp away from the display as thats part of the experience. Apparently, the Italian zelts are frowned upon in making a command tent.

[ringer]

don`t listen to Matt...most of those guys don't need tents as they don't sleep ( just occasionally pass out by the fire )
Hey Matty


I don't mind another Stabzelt provided you camo it up as the Germans would have done..Huge tan tents look really out of place in most of the situations we pitch in.
Ive shown you photos of the type of ridge tents that are acceptable
cheap zelts are fine (ish) with some waterproofing and they dont leak too badly as is ( provided you dont touch them when wet that is )
Bell Tent ....no ...out of place

It just seems illogical to replace and item and not try to improve the display with a more accurate item.

what is everyone's view on the Italian 1929 Telo Mimetico shelters then ...I personally don't mind them but its difficult to find an original photo of the Germans using them as tentage (why would they if they all carried M31s )
Of course then you have the problem of getting enough that are a decent colour..the most commonly available ones are garish orrible colours compared to the proper stuff ...do we want to go to all the trouble to buy the most accurate dot patten tunics /correct smocks and then stand in front of a wrong looking tent .

would the public know ?, would they care ? ....shouldnt it be because we care

am I just being picky ??

With all the views this has had can we get some views from the wider community perhaps ??

[RUSS]

You can pick up swiss wartime dated splinter square sections which would make a good size tent , i picked up 2 in st mare du mont last week 30euros each 42 dated . The pattern is about 90% the same as german zelts and would be alot better than useing post war italien zelts as the colour and pattern are wrong .
Look on ebay

[Peiper]

Personally i have the 8 section Zelt SS oakleaf tent, and that is quite big enough for
me and the missus plus all the equipment and even a camp bed (not mine lol), the
zelts were from Militaria Net and are quite thick/heavy duty canvas compared to others
ive had in the past and good quality throughout, also even the buttons used were
the dull zinc type and not the shiny ones, going from the labels they are made in Germany
so are probably Sturm, admittedly the colours are very slightly the wrong shade but
dirtying the sections up a bit soon put that right

But if you want WH zelts or original zelts ??, SOF are doing them but are in need of repair as
some are torn and buttons need replacing as some are missing, anyway good hunting

Pipes

[wolfsangel]

Kev,

totally agree - spend a fortune on uniform you might as well get the rest looking right.

the 8 man zelts give plenty of space, the only downside is that you can't stand up in them, but if that's an issue for changing in and out of uniform why not persuade another group member with a command tent to let you borrow it for 10 mins while you change?

John has used the square splinter zelts but it won't fit in with an SS themed display so sadly a bit of a no go, although better than the italian hi-viz as trev used to call it

cheers

Matt

[barryG]

Fair comments, we do however bring a huge amount of gear for the display and an 8 man zelt is too small for us and that gear. If it was me on my own then yes, it would be fine.

My own idea was for a white canvas ridge tent, adorned with red cross and sign proclaiming it to be a sani station with a display out front and inside backing that up. I believe that late war as we portray, the 12th SS etc used just about anything they could get?

[wolfsangel]

don't quite know what your space availability is on a display but we set up several 4 man zelts that are used to store kit at night/if it rains etc which frees up space for sleeping in hte remaining tentage.
Our requirements are clearly different to yours though Barry as we only have to accomodate chaps

[feldman]

Tents not necessary ! Use nature / use your spade.

[ringer]

well Barry`s need for tentage got my old grey matter working and I came up with this as a possible solution

http://panzergrenadier.net/forum/viewto ... 82&t=18957

uses 12 zelts only and was well tested at the weekend just gone and I must say it was rather spacious