wwii axis reenactment forum

It's a little easier for Heer fans, as I mentioned there was a hood in the sumpf smock that negated the need for a helmet cover.
I can understand why soldiers would cut the hood off make a cover from it. Hoods restrict hearing and to a degree vision.
I find it harder to understand why the authorities would create another, redundant way of covering the helmet.
Perhaps they trialed the covers first and then chose a hood? Until we know more it's speculation.

erikbozwo2 wrote:

Stigroadie wrote:Then my original statement holds true? Why is a manufacturer wasting time and money in making repros of something that would not be found with the landser?

I mean to say that these where issued, but in small quantities to test them out on the front. Just like the m44 uniform was sent to fronline troops for testing out.

The M44 uniform was the new standard uniform from november 1944 onwards, officially. Sumpftarn was the official replacement of splinter too. Sumpf smocks ARE very thin, so the helmet covers are as well - has nothing to do with prototypes as (apart from a few manufacturing variations) most issued sumpf smocks from 1943-1945 were of a very thin cloth.

More information about sumpf helmet covers after studying 3 at hand. These helmet covers where made of sumpftarn "schlupfhemde" or called "sniper smocks" here. If you look closely at originals you can see where buttons have been placed at the fabric. The first sumpf helmet covers started coming up from august/september 44

Why did they convert sniper smocks to helmet covers?

If you take history for what it is, the whole german strategy changed into defencive pullback. With lots of digging in, camouflaging helmets became more neccecary then camouflaging your torso. Orders where given to make helmet covers and camouflage helmets. These where also made from uncut zeltbahn material, not pre-issued zelt material. The inside of these sumpf covers shows camouflage through, not white like the earlier splitter covers.

These covers are never stamped after being made. BUT i've seen 1 example wich shows a part of a stamp(from the smock), being 1 of the 4 side panels. The panel was cut from a piece wich had a RB number, but it shows only the last 4 numbers because it was cut at that part of the smock that was once stamped.

Fieldmade variations I haven't seen yet.

Kind Regards,

Erik

What about the paratroopers? :X

noooooooooooooooo!

How about a couple of pictures of the three covers you have to hand Erik?

They are the same as the ones showed earlier in this topic!

Peter Bauer wrote:
What about the paratroopers? :X

Oh this is the one that was on the Etulija Forum !

Yeah, decided to post it here to see if there's anything people would know about these... internet is full of contradictory information...

Para Sumpf helmet covers were not a manufactured item, field made if anything.

dagda wrote:Para Sumpf helmet covers were not a manufactured item, field made if anything.

Looks like the like the person who re coloured just did the helmet the same

erikbozwo2 wrote:They are the same as the ones showed earlier in this topic!

Which ones? You have not posted any pictures of covers in this thread.

I'm not saying I did, but there are at least 2 good covers shown in this topic

But surely if you have them 'to hand' and are inspecting them for makers marks and the details of construction you could take pictures?

Don't hold your breath Stig,