Why do many waffen-ss soldiers only wear camoflaged pants with a plain tunic? Like the soldiers of the 9th SS?
doesn't it defeat the purpose of camoflage? To wear only camo pants?
And soldiers wearing 2 different types of camoflage on top and bottom.
Like men wearing white camo pants and green camo jacket. Or an orange shade of camo on top and green on the bottom.
Is there a purpose?
dumb SS Camo question
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sid guttridge
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Hi liuanru,
The purpose of multi-coloured camouflage is to break up the distinctive outline of the human shape. Thus, to wear two different types of camouflage may actually help rather than hinder.
When I was in Rhodesia in 1979 I had a discussion on the relative merits of the three-colour Rhodesian Army camouflage and the South African Army medium brown "Pronutria" camouflage. We put men wearing both out and found that due to fading, creasing, folds and shadows the single colour South African camouflage was as effective at breaking up the human outline as the three-colour Rhodesian cammo.
I have a suspicion that the different multi-colour camouflage patterns of many armies are as much about military heraldry that distinguishes one army from others as about concealment. (For example, what the heck was the practical value of those little black and white flecks on the US Army desert camouflage during the First Gulf War?) As long as you choose a good basic colour or combination of colours for a particular terrain, the concealment effect seems to be much the same.
It is possible that the German Army came to a similar conclusion when it first developed multi-coloured camouflage clothing in the mid 1930s, but I suspect it was probably not adopted on the grounds of expense at a time of massive army expansion. The Waffen-SS had a separate procurement system in the war, using occupied Czech factories and concentration camp labour. In the latter case particularly, expense was probably no longer such an issue.
Cheers,
Sid.
The purpose of multi-coloured camouflage is to break up the distinctive outline of the human shape. Thus, to wear two different types of camouflage may actually help rather than hinder.
When I was in Rhodesia in 1979 I had a discussion on the relative merits of the three-colour Rhodesian Army camouflage and the South African Army medium brown "Pronutria" camouflage. We put men wearing both out and found that due to fading, creasing, folds and shadows the single colour South African camouflage was as effective at breaking up the human outline as the three-colour Rhodesian cammo.
I have a suspicion that the different multi-colour camouflage patterns of many armies are as much about military heraldry that distinguishes one army from others as about concealment. (For example, what the heck was the practical value of those little black and white flecks on the US Army desert camouflage during the First Gulf War?) As long as you choose a good basic colour or combination of colours for a particular terrain, the concealment effect seems to be much the same.
It is possible that the German Army came to a similar conclusion when it first developed multi-coloured camouflage clothing in the mid 1930s, but I suspect it was probably not adopted on the grounds of expense at a time of massive army expansion. The Waffen-SS had a separate procurement system in the war, using occupied Czech factories and concentration camp labour. In the latter case particularly, expense was probably no longer such an issue.
Cheers,
Sid.
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M.Wittmann
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Hi,
From my own wintertraining (airmobile infantry) in Norway and Germany, we had 3 versions of camouflage:
1. Woodland DPM - (almost) no snow
2. Woodland DPM trousers/ white snow liner - partial snow covered
3. Full white snow liner - snow; everywhere I could see
From my own wintertraining (airmobile infantry) in Norway and Germany, we had 3 versions of camouflage:
1. Woodland DPM - (almost) no snow
2. Woodland DPM trousers/ white snow liner - partial snow covered
3. Full white snow liner - snow; everywhere I could see
"Klagt nicht, kämpft!"
Wanted:
Info about 5.SS-Pz(Gren)Div 'Wiking' and the dutch Waffen-SS volunteers.
Wanted:
Info about 5.SS-Pz(Gren)Div 'Wiking' and the dutch Waffen-SS volunteers.
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sid guttridge
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Hi zetazot,
I would agree. I was answering the "Doesn't it defeat the purpose of camouflage?" question.
It is often overlooked that feldgrau (like khaki, horizon blue, etc) WAS a camouflage colour. Camouflage uniforms were not originally multicoloured, that was a later development of rather less significance than the adopting of single-coloured camouflage in the first place.
Cheers,
Sid.
I would agree. I was answering the "Doesn't it defeat the purpose of camouflage?" question.
It is often overlooked that feldgrau (like khaki, horizon blue, etc) WAS a camouflage colour. Camouflage uniforms were not originally multicoloured, that was a later development of rather less significance than the adopting of single-coloured camouflage in the first place.
Cheers,
Sid.
I absolutly agree, That was the most common reason for the wide range of models and paterns in most cases.In the case of the Heer and W-SS and mismatched camo, I would tend to think its more of a supply thing. There were always shortages of camo clothing so they wore what they got.
Also a good example would be the 12.SS"HJ" with a wide range of italian camo, "captured" from italian stock. :)