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Home Basic Uniform Headgear Boots & Gauntlets Field Gear Kit Requirements:
BACKGROUND 
Headgear Boots & Gauntlets Field Gear Kit Requirements:
Headgear Boots & Gauntlets Field Gear Kit Requirements:
Headgear Boots & Gauntlets Field Gear Kit Requirements:
Headgear Boots & Gauntlets Field Gear Kit Requirements:
Headgear Boots & Gauntlets Field Gear Kit Requirements:
Headgear Boots & Gauntlets Field Gear Kit Requirements:
Headgear Boots & Gauntlets Field Gear Kit Requirements: |
Our basic uniform consists of the Luftwaffe Fliegerbluse or tunic (above left) originally designed for flight crew. The front buttons are hidden and there are two lower pockets. There are two adjustable metal hooks at the waist for the standard belt. New recruits need to get the Enlisted Man's Luftwaffe buckle. The collar tabs and shoulder board piping are golden-yellow as was used for all flight personnel. This is worn over the standard grey shirt (above right) common to all branches of service.
The 3rd Pattern Splinter B camouflage Jump Smock (above) is worn in addition to the tunic or alone in warm weather. It was designed to be large enough to be worn over over personel gear to prevent tangling in shroud lines during a jump. Hense when worn in the normal fashion its baggy appearence earned it the nick-name of "bone sack". We specify the late war 3rd Pattern smock as the "snap up" legs allow easy removal in the field, a great improvement over the earlier "step in" models. There are four large pockets with zipper closures that allowed secure storage of grenades, extra ammunition or personal items. Our unit uses only Splinter B camouflage smocks for uniformity, no tan/water or early green smocks are authorized. 
Next, and perhaps most important to the "look" of the Fallschirjaeger is the unique jump helmet, or Springerhelm (above). Original helmets, from this elite force, are very expensive and hard to come by, but are used by some reenacting groups. NWHA safety regulations requires us to use metal helmets, so when we first started our only realistic option to the original was the GSG-9 helmet which when converted resembles the Springerhelm, no fiberglass or plastic reproductions were allowed. Presently there are now very affordable stamped steel reproductions sold by numerous vendors, in many cases you can purchase an acceptable helmet for less than $100. Our by-laws require that a minimum of 70% of the unit wear the jump helmet thus allowing new recruits to wear the Luftwaffe Stahlhelm until they get their full kit together.
The Schiffschen (side cap) and M43 soft caps shown above are used for walking-out dress or in the battle field when we are not in "play". The Enlisted Schirmmütze (peaked hard-visor caps) are also authorized but are worn only for walking-out dress.
For footwear, we use modern boots with 12 lace hole pairs that are very close in style to the second pattern German Jump Boots. Currently we alter black US jump boots by carefully removing the cap toe leather, filling the stitch holes with flexible putty and then dye and polish the toe. Recently excellent leather soled reproductions of the 2nd Pattern Jump boot have become available from S.M. Wholesale for about $200. Jackboots are only used by new recruits or for walking out dress.
Another item unique to the Fallschirmjaeger was the Jump Gauntlets, each new recruit is encouraged to make their own pair from surplus gloves with these instructions . 
For Y-straps, canteens, bayonet frogs, and other small items check our VENDOR PAGE. The new recruit, may find many of these items at reduced cost during the nightly sales that take place at a reenactment. In the barracks, men from all the units present will be selling and trading various articles needed by reenactors.
Those who are interested in joining the 6th as reenactors should note that it is an expensive uniform, but no more expensive than American Civil War or other reenacting hobbies. These are the minimum uniform, fieldgear and weapons requirements for a FIRST TIME battle reenactment:
*Jump Helmet or Luftwaffe Stahlhelm (Metal shell only) Items required within ONE YEAR for new recruits:
*Jump Helmet (Metal shell only) Personal / Optional Items :
Helmet cover (Splinter-B)
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