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How do you identify elite WW2 German troops? Perhaps, it is enough by looking at their camouflage

Updated: Aug 16, 2022

War Park 2022-06-13 17:14 posted in Shanghai

The Waffen-SS was the first army in history to be outfitted more regularly with camouflage uniforms. The creation of the SS camouflage program originated before 1940, when the SS was still called the Waffen SS, and functioned primarily as Hitler's bodyguards. Gunther Ecke, then SS commander at Ellwangen, came up with the idea of creating a camouflage coat and helmet. The idea of camouflage however is not a new invention.

From the First World War, some countries, including Germany, began to study camouflage on the battlefield. In 1932, the German army was developing a geometric camouflage scheme. The irregular green, brown and buff polygons combined with vertical "rain" stripes are printed on a damp cloth.

Dr. George Otto Schick, was hired by the SS to study camouflage, believes that Wehrmacht camouflage had fatal shortcomings and will have a conspicuous or three-dimensional effect on the surface. Therefore, Dr. Schick developed a new SS camouflage from the basis of three aspects: colour, pattern and fabric.

For colour, Dr. Schick tested special dye samples. The colour scheme was as such, with different greens used in spring and summer, and browns used in autumn and winter to simulate the colours of leaves, twigs and soil.

In terms of pattern, the camouflage pattern developed by Dr Schick is also vivid and effective. As the war progressed, the SS had a variety of camouflage styles, including sycamore, palm tree, pea, fog edge and vampire. These artistic patterns can adapt to a wide range of changes and blend into the natural surroundings. At the end of 1944, the United States Munitions Task Force analyzed SS camouflage patterns and concluded that that by looking at the color of the small spots, which look similar to stains, but in a slightly farther distance achieves the blending in and forming a larger irregular color block. Therefore, they concluded that this kind of camouflage pattern can effectively decompose the user's silhouette in short range and long range to achieve the purpose of camouflage. To this end, the SS applied for patent protection of their own camouflage pattern, and as such the regular German Army and Air Force had to develop their own new camouflage pattern.

In order to develop the SS camouflage, it also saw the invention of a synthetic fabric - cotton duck. This fabric was extremely durable and extremely strong. It was made from cotton thread (with a dash of artificial fibre added later) that was tightly woven and was extremely waterproof. Farben produces a wax emulsion to chemically treat the cloth. This waterproof fabric became the most commonly used uniform and moisture-proof fabric for the German army throughout the war. Even the U. S. Army, in evaluating the fabric, also concluded that it is better than most U. S. military tent canvas."

During the Battle of Kursk in 1943, the Waffen-SS began to equip its own armoured units with camouflage jumpsuits using advanced waterproof fabrics. This was intended to improve the survival rate of surviving tank crew after the tank was destroyed. After all, as a highly mobile army unit, tanks are extremely valuable as compared to infantry. Prior to this, the Waffen-SS infantry was not fully equipped and the Wehrmacht had only a camouflage poncho. The Waffen-SS tank troopers were mostly outfitted with black wool tops and jackets. But these jackets were soft and expensive, and they can easily get caught or torn in combat. After the new camouflage jumpsuit was distributed, because of its strong, durable, waterproof and breathable characteristics, it became deeply loved by the vast number of tank troops.

With regard to the SS troops, when the war first broke out, there were about 18,000 men. After that, it increased to 330,000 in 1942 and peaked at 910,000 in 1944. The explosive expansion of the WaffenSS and the Wehrmacht accelerated the consumption demand of German war resources. Whether it was early experimental and advanced equipment, or the late war production of tightly shortage goods, camouflage clothing was always considered a rare strategic material and supply was always prioritized to the elite troops. And this body camouflage also became the symbol of the trump elite.

This month War Park launched eight camouflage Waffen-SS tank crew, among them, are 3 SS officers and 5 SS crew carrying shells. The shells can be dismantled. Each soldier comes with two 88mm shells that can match the Tiger, King Tiger, Jagdpanther, etc.



如何识别德军精锐部队?看迷彩服就够了

战争公园 2022-06-13 17:14 上海


武装党卫军是历史上第一支大规律装备迷彩服的军队。而党卫军迷彩伪装计划的诞生起源于1940年之前,当时的党卫军还叫做党卫队,主要作为希特勒的保镖部队。当时“埃尔旺根”营的党卫队中队长京特.艾克(Gunther Ecke),他提出了一个想法,那就是创造出一种迷彩外套和盔布。而迷彩伪装的思想并不是新发明。


从一战开始,包括德国在内一些国家就开始研究战地伪装迷彩。1932年,德国陆军就在自主研发一套几何式样的迷彩方案,将不规则的绿色、棕色和浅黄色多边形与垂直的“雨”条纹相结合印刷在防潮布上。


但党卫队聘请研究伪装迷彩的乔治·奥托·席克博士认为,国防军的迷彩存在致命的缺点,在表面上看会出现一种显眼或立体感强烈的效果。因此希克博士从色彩、图案和布料三个方面全新研发出了新的党卫军迷彩。


在色彩方面,席克博士使用了特别的染料样本进行测试。色彩配置方案确实很有效,春季和夏季使用时是运用了不同的绿色,而当秋季和冬季使用时,则是用褐色来模拟落叶、枯枝和土壤的颜色。


在图案方面,席克博士开发的迷彩式样也很生动并且十分有效。随着战争进程,党卫军存在悬铃木、棕榈树、豌豆、雾边和吸血鬼等多种迷彩样式。这些艺术图案可以适应各种变化的范围,与自然界保持同样的外观。1944年底,美国军需小组分析了党卫军迷彩式样,报告的结论是“近看类似污渍的色彩小斑点,在稍远点的距离上就感觉混和在了一起,形成了相当大块不规则的色块。因而这样的迷彩式样可以有效地在近程和远程把使用者轮廓分解,达到伪装的目的。”为此,党卫军对相关图案申请了专利保护,使得德国陆军和空间不得不自行研究开发新的迷彩图案。


为了研制党卫军迷彩服,为此诞生了一种著名的合成织物--棉帆布(cotton duck),该布料非常耐用且异常坚固,它是用棉线(后来加入了少量人造纤维)经过细密编织而成,还十分防水。法本公司为此生产了一种蜡乳剂来对布料进行一道化学处理。这种具有良好防水效果的布料也成为了德军在整个战争中最常用的制服与防潮布料。连美军在评价这种布料的时候,也认定它“比大多数美军使用的军用帐篷帆布还好。”


1943年库尔斯克战役期间,武装党卫军开始在自己的装甲部队中装备使用先进防水面料的迷彩连体服。此举是为了,提高坦克被击毁后,提高幸存坦克兵的生还几率。毕竟作为高技术兵种,坦克兵相比较步兵还是极其金贵的。与此同时,党卫军步兵尚未全面列装,而国防军则只有一张迷彩花纹的雨披。 武装党卫军坦克兵也配有了黑色毛料的上衣夹克。但是这个夹克面料柔软且金贵,在战斗过程中非常容易被挂住或刮坏。在配发新的迷彩连体服后,由于其结实耐造、防水透气的特点,深受广大坦克兵的喜爱。


党卫军在战争爆发时的兵力大约为18,000人,1942年增加到了330,000人,1944年达到巅峰为910,000人。武装党卫军和国防军的扩张是爆炸性的,与此同时德国战争资源消耗速度随之加快。无论早期实验性质的先进装备,还是后期量产的紧俏货,迷彩服作为稀有的战略物资始终优先供应给精锐部队使用。而这身迷彩,也成为了王牌精英的象征。


本月战争公园推出了八名迷彩服武装党卫军坦克兵,其中三名党卫军一级小队长和5名士兵。

搬运炮弹的士兵,炮弹可拆卸,每款兵人搭配两种88mm炮弹,可搭配虎式、虎王、猎豹等。


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