WIP Luftwaffe Unteroffizier

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Nap

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Aug 7, 2006
Messages
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Hi everyone

Thought I would post this WIP in collaboration with my long suffering mate Jimbo .....

As it goes ...." I have an idea Jim" ......

If you can do the pose I will sort the rest out .....

Did he ??....

Here's the main reference's

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( Wound Badge )
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( Early Para badge )
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( Close Combat )
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( Sports Badge )

As you can see Jim did a fine job ....I played around with the arms ....not happy so it's going back to him to sort out !!....he likes me really

Pics curtesy of iffyvision ...will try to get better ones before I send it off to Jimbo

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Some details from a PF member ...cheers ..you know who you are

The uniform he's wearing is the Fliegerbluse (flight blouse), most commonly worn by aircrew & paratroops (under the paratroop smock), & Hermann Goering Regiment/Division troops with the white collar patches. The blouse was also worn frequently by Flak personnel in the latter years of WW2, & in the same configuration with collar fastened up to the neck.

As well as the uniform, his decorations are interesting - he's obviously a veteran.

The Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge is rarely seen in photos, but in combination with the Hitler Youth Sport Leader's Badge it's even more scarce.

The man's medal ribbon bar is interesting too; he seems to have a Long Service medal (this came in 3,6,9 & more year versions), Iron Cross 2nd Class, Russian Front 1941-42 Medal & I think the final one is the medal awarded for the German occupation of the Memelland (although I could be wrong here, but it's definitely not the one for the invasion of Czechoslovakia, which had a red & black ribbon).


His collar patches are definitely not the usual Fallschirmjager yellow; I think it's more likely they are a rifle green shade as in Jager troops (there are several illustrations by Ron Volstad of Fallschirmjager during the latter part of the war wearing rifle green Waffenfarbe, as they were elite light infantry once the majority of them ceased to be parachute trained).

Stay tuned

Nap
 
Hi Guys

Thanks for the responses

Martin

Appreciate the references especially the armbands ...might go for a Jager green on the collar as in the text in my first post ...thinking !!!!

Poor ole Jimbo, he must be shaking with every knock on the door.

Following with interest



I don't knock.....he took that and the bell off .....and sealed the letterbox.....no idea why ...lol

As promised some better pics ...hopefully ......it is now all safely packed up ready for shipping to El Jimbo

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Cheers for looking in

Nap
 
This looks brilliant, Kev - Fallschirmjager are a great modelling subject, just ordered a set of the upcoming Soga-Miniatures 1/35 Fallschirmjager at the Airfield, featuring an NCO doing final checks on a Jäger’s parachute before he emplanes for Crete.
If I did 120mm I’d probably be up for one of Jeff Shiu’s new Luft paras as well........we’ll see.
 
Hi Guys

Thanks for the responses

Martin

Appreciate the references especially the armbands ...might go for a Jager green on the collar as in the text in my first post ...thinking !!!!





I don't knock.....he took that and the bell off .....and sealed the letterbox.....no idea why ...lol

As promised some better pics ...hopefully ......it is now all safely packed up ready for shipping to El Jimbo

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Cheers for looking in

Nap
Nice looking piece Kev.
 
Hi Guys

Well just been contacted by El Jimbo ........the piece cracked when he put it into the heat box .......

The badges survived .......

Using his skill and only wearing a vest for comfort this is the end result

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( Note shirt purely for picture ...his nails are booked for tommorow at the salon )

Rather chuffed with it now

Oh so so much better ...arms look so much like the piccy ....

Cheers Jim

Look forward to seeing this arrive

Nap
 
Looking good, Nap - can't wait to see this one painted.

I've just received a copy of the Histoire & Collections book "Fallschirmjager in Crete", & the photographs in it (although mostly black & white) are absolutely stunning. There is some coverage of the boxer Max Schmeling in Fallschirmjager uniform, & he looks to be wearing dark collar patches - they're definitely not yellow, so I'd take a guess at Jager green.
Excellent book, one of those which you keep going back to over & over again.:)
 
Looking good, Nap - can't wait to see this one painted.

I've just received a copy of the Histoire & Collections book "Fallschirmjager in Crete", & the photographs in it (although mostly black & white) are absolutely stunning. There is some coverage of the boxer Max Schmeling in Fallschirmjager uniform, & he looks to be wearing dark collar patches - they're definitely not yellow, so I'd take a guess at Jager green.
Excellent book, one of those which you keep going back to over & over again.:)


Cheers Chris , books sounds interesting ....as for the patches , going for Jäger on this fellow with the same piping on epaulettes .....currently have Sarnia's Luftwaffe in Mess dress on the bench

.....this piece is packed ready for Jimbo to send today so should have it here Monday ready to base up

Welcome any thoughts on the uniform details on this one of course


Cheers Jed

Nice to have to look in


Happy benchtime to all

Nap
 
Hi Nap,

The Fallschirmjäger didn't use green as a Waffenfarbe. Only their "General Göring" predecessors from pre-war days used this colour. During the war only golden-yellow, dark-blue and light-brown were used. To quote from Volume 1 of "The German Paratroopers. Uniforms and Equipment 1936-1945" by Karl Veltzé:


Since airborne troops were not a separate branch, but were categorized as flight personnel, they wore the respective golden-yellow branch color. However, airborne medical personnel still wore dark-blue as their branch color and some members of airborne signals battalions wore light-brown collar tabs and piping.

The reason for all these dark collar patches on Fallschirmjäger uniforms (and a lot of confusion amongst collectors and modellers) has to do with the use of orthochromatic film.
"Orthochromatic film is a kind of early B&W film which can basically only see blue light. It makes yellow look black because of what yellow reflects under artificial light in the visible spectrum. It was a real problem in early movies because of the resulting color distortions. Today we use panchromatic film for both B+W and color images. A more scientific explanation of the troubles with panchromatic film can be found here and elsewhere on the internet: https://filmphotographyproject.com/c...hromatic-film/" (That one is quoted from this thread on the Wehrmacht Awards Forum...)

Hope I'm not too late with this info.

Cheers
Karl
 
Hi Karl

Thank you so much taking the time to list with the information , very interesting details and links ...what PF is all about

So based on your details yellow details on collar etc ......as in Martins post pictures ....but isn't it interesting also that the suggestion from another member ref Jäger green

Fear not its still on its way back to me from Jimbo after his work sorting the arms out after I made a hash of them !!

Looking forward to painting this

Nap
 
Hi Guys

It arrived back safely from the depths of Jimbos mancave ...so much better

Now all based coated , eyes completed


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Thinking of adding a marksman lanyard with 1 acorn ( 2nd level ) as in this picture ...I know it's not in the original ref but thought it would balance the piece and add more interest

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Thanks for looking in

Nap
 
Hi folks

Bit of an update .....marksmanship lanyard ...in place ( thanks to Carole for plaiting it .....many many times till I was happy ) ....added top piece ,put on background and thin surround , added the laurel wreath ...will be adding the Luftwaffe eagle etc and then it will be primed in black

The award is the 2nd class one with a single acorn at one end

Painting will bring out the detail work more ...hopefully !

Quick iffyvision pics

Thanks for looking in

Nap

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