Africa core personell uniforms?

[Guest]

Hi all. What colour would the uniforms of German ground crews be in Lybia during WW2?

Khaki or something like that???

Thank

Theuns

[Guest]

Theuns, I know that regular Panzerarmee Afrika initially wore quite a dark olive drab uniform & this was later changed to a light tan uniform, which was better in the harsh North African sunshine.

If you mean Luftwaffe ground crew, then Steve will probably know better than I.

Patrick

[Guest]

Sorry, I should have said Lufftwaffe guys.

Thanx anyway for the reply :-D

Theuns

[stona]

The Luftwaffe in North Africa was independent of the Afrika Korps,as it was everywhere else. The personnel,like the aircraft,seem to have arrived initially in their European equipment. They already had 'summer wear'.

A quick look at photographs taken in North Africa shows ground crews wearing a bewildering variety of uniform parts. They look fairly irregular but then they were living in tents and,literally,holes in the ground.

The tropical flying gear and other uniforms were a very light sand or tan colour. The Germans had serious supply problems (we still held on to Malta) and bits of tropical kit are often seen mixed with the standard blue/grey temperate uniforms. I have piccies of ground crew in Africa wearing everything from what look like their standard black overall,through a two part light tan combination, to nothing more than a pair of shorts (black and light tan,so temperate and tropical) and boots. Some wear tan coloured sandals on their feet.

Most are bare headed but some wear peaked caps (like a baggy base ball cap) or forage caps in the light colour. One chap is wearing what looks like a solar topee! I don't know if the Germans issued these or if it has been liberated from the British or Italians.

There is a well know picture of an armourer inspecting a machine gun from one of Marseille's aircraft with various parts strewn around him on the sand. He is in pretty standard European,black,overalls. Partially visible behind him is a colleague in light tan tropical uniform.There is another picture of Marseille and a group of about ten Luftwaffe personnel standing behind 8693 and they are in a wide assortment of mixed uniforms which is pretty typical.

You can safely mix up uniform parts to make more interesting figures. It was common practice rather than exceptional.

Cheers

Steve

Just flicking through a few photos and I'm seeing a lot more solar topees so I suspect that these were indeed official german tropical kit.

[Guest]

Sorry, I should have said Lufftwaffe guys. Thanx anyway for the reply :-D

Theuns

No, my mistake for not looking at where you'd posted the thread! Doh!

[Guest]

Cool thanx for the info guys. I am planing to complete my ME 109E "black 8" diorama, so the different uniforms might be an interesting idea.

Theuns

[stona]

Finally had a chance to scan some images.

First a couple in colour.

A B+W one of ground crew at work.

And the 'Marseille' pictures I referred to above.

That should give you some food for thought!

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Cheers mate, I see what you mean about the mix 'n mach cloths!

I wanted to make a table for the crew in my dio, but I see these lads just worked on board on the ground! No wonder they got their buts handed to them LOL!

Steve, you might fing my post "SAAF North Africa" in the plane pix section interesting.

Theuns

[Guest]

Sorry, I only saw you have already replied on the SAAF post after posting above!

Must be the egg nog kicking in now LOL :-D

I pasted your reply on that forum, I am sure the lads will find it interesting.

My Grandfather was an aircraft mechanic "up-north" and later in Italy. Pitty I was to young to ever chat about his time there. I am allmost certain there must be some of his pix in a box somewhere :-(

Theuns

[stona]

I am allmost certain there must be some of his pix in a box somewhere :-(Theuns

Well you never know!An Australian friend whose German grandfather served in the luftwaffe during WW2 recently sent me some pictures he had found from his grandad's time in the Luftwaffe. Unfortunately the pictures which did show a few 'Stukas' were too indistinct to make any useful identifications but were interesting nonetheless. There are many gems stored in family attics and basements.

If your egg nog is kicking in my mulled wine,fortified with a good dollop of Port,certainly is! A Merry Christmas to you and everyone else on the forum.

The Luftwaffe airfields were very basic. Aircraft were dispersed in revetments made from sand bags and empty fuel drums (presumably filled with rocks/sand). Some had a camo net strung over the top on poles. Living accomodation was temporary and basic. That includes maintenance areas.

They did have tables!

I like the gas bottle in the background which clearly belonged to 3 Staffel......hands off!

Cheers

Steve