Sud West Afrika Schutztruppe uniform

[flasheart]

Gents,

I finally found a slouch hat 'sudwester' at almost a reasonable price to go with the uniform. These slouch hats usually fetch ridiculous prices, particularly in Europe.

The tunic and trousers are a matching set of M1896 tropical pattern EM uniform in corduroy like the Kord Litewka rather than cotton like the standard issue uniform. So I figure it is a private purchase EM or NCO uniform. The tunic and trousers are in near perfect condition with blue SWA trim. The trim has faded in the exposed areas and is the correct darker blue in the protected areas. A full set of correct colonial pattern 'Extra Fein' buttons.

The slouch hat is an original colonial pattern item, missing only the sweatband and the puggaree bow. Blue trim for SWA. A very nice piece.

I do not yet have a colonial pattern belt buckle or a set of colonial ammo pouches.

Mike

 

[Gustaf]

Hey Mike,
You are getting together a most excellect collection of very rare uniforms, this has got to trump an Australian uniform ans slouch hat.
Best wihses
Gus

 

[Tony without Kaiser]

OK...... clearly Mike you have gone insane. I mean really, that is an unbelievably rare set up. :confused4:

More amazing, is that someone in the airforce could actually have good taste?

 

[flasheart]

Gus,

Still cost me less for the schutztruppe items than for the original Australian WW1 equivalents.

Tony,

Air Force!!! Them's fightin words!! No helicopters in the Air Force over here, all taken over by the Army 20 years ago. However, as a fellow colonial I am going to make allowance for this little faux pas.

I am now on the hunt for a colonial belt (which I have seen occasionally) and a set of the colonial pattern leather equipment (which I have never seen for sale).

 

[Liongules]

Congratulations, Mike! Very nice. I don't think I've ever seen a photo of one of those uniforms other than in a book.

 

[zipperheads9]

very NICE addition. the Air Force? or even a Pilot? AAh Man .
Mark

 

[seitengewehr98]

Beautiful indeed, what a wonderful setup! This has prompted me to share something I know those here might actually appreciate, since posting new threads on my new edged weapons has been received with little enthusiasm.

This is a beautiful and exceedingly rare matching KS98 rig. The KS98 bayonet and scabbard, in excellent condition, are marked K.S.11067, dated W10 on the spine. Next, the frog here has been modified from the integral frog of the Schutztruppe mounted leather equipment, and is to my knowledge, the only existing example of such a modification. To top it all off, a beautiful and original Schutztruppen NCO troddel. It's no pickelhaube, but I think it's a beautiful rig to say the least.

 

[seitengewehr98]

By the way, there has been a set of the mounted leather equipment setup for sale on weitze.net for some time. It's a beauty, but I don't have to tell you that the price is not cheap (I did say weitze, didn't I?)

Just do a search on the weitze site for article number 71894 and you'll find it!

 

[JohnM]

Mike,

Permit me to reply to this absolutely jaw dropping ensemble with a "Holly Fookin Sheet!"

Fantastic...absolutely fantastic!

John

 

[flasheart]

Nate,

Great bayonet! But it looks a little lonely by itself. I think it would look much nicer attached to this M1896 tropical uniform. I would be very happy to look after it for you!

I took a look at Weitze. Man! 2500 EUROS for a set of mounted pattern equipment. I don't think it be going anywhere in a hurry so I will keep looking on ebay etc.

Mike

 

[seitengewehr98]

It's not too lonely, it does have other colonial marked KS98s keeping it company, among other bayos!

But finding a KS marked and matching KS98 actually isn't TOO hard, though maybe not in this condition. If you would like, I can keep my eye out for you. Finding the correct frog, whether a seperate frog with schutztruppe markings or the mounted equipment setup with integral frog, and finding the correct troddel, might prove a little more difficult. The troddeln pop up from time to time, but it's no Prussian NCO troddel price, and I've yet to find any type of colonial frog for sale.

Either way, that's really a top notch set there, and you should be quite proud! I only hope that my collecting evolves into something like that over the years!

 

[Wyliecoyote]

Flasheart

Can't add much to what has been said other than WOW! ! ! ! So do you have a Gew 88 or Gew 98 to go along with it?

And as a former Helo guy, I would like to say, "Huh?! Say What?!"

Seitengewehr, sweet K98.


Geo

 

[joerookery]

More amazing, is that someone in the airforce could actually have good taste?

I always thought the same thing -- just to prove a point Janet married me -- from bad taste to no taste at all!

 

[Gustaf]

Hey Joe, it does not matter is it is airforce or airborn, the key is fixed wing and rotary, just look at Paul, he pretty much confirms that the down wash from the rotar tends to scramble the brain, heck, most rotary pilots can not even land their craft when the engine quits with out bending something. I think it is time to hop in the truck and head to Flash's house, he is getting way too much cool stuff.
Gus

 

[b.loree]

Mike: A superbe uniform set. I have absolutley never seen anything like it!!! Excellent bayo Gary, another very rare piece! Brian

 

[Peter_Suciu]

That is simply fantastic. Those are rare hats. I've been reading up on Africa over the last few years. The number of troops serving in Africa was so small.

We think of tens of thousands of men, but many colonial battles were a few hundred Europeans tops!

 

[flasheart]

Gents,

With a better camera and some diffused natural light I finally got around to taking some better photos.

Mike

 

[flasheart]

Gents,

You won't believe this but I now have an original set of Schutztruppen Mounted Pattern equipment, and without paying 2500 EUROS from Weitze. This is basically identical to the set shown on the germancolonialuniforms.com website, and in Johan Somers Volume 3 of Imperial German Uniforms and Equipment. In fact it is so similar, it is the exact same set, from the Doppler collection. Unfortunately it is missing the rear buckle so I will seeking to find a close replacement or perhaps even construct a replacement.

Other than the set on Weitze, this is the only set I have ever seen for sale, so I consider myself very fortunate to have acquired it, and basically completed the Schutztruppe uniform with the M1896 tunic and trousers, 'Sudwester' slouch hat and now the very rare mounted pattern equipment.

Mike

http://www.sacktrick.com/igu/germancolonialuniforms/militaria/mountedequipment.htm

 

[chrispaulodale]

That's a very nice little collection you've got there. It's good to see the ammunition pouches going to a good home.

Great B&W photos you posted at the end too. The last one of which is curious for the lack of Litzen. I wonder if he is a Medical NCO?

Cheers
Chris

 

[Lurch Adams]

Hello,

Fantastic looking rig!

Have you seen this grouping offered on Detlev's site: http://www.detlev-niemann.de/en/catalog/69/0/2118.html

Best,

Lurch