----- Original Message -----
From: "Demonware Restorations" <INDYN@xtra.co.nz>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2000 6:02 AM
Subject: [MV] Uniforms
>
> Our problem is that we are very short of German WWI uniforms or even
pattens
> for these uniforms.
>
Isn't everybody ?
Look, everybody seems to forget the simple facts. The German Army was
actually quite small, for instance its _total_ tank production '39 - '45 was
1/4 of that made by the UK (far better tanks though) without counting
American, Canadian and Russian production. The war ended when they had
fought themselves to a standstill in a tiny pocket facing huge numbers of
allied forces, suddenly the British and American forces had unnecessarily
huge armies with even bigger stockpiles of "kit", it all had to go and is
still abundant.
Of course there are "no" German uniforms, like there are "no" German tanks,
it was all (what little was left) effectively rounded up and rendered down
for scrap, exactly as you'd expect at the end of the war. Hence why you
can't buy even a mundane Kubel as easily as a jeep, Kubels are considered
cheap at 33,000 NZD, when you can find one that is or we'd all have one
surely.
Further, the continent of Europe is banned from wearing any WWII German
uniform, the Americans seem to be wholly disinterested, the French seem to
have more US 1st Airborne now than was the case then, and only in the UK
will you find it legal and just about acceptable to wear anything WWII
German and then at our major shows this is only allowed within a display
area or just about tolerated around the show-ground.
It is a small market therefore with almost no sources of genuine supply, you
will be shocked at the prices this stuff fetches, a reasonable tunic is
likely 5,082 NZD and up, (I have just looked at today's exchange rate) with
entirely similar prices for the rest of the kit.
The demand here has generated some replica manufacture, the best ones are
truly correct to the exact detail with great care in sourcing, sometimes as
special manufacture, the exact material including linings. This isn't cheap
either obviously and fetches a little over half price of the originals but
is absolutely new.
To dress a Wehrmacht grenadier, let alone an officer, perhaps you should be
thinking along the lines of 10,000 NZD each without any de-act weapons.
> If anyone knows of uniforms for sale, please contact me urgently.
>
Nigel Hay has forwarded one contact and I can find you several more of the
most respected suppliers.
> We are looking to outfit 12 "soldiers" with everything from Tunics and
pants
> to webbing and packs.
>
12 ?
I would respectfully suggest you do a seriously accurate pocket depth check
and check out the attitude of your Customs Authorities too before it all
ends in tears.
On reflection it would be quicker and cheaper to send one of the dedicated
battle re-enactment groups here a dozen return air tickets, they could
easily field 12 very correct Wehrmacht troops with all the associated
paraphernalia, except vehicles of course.
I wish you well,
Richard
Southampton - England
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Oct 24 2000 - 20:55:35 PDT