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115-420: Elastolin composition figures were manufactured in 40mm (also known as 4-cm), 65mm (6.5-cm), 70mm (7-cm), and 105mm (10.5 cm) scales. Since 70-mm is approximately 3-inches, a 70-mm figure is approximately 1/24 scale. The Elastolin catalogs of the 1930s describe the 7-cm figures as being "normal size" ( normalgrosse ) and the 4-cm figures as Miniatur-Soldaten . The catalog numbers for the 4-cm figures began with

230-453: A blackout . The G-suit was designed to allow some retention of blood in the pilot's head, allowing them to execute high-G turns for sustained periods of time. In the 1950s and 1960s, even more specialized suits needed to be developed for high-altitude surveillance (such as with the U-2 and Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird aircraft) and space flight. These would include full pressurization, and would be

345-595: A guard mounting that included officers standing at attention, enlisted personnel standing at attention or at " present arms ", standing flag-carriers, a panzer man saluting, standing musicians, and sentry boxes as well as standing cavalry and standing cavalry musicians. There was a figure of a drill instructor and three figures of new recruits in fatigue uniform doing training exercises . Heer combat troops included Infanterie (series 500/- and 600/-) (riflemen, grenade throwers and machine gun teams), Kavallerie (series 400/-), Artillerie [series 664/-] (crewmen for

460-807: A Prussian drummer with a black (African) face (figure 0/7/47/1M) is correct; there was an African drummer in the Prussian army at that time, however such a figure should be checked carefully with a "black light" to make sure that it is not a post-war repaint. There was an extensive lines of wild animals ( menagerie-und-jagdtiere ) and farm animals ( haustiere ), and also a line of more than 30 civilian figures for use with electric trains ( Eisenbahn-Figuren ). The latter included DRB ( Deutsche Reichsbahn = German Railway) workers, station workers such as luggage carriers, and passengers; they were produced primarily in 7-cm ( Normalgroße ) although some were also available in 5-cm and 3-cm sizes. Hausser produced log cabin forts for

575-627: A back pocket (such as a wallet). Members of the United States Marine Corps wore flight suits during most vehicle patrols and ground combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, because their standard camouflage utilities were not flame-resistant. Flight suits have now been phased out among ground personnel with the introduction of the Flame Resistant Organizational Gear (FROG) suit, which resembles

690-402: A battering ram, camp fences, and early artillery pieces. Collectors recognize several distinct production series (or types) of these plastic figures. The early lines were sold fully painted as with the older composition figures, a later line was sold unpainted. Plastic figures cannot be correctly identified or appraised in terms of value without reference to the color of the plastic. Beyond that,

805-463: A built-in cloth belt. A chocolate brown overcoat in the same pattern as the continental version was issued as protection from the cold desert nights. Flight suit A flight suit is a full-body garment, worn while flying aircraft such as military airplanes , gliders and helicopters . These suits are generally made to keep the wearer warm, as well as being practical (plenty of pockets), and durable (including fire retardant ). Its appearance

920-520: A charging rifleman, a charging officer, a rifleman swinging his rifle like a club, and a grenade thrower. All Elastolin Kriegsmarine figures of the Nazi era (1933–1945) are cataloged in series 14/-- (The catalog number for a marching Kriegsmarine Trommler [snare drummer] was 14/47/1, with 14 indicating the branch of service; the second number, 47, indicated that the figure was a marching musician, and

1035-597: A clear plastic pocket on the thigh intended to house a map of the aircraft's planned flight path), but color, style, and cut vary greatly from country to country. The current model flight suit for the US military is the CWU 27/P and is available in sage green and desert tan. Commercial flight suits for civilian flying are also available, and are frequently used by helicopter crew (including non-pilots such as flight engineers, paramedics, and nurses), aerobatic pilots, and others who desire

1150-714: A forge and well from the Middle Ages, and a few Caucasian women and children from the American "Wild West" as the counterparts for the American Indian women and children. Each of the Revolutionary War forces could call on the services of a woman holding a cup in one hand a larger container in the other—presumably both held water. Historical personality figures in 1980 included Götz von Berlichingen , Georg von Frundsberg and Friedrich der Große . One of

1265-567: A grey-green colour with a detachable fur collar; a zip had replaced buttons. This was paired with sheepskin-lined knee high suede boots and a quilted liner could be added. All this was worn over the standard uniform. Electrically heated suits were developed for the RAF but only used in small numbers by bomber and high-altitude meteorological aircraft While fighter pilots were limited in cockpit space, RAF bomber crew could add insulated Irvin leather sheepskin jackets and trousers over their flying suit. By

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1380-523: A head with the correct helmet to a headless conventional body and then painting the figure accordingly. That is why English, American and French soldiers are armed with German-style "potato masher" hand grenades rather than the Allied "pineapple" hand grenade , and why they carry a standard German gas mask canister. However, there are also some foreign figures that were made from special castings—those of Belgian and French soldiers wearing long greatcoats being

1495-608: A large black beret was worn over a hardened-felt helmet. This proved cumbersome and unnecessary and on 27 March 1940 a black version of the standard M34/M38 sidecap was authorized; later in the war the M43 field cap in black was worn. Officers frequently wore old-style ( altere Art ) "crusher" peaked caps . Vehicle crews in North Africa wore the same olive tropical uniform as the infantry, including collar Litzen; many tankers pinned their skull insignia to their lapels. In 1943

1610-704: A movable right arm that could be raised and positioned in the German greeting (aka the "Heil Hitler!" salute). The figures of Mussolini and Franco also had arms could also positioned in the Fascist-style salute (In contrast, Wehrmacht figures saluted/"greeted" each other with the traditional right-hand-touching-cap/helmet salute). The foreign ( Ausländer ) armed services were also well represented. These include British, American, Danish, Dutch, Belgian, Ethiopian, French, Swiss, Italian, Hungarian, Romanian, (British) Indian, Chinese and Japanese. The French forces include

1725-597: A much simplified version of the internal suspension system, or omitted it entirely. In late 1944, in order to cut down on tailoring and production costs, the Wehrmacht introduced the M44 pattern uniform. Similar in appearance to the British Battledress or the related US "Ike" jacket , the M44 was unlike any other German pattern uniform, and the first major deviation in uniform design since 1936. The tunic skirt

1840-568: A new service tunic for officers and senior NCOs. This was broadly similar to the other-ranks tunic, but differed in detail: the collar was of a taller, more pointed rise-and-fall type, the shoulders were padded, the sleeves had deep turnback cuffs, there was no internal suspension system or grommets for belt hooks, and there were two ramp-buttons at the back of the waist to support the belt. Since officers had to purchase their own uniforms, many of these tunics were either tailor-made or produced by gentlemen's clothiers, and if purchased for service dress for

1955-434: A practical "uniform". Although there are multiple pockets on the current CWU 27/P flight suit, all pockets are placed on the front of the flight suit or on the arms or legs. There are no pockets on the back of the flight suit. This design allows easier access to the pockets while the wearer is sitting (such as in the cockpit of an aircraft), and ensures that the wearer in a seated position does not have to sit on any items in

2070-543: A reinforced waistband, all other features remained virtually the same. The original soft headdress for the Heer , introduced in 1934, was a folding garrison or envelope cap in feldgrau wool, similar to that worn by American, Soviet and RAF personnel but with a "scoop" in the front; the Schiffchen ("little ship") was popular, convenient, and worn throughout the war. Variants in black wool and olive cotton were issued with

2185-555: A rise-and-fall collar, an eight-button front, and French cuffs, and was authorized as a summer walking-out and undress uniform. Both versions had removable buttons, shoulderboards and metal breast eagle in order to permit laundering; collar insignia was not worn. The Panzer uniform ( German : Sonderbekleidung der Panzertruppen lit.   ' Special Clothing for the Panzer Troops ' ) consisted of black wool hip-length double-breasted jacket and trousers, with skulls on

2300-406: A short set of combat figures. There are two basic sets of marching figures -— one set wears the blue winter uniform and the other wears the white summer uniform. Complete sets of marching musicians were produced for both of the seasonal colors. There are also marching sailors wearing white shirts and blue trousers. The set of Kriegsmarine combat figures includes standing, kneeling and prone riflemen,

2415-418: A straight-cut waist, which included belt loops and two tabs for optional suspender use, as opposed to the fishtail design of the m36 model. HBT models often were straight legged, and featured a tab and buttons to taper the ankles, for optional use without gaiters. In the late war, lower quality, often recycled material was being used for uniforms. The M43 trousers saw extra fly buttons being added to accommodate

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2530-552: A variant with scarlet ( hochrot ) turnback lapels and gold buttons. Originally the M1936 tunic was worn with the same stone gray ( steingrau ) trousers that the Reichswehr had introduced in 1922. These were high-waisted, straight legged, button-fly trousers with suspenders (braces) and three internal pockets plus a watch-pocket; in the field they were worn tucked into jackboots . In 1940 contractors were ordered to discontinue

2645-400: A visor intermediate in length between the mountain and tropical versions was issued to all troops for field wear only; it quickly became the most commonly seen soft headgear at the front. Insignia was similar to that of the side-cap, although the eagle and cockade were both worn above the turn-up. A black version was issued to Panzer crewmen. The dress, service and walking-out cap for all ranks

2760-533: Is usually similar to a jumpsuit . A military flight suit may also show rank insignia. It is sometimes used by Special Forces as a combat uniform in close quarters battle or visit, board, search, and seizure situations, for its practicality. As aviation developed in unheated open cockpits, the need for warm clothing quickly became apparent, as did the need for multiple pockets with closures of buttons, snaps, or zippers to prevent loss of articles during maneuvers. During World War I , whilst motoring clothing

2875-703: The Afrikakorps , later authorized for summer field wear in Southern Europe, were basically the same cut as the standard army uniform but with open collar and lapels, and made of a medium-weight olive-drab cotton twill which in service faded to khaki. Also olive were the shirt and the seldom-worn necktie. Insignia were embroidered in dull blue-grey on tan backing cloth. This tunic was issued to all Army personnel in North Africa, including officers and Panzer crews. Officers as usual often purchased uniforms privately, and olive, khaki or mustard-yellow cotton versions of

2990-482: The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was introduced in the fight against Japan , along with remote-controlled coordinated gun turrets, the fully pressurized crew cabin made bulky flight gear obsolete. Where bomber pilots could wear their service uniforms as flight gear, fighter pilots needed a uniform that functioned in the tight confines of the typical fighter plane cockpit. The AN-S-31 flight suit

3105-465: The G-suit , a special kind of flight suit (worn alone or in combination with a traditional flight suit) that protected the wearer from the physical stress of acceleration by compressing the body to keep blood from pooling in the legs. As the pilot executed high-G combat maneuvers, their blood would be pulled from their head and shift downwards into their lower body, starving the brain of oxygen and causing

3220-464: The Infanterie riflemen (54/624, 54/626 and 54/628) contained a cap -firing device that—when tripped—would, in theory, send a puff of smoke out the barrel of their (oversize) rifles. Many of the tin plate artillery pieces not only fired caps but projectiles as well—which, in theory were fired only at enemy soldiers and never at family pets or one's younger siblings! Enterprising young generals with

3335-542: The Luftwaffe Tuchrock . Trousers were either slate-grey (later field-grey) Langhosen , or breeches worn with high boots. Generals and General Staff officers wore wide trouser-stripes of scarlet or carmine-red, respectively. Although the M35 remained the regulation service-dress uniform, soon after the outbreak of the war, officers in combat units of the rank of regimental commander or below were ordered to wear

3450-475: The Panzertruppe were issued their own reed-green HBT summer field uniform. This resembled the black uniform but had a single, very large pocket on the left breast and another on the front of the left thigh. A one-piece denim overall, known as a Panzerkombi , was issued to panzer (armoured) crews and mechanics for maintenance work and the like; crews sometimes wore it for general field service although

3565-471: The Reitstiefel worn (with spurs) by regiments with cavalry traditions. By order dated 31 October 1939 most officers in the front lines wore the shorter EM boots with Langhosen or Keilhosen, but some ignored regulations and wore their kneeboots anyway. From 1937 each recruit was issued a pair of ankle-height work boots for basic training, and kept them for fatigue duty and the like. Beginning in 1940

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3680-525: The Schirmmütze when the uniform of the day prescribed the field cap. Officers' caps were frequently private-purchase and had covers of higher-quality fabric; these were often interchangeable and included summer white and tropical olive versions as well as feldgrau. At the same time the M34 side-cap was introduced for enlisted wear, a folding field cap for officers was authorized. Superficially resembling

3795-407: The Schirmmütze , this cap had a crown of significantly smaller diameter without the wire stiffener, a soft band, and a visor of flexible leather or feldgrau wool. Insignia were jacquard-woven; although no chinstrap was authorized officers often added the Schirmmütze silver cords. This cap was officially replaced by the officers' Schiffchen M38, with a wear-out date of 1 April 1942, but this order

3910-542: The "ornamented" ( ornamentierte ) or "piped" ( mit Vorstössen ) uniform, to be worn as a less-formal alternative to the Waffenrock for walking-out and some ceremonial occasions. The M37 Feldbluse was identical to the M35 service tunic, save that the collar and its Litzen were the same as the Waffenrock , and collar, closure and cuffs were piped in Waffenfarbe . It was worn with the piped dress trousers. From 1940

4025-634: The 1930s was not limited to the military and paramilitary units of the time. There was also an extensive line of cowboys and Indians (the cowboys sometimes known as "trappers" in Germany), a shorter line of medieval knights and foot soldiers ( Ritterfiguren ), and a short line of Prussian and Austrian figures from the 18th-century wars of Frederick the Great ( Friedrich der Grosse ) that included personality figures of "der alte Fritz" (0/7/20) and two of his generals—Seydlitz (0/7/21) and Ziethen (0/7/22). The figure of

4140-631: The 1950s. Cotton had flown in his working overalls one day and noticed that he had not gotten as cold as the other pilots and attributed this to the oil and grease that had soaked into the overalls. He recreated the effect by three layers: a thin fur liner separated from a Burberry [ gabardine ] outer by airproof silk which he had made up by Robinson & Cleaver in London and advertised under the Sidcot name at 8 guineas (£8 8s). When its effectiveness became known orders for leather coats were cancelled in favour of

4255-596: The 744 Panzer-Spahwagen ("armored scout wagen" = armored car) in particular. Elastolin added play action value to these toys in several ways. Several of the motor vehicles had battery-powered electric motors that propelled them across the tin plate battlefield with functional electric headlights lighting the way; the truck-mounted and stationary search lights were also functional. The Nachrichtentruppe figure series included "radio groups" equipped with batteries that allowed messages to be sent and received in Morse code. Three of

4370-594: The American Civil War, contemporary Swiss and Austrian soldiers, de-Nazified World War-II era German soldiers, and two figures representing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police . The cowboys included two masked outlaws and several men wearing buckskin rather than cloth. The line also included the unfortunate prisoner tied to a tree. In addition to all the fighting men where were also some civilians—a blacksmith and several helpers with

4485-456: The Army ceased issuing jackboots to rear-area personnel and authorized the wearing of the utility boots with the field uniform; canvas gaiters or Gamaschen were issued for this purpose. From 1941 Schnürschuhe were authorized for combat units as well, and the only footgear issued to new recruits; by 1943 their wear had become universal to all German Wehrmacht. Also in 1935 the Heer introduced

4600-640: The French Army (marching and combat figures), marching French sailors, marching French colonial forces ("French" and "native"), and a short line of the elite chasseurs alpins (mountain troops). The Belgians were represented by infantry—marching figures and combat figures; there was also a short line of figures wearing the distinctive green beret of the Ardennes Rifle Corps . The Italians were represented by marching infantry and several combat figures; there were also marching officers and men of

4715-604: The German national flag or the flag of their individual organization. The SA had been the largest and most visible of the Nazi paramilitary organizations in the 1920s and on into the 1930s, and so it is not surprising that Elastolin made many types of SA figures. There SA figures in several types of uniforms—the basic "brown shirt," another uniform with a brown jacket, and a winter uniform. The SA marchers included men carrying packs, and men with slung rifles. The parade figures also included an SA medic and an SA nurse—quick "first aid" (at

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4830-454: The M35 officers' tunic were worn alongside the standard issue, sometimes with green collars. The M40 Tropical breeches were of jodhpur type, to be worn with knee-boots or puttees : these were very unpopular and most were soon cut off to make shorts (captured British/Commonwealth shorts were frequently worn as well). By mid-1941 conventional trousers in olive cotton were being issued, followed soon thereafter by regulation Heer shorts; these had

4945-465: The M37 replaced the Waffenrock for formal and ceremonial dress. Officers and certain senior NCOs had the option of wearing a white cotton tunic from April through September. The Reichswehr "old-style" ( ältere Art ) model had a stand collar, a six-button front, and plain sleeves; it was authorized for barracks wear, supervising training, and attending sporting events. The newer model introduced in 1937 had

5060-754: The Nazis came to power in early 1933 the Reichswehr , the armed forces of the Weimar Republic , were near the end of a two-year project to redesign the Army Feldbluse (field blouse). Beginning in that year the new tunic was issued to the Reichsheer and then the rapidly growing Wehrmacht Heer , although minor design changes continued to be made until the appearance of the standardized Heeres Dienstanzug Modell 1936 . The M36 tunic still retained

5175-470: The Panzer and tropical uniforms. Insignia consisted of an embroidered national emblem ( Wehrmachtsadler ) and red-white-black cockade , and (until 1942) an inverted chevron ( soutache ) in Waffenfarbe . Officers' caps (M38) were piped in silver or aluminum (gold for generals). A variant appeared in 1942 with a two-part "fold" intended to serve as ear flaps in cold weather, secured by two front buttons: this

5290-724: The SA ( Sturm Abteilung ), the SS, the LSSAH ( Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler = Hitler's elite SS bodyguard unit), the RAD ( Reichsarbeitsdienst = German Labor Service), NSDAP (the Nazi party), Hitler Youth ( Hitler Jugend ), Jungvolk (pre-teen counterpart of the Hitler Youth), BdM (female counterpart of the Hitler Youth), Marinesturm (Marine-SA; a specialized sub-unit of the SA), and several others. All

5405-458: The SidCot In extreme conditions thigh high fur boots could be worn with it, and on long flights it could be enhanced with electrically heated waistcoat, gloves and boot inner soles powered by a windmill generator (though flexing broke the wires in the gloves, and over voltage caused burns) In the mid 1930s RAF standard flight suit was a variation on the Sidcot made of rubberised linen in

5520-715: The USSR, the Germans found themselves ill-equipped to deal with the Russian winter at the end of 1941 and had to improvise. German civilians back home were called upon to donate fur coats and other winter clothing for the war effort until enough specialized military gear for the extreme cold had been produced. Hooded waterproof parkas were issued later in the war, in white for troops on the Eastern Front and in field-grey for mountain troops ( Gebirgsjäger soldiers). In addition to

5635-473: The Weimar-era uniforms the skirt of the feldbluse was shorter and the tailoring was more form-fitting due to Germany's adoption of mechanized warfare: soldiers now spent much time in the confined space of a vehicle and a shorter jacket was less likely to pick up dirt from the seats. It also included an internal suspension system, whereby a soldier could hang an equipment belt on a series of hooks outside of

5750-516: The Western Front during World War I, and so there was a Gasalarmschlager ("gas alarm striker") [584] and several Infanterie figures wearing gas masks. The Verwundete und Sanitatspersonal (series 656) included doctors and nurses to treat the assortment of wounded soldiers that the medic figures brought back from the battlefield. Series 656 also included a Toter Soldat ("dead soldier") [652/15]. Lagerleben ("camp life") [series 550/-]

5865-605: The best example. Several other European nations took note of the greater protection afforded by the German stahlhelm design and used it for their own forces. This made it possible for Elastolin to create figures representing some foreign armies simply by painting standard German figures with German heads in the color(s) of a foreign uniform. Therefore, it is helpful to have a good reference book such as Andrew Mollo 's The Armed Forces of World War II to correctly identify them—particularly when distinguishing between German, Hungarian and Swiss personnel. The Hausser-Elastolin line of

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5980-530: The black color made oil stains less visible and a short jacket was less likely to get caught in the machinery. The trousers had tapered cuffs with drawstrings and tapes in order to fit into lace-up ankle boots. Although the jacket could be buttoned to the neck in cold weather, ordinarily it was worn open-collar with a field grey or mouse grey shirt and (in theory) a black necktie. The jacket was manufactured in three different patterns between 1934 and 1945. First pattern jackets had deep lapels with square collars. There

6095-466: The bottle green collar and shoulder straps , which began to be phased out in 1938/39, though most combat examples show this variation appearing in 1940, hence the unofficial M40 pattern. The troops liked the older green collars, and M40 (and later) tunics modified with salvaged M36 collars or bottle-green collar overlays are not uncommon. The M41 is exactly the same as the M40, but with a 6 button front due to

6210-432: The brand name Elastolin when it began production of figures in a hard polystyrene plastic in 1955 (production of figures in the older sawdust-based composition material continued). In the years that followed the company produced Roman soldiers, Huns, Vikings, Normans, Landsknechts and 17th-century Turks. Hausser-Elastolin also manufactured personality figures of Prince Valiant and at least one or two other characters from

6325-512: The buttons on the dark-green Swedish cuffs. Waffenfarbe piping also edged the collar, cuffs, front closure, and scalloped rear vent. Officers wore a formal belt of silver braid. Trousers were steingrau , with the outer seams piped in Waffenfarbe. In the full-dress uniform ( grosser Gesellschaftanzug ) the Waffenrock was worn with medals, aiguillette (officers), trousers and shoes, the Schirmmütze , gloves, and sword (officers/senior NCOs) or dress bayonet (enlisted). Parade dress substituted

6440-416: The collar patches instead of Litzen and, officially until 1942, collar piping in Waffenfarbe (usually the rose-pink of the armor branch, but also gold for former cavalry units in the reconnaissance role or black/white twist for combat engineers). The color and Totenköpfe (skulls) were chosen due to their similarity to the uniforms of August von Mackensen 's Black Hussars , and also for practical reasons:

6555-416: The cowboys, castles/fortresses for the knights, houses and barns for the farmers and their animals, zoo enclosures for the wild animals, and an assortment of trench pieces and bunkers ( Schutzengraben aus Holz ) that allowed piece-by-piece purchase and assembly of multi-line trench systems for the soldiers. These included artillery emplacements, command bunkers, a field kitchen and a first aid station. There

6670-469: The decline of material quality, which by now was 50% or more viscose rayon and recycled shoddy . SS-specific uniforms nonetheless stayed with 5 buttons. The M42 is essentially an M40/41 tunic, but with pleats removed from all the pockets to save on materials and production time. The M43 saw the removal of all pleats and scalloped flaps from the field tunic, and pockets began to be cut straight rather than with rounded edges. Many M43 tunics were made with

6785-582: The different versions of the Model 1936 field tunic by modern collectors, to discern between variations, as the M36 was steadily simplified and tweaked due to production time problems and combat experience. Uniforms of the Heer as the ground forces of the Wehrmacht were distinguished from other branches by two devices: the army form of the Wehrmachtsadler or Hoheitszeichen (national emblem) worn above

6900-405: The elite bersaglieri rifle units with their broad-brimmed hats and black cockerel feathers. Italian figures in tropical uniforms, and (black) African colonial soldiers were produced in small numbers. Guards Regiments in colourful dress uniforms were produced of Great Britain's Grenadier Guards and Denmark's Royal Life Guards . Hausser-Elastolin made most of its foreign figures by adding

7015-627: The end of the year. Many of the Hausser moulds were purchased by the Preiser company and are currently being reproduced in plastic. World War II German uniform The following is a general overview of the Heer main uniforms , used by the German Army prior to and during World War II . Terms such as M40 and M43 were never designated by the Wehrmacht , but are names given to

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7130-527: The final number, 1, indicated that the musician was a Trommler ). The Luftwaffe was represented on the parade ground by several different "personality" figures of Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring , and two series of marching figures: Flieger ("fliers") [series 26/-] with yellow waffenfarbe ("arm of service color") and Flak ("anti-aircraft troops) [series 28/-] with red waffenfarbe. Both branches were represented by several types of marching officers, marching enlisted personnel with rifles (some wearing

7245-464: The financial resources to do so could also provide their forces with engineer units using two types of man-powered water craft for crossing water obstacles, and with either a pontoon bridge or a conventional girder bridge so that horses and motor vehicles could cross as well. Limited production of composition figures resumed several years after the end of World War II in 1945 subject to the strict terms of "de-Nazification." Post-war production included

7360-429: The front of the band, with the Wehrmachtsadler above; these were stamped aluminum or sometimes embroidered in bullion for officers (silver for company and field-grade officers, and gold for generals). The edges of the band and crown were piped in Waffenfarbe. Enlisted men wore the cap with a black leather chinstrap; officers wore a pair of braided silver or aluminum cords (gold for generals). NCOs were authorized to wear

7475-692: The full A7L pressure suit during launch, trans-lunar injection , lunar ascent/descent, and extravehicular activity . Mercury and Gemini crews wore their space suits for the duration of the mission, with the exception of Gemini 7 . Pilots and flight crews use several colors of flight suit. NASA crews, for example, wear blue flight suits as a sort of functional dress uniform during training. The orange suits that they wear during launch and re-entry/landing are designed for high visibility, should there be an emergency recovery. White suits are worn during space walks to control temperature. NASA non-astronaut flight crew at Langley Research Center wear blue, and crew at

7590-504: The infamous black Allgemeine SS uniform, familiar from prewar newsreels, was not worn by combat troops; the Waffen-SS wore feldgrau or camouflage. Early in the war, this consisted of heavy wool greatcoats (a similar pattern was issued to East German border guards until 1989). They had silver dimpled buttons that did not reflect the light and were sometimes painted green to provide further camouflage. Following Hitler's invasion of

7705-928: The least) was often important during the Kampfzeit ("time of battle/struggle") before Hitler was appointed chancellor! There were also figures on horseback, and a small group of mounted SA musicians. Stepping outside the parade ground, there was an extensive line of SA Lagerleben figures and others representing a unit undergoing field training. The first "personality figures" Hausser producer were Kaiser Wilhelm II and soon after Feldmarschall von Hindenburg during World War I. The "personality figures" include Hitler, von Hindenburg , Ludendorff , Göring, Hess, Goebbels, von Schirach , Großadmiral Raeder , and Generalfeldmarschall von Mackensen in Hussar uniform. There are also two personality figures of Mussolini and one of Franco. A personality figure of SA leader Ernst Röhm

7820-566: The left upper sleeve. NCO's wore a 9mm silver or grey braid around the collar edge. Shoulder-straps and, in many cases, collar patches were piped or underlaid in Waffenfarbe , a color code which often identified the branch of service to which the unit belonged: white for infantry, red for artillery, rose-pink for Panzer troops and so on. Most belt buckles had the Heeresadler with the inscription " Gott mit uns " ("God with us"). When

7935-424: The lower pockets were of an angled slash type similar to the black or grey SS service-dress. The second button of an SS Feldbluse was positioned somewhat lower, so that it could be worn open-collar with a necktie. Due to supply problems, the SS were often issued army uniforms. The M40 uniform was the first design change in the standard army uniform. It differed from the M36 only in the substitution of feldgrau for

8050-577: The manufacture of steingrau fabric and instead produce trousers from the same feldgrau cloth as the tunic; however, Army depots continued to issue existing stocks and the older dark trousers were still frequently seen until around 1942. M42 A new design of field trousers was introduced in 1942, replacing the old World War I style straight legged "Langhosen" . These were based on the gebirgsjäger model of trousers, designed to be worn with low boots and gaiters, which began replacing jackboots in 1941. New features included tapered ankles, reinforced seat, and

8165-460: The more practical (and less conspicuous) other-ranks uniform for frontline service, and save the "good" uniform for walking-out, office and garrison wear; some of these EM tunics were privately modified with French cuffs and officer-style collars. Nonetheless, many officers ignored regulations and wore the Dienstrock at the front, sometimes even with breeches. The Waffenrock (military coat)

8280-402: The most part used high-quality wool gabardine ( Trikot ), doeskin or whipcord. For this reason the officers' Dienstrock did not undergo the cost-saving changes which affected the enlisted M36, and kept its green collar and scalloped, pleated pockets throughout the war. After the Army authorized wearing the collar open with a necktie in 1943, some officers' tunics were made with fixed lapels like

8395-492: The necessity of bulky leather and shearling jackets and trousers began to fade. For example, pilots, navigators, and bombardiers of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress operating in Europe in 1944 comfortably wore their officer's uniforms under an A-2 flight jacket , due to the enclosed and heated cabin; but the tail- and ball turret gunners were more exposed, as were waist gunners who fired their guns through open window gunports. When

8510-434: The new uniform in summer 1944 before its approval for general issue, the M44 was usually seen at the front only in the war's last months and generally on the greenest of troops: new replacements, teenage Flakhelfer , and Hitlerjugend and Volkssturm militia. Field grey double-breasted great coat with dark green collar and shoulder-strap. It was worn by all ranks below general officers. Generals and field marshals wore

8625-412: The overall weight of the airplane and reduced the effective bombload that could be carried. With the era of jet flight and improved focus on safety; however, fully fire-retardant materials were required. It was also simpler to make a one-piece suit when it would potentially have to fit over existing clothing or various types of under-garments. Also, with the coming of jet flight came the development of

8740-433: The paramilitary organizations were represented by marching figures. There were complete marching bands of SA, SS and RAD musicians; also a complete band of standing (non-marching) SA musicians that included a kesselpauker (kettle drummer). The Jungfolk were represented by marching drummers, flautists and fanfarenblaser . There were SA, SS, LSSAH, RAD, Hitler Youth, Jungvolk , BdM and NSFK marching figures carrying either

8855-491: The politically inoffensive Swiss figures with their black German-style helmets and black ankle boots, and a new line of American army figures wearing the dark olive uniform and "steel pot" style helmet of the WWII-era US Army. Figures representing the post-war Bundeswehr and Austrian armies went into production after West Germany and Austria were again allowed to form military forces. Hausser continued to use

8970-596: The popular comic strip and feature film. Some of the old figure lines -- Medieval figures, "Trappers" (cowboys), American Indians and de-Nazified figures of World War-II era German soldiers—were also manufactured in plastic. Hausser had exclusive rights to produce figures for the works of Karl May , a German author whose tales of the American "Wild West" captured the imaginations of several generations of German boys, and so there are plastic figures representing several of May's best-known characters. Along with these figures came an impressive new line of catapults, siege towers,

9085-590: The practice was discouraged. Originally issued in blue-grey, the Waffen-SS later used camouflage-printed examples. It featured zips running down the inside of the dump leg which could be used to zip both legs together to make a sleeping bag. The similarities between the Panzer uniform and the SS Panzer uniform, and the use of a Totenkopf emblem by both, led to incidents of Army Panzer crewmen being shot by Allied soldiers who assumed they were SS members. Ironically

9200-423: The precursor to today's space suits . The current flight suit that is standard for most air forces and navies is made of Nomex , a fabric made from spun aramid that is lightweight and fire-resistant. The flame-retardant capabilities of this material make it ideal for protecting aviators in case of a fire. The suit is often green or desert tan in color, with multiple pockets for specific pieces of gear (such as

9315-533: The preface M so the catalog number for a 4-cm marching Heer Trommler (Army snare drummer) was M 47/1. The Heer , all wearing the correct World War II German uniform , was represented by parade ground figures that included marching officers, marching infantry men, marching flag-carriers , marching musicians, a marching panzer man in his distinctive black uniform, marching Gebirgsjager ("mountain troops"), marching musicians, and cavalry and musicians mounted on horses. The parade ground figures had troops for

9430-470: The rarity (and value) of some figures is also determined by the color of their clothing; some colors are rarer than others. The 1980 catalog includes Romans, Vikings, Huns, Normans/ Medieval figures (including Prince Valiant and Sir Gawain), Landsknechts , Turks, American Indians, cowboys, US cavalry, Karl May characters, Arabs, US War of Independence figures (US regulars and militia, English and German), Prussian soldiers, Union and Confederate soldiers from

9545-499: The right and the Heeresadler (Army eagle) in silver-grey on the left; in 1940 the national colors and then in 1943 the eagle were discontinued, and existing decals were often covered up during repainting. During this early period, SS helmets carried a red shield with swastika on the left and a white shield with the SS sig-runes on the right. The Navy was as the Army but with the eagle in gold, and Luftwaffe helmets substituted that branch's eagle. The calf-high pull-on jackboot had been

9660-537: The right breast pocket, and – with certain exceptions – collar tabs bearing a pair of Litzen ( Doppellitze "double braid"), a device inherited from the old Prussian Guard which resembled a Roman numeral II on its side. Both eagle and Litzen were machine-embroidered or woven in white or grey (hand-embroidered in silk, silver or aluminium for officers and in gold bullion for generals). Rank was worn on shoulder-straps except for junior enlisted ( Mannschaften ), who wore plain shoulder-straps and their rank insignia, if any, on

9775-483: The same as their Heer counterparts but with the distinctive blue-gray uniform of the Luftwaffe . Elastolin solf them sold for the same price as their Heer counterparts, but modern auction catalogs usually list them at higher prices and modern day collectors must therefore take care that any 28/664 and 28/590 figures they buy are not post-war repaints of the regular 664 and 590 figures. The paramilitary units include

9890-661: The several Revolutionary War figures was certainly intended to be George Washington , but the catalog did not identify him as such. Wheeled vehicles included a four-horse Roman chariot, a Kampfwagen (battle wagen) of the European late-Middle Ages, an American stage coach drawn by two horses, and an American covered wagen (also drawn by two horses) Hausser stopped manufacturing figures from composite materials in 1969. Production of plastic figures continued through 1982. The company filed for bankruptcy in June 1983 and ceased production by

10005-515: The simple rotary and inline motors of the time. The Australian pilot Frederick Sidney Cotton 's experience on the Western Front in WWI with high level and low-temperature flying led Cotton in 1917 to develop the revolutionary new "Sidcot" suit, a flying suit which solved the problem pilots had in keeping warm in the cockpit. This flying suit, with improvements, was widely used by the RAF until

10120-526: The soft field cap, others wearing the iconic stahlhelm helmet), marching flag-carriers, and complete sets of marching and standing musicians. Fliegers and Flak alike were also represented by standing (non-marching) officers and enlisted men. The marching Fliegers also included an aircrewman wearing a beige " flight suit " instead of the blue Luftwaffe uniform. The Luftwaffe also had combat troops. There were 28/664 series Flak-Artillerie crews and 28/590 Flak-Krad-Schutzen figures. These figures were

10235-621: The standard camouflage utilities. NASA astronauts have worn one-piece flight suits when in training or on flights in their NASA T-38s . The current flight suit worn by astronauts is royal blue , made of Nomex. The now-common " shirt-sleeve environment " of the orbiting Space Shuttle and International Space Station has resulted in much more casual attire during spaceflight, such as shorts and polo shirts . From STS-5 to STS-51-L , crews wore light blue flight suits and an oxygen helmet during launch/reentry. Apollo crews wore white 2-piece beta cloth uniforms during non-essential activities and

10350-404: The standard-issue snow camouflage, the Germans made extensive use of captured Red Army equipment, especially the fur boots, which provided better protection from the sub-zero temperatures. German troops took drastic action to obtain their winter uniform and gear from dead Russian soldiers, including even cutting off the legs of the corpses to get off their thick boots. The M40 Tropical tunics of

10465-468: The steel helmet and jackboots. Semi-formal ( kleiner Gesellschaftanzug ) and walking-out ( Ausgangsanzug ) uniforms were as full-dress, but without aiguillette and with ribbons replacing medals. Production and issue of the Waffenrock was suspended in 1940, and either the service or the officers' ornamented uniform was worn for dress occasions instead. However, the Waffenrock remained authorized for walking out for those who had or could purchase it; and it

10580-403: The time World War II started in earnest, electrically heated suits were introduced by Lion Apparel in conjunction with General Electric for patrol and bomber crews who routinely operated at high altitudes above 30,000 feet (9,100 m), where air temperatures could get so cold that flesh could freeze instantly to any metal it touched. As enclosed and pressurized cabins came into operation,

10695-419: The tinplate artillery pieces), Nachrichtentruppe ("communications troops") [series 659/-] which included World War I-vintage message dog- and carrier-pigeon-wranglers, Pioniere ("combat engineer and construction troops") [series 662/-] and Krad-Schutzen ("motorcycle troops") [series 990/-] on individual two-passenger motorcycles and three-passenger sidecar models. Poison gas had been used by both sides on

10810-430: The traditional Imperial and Reichswehr uniform color of grey-green " field gray " ( feldgrau ) wool, but incorporated four front patch pockets with scalloped flaps and pleats (on Reichswehr tunics the lower pockets were internal and angled). The front was closed with five buttons rather than the previous eight, and the collar and shoulder straps were of a dark bottle-green instead of the Reichswehr grey. Compared to

10925-423: The traditional footwear of the German soldier for generations. The Wehrmacht boot was little different from that of World War I: made of brown pebbled leather (blackened with polish), with hobnailed leather soles and heel-irons. Trousers were worn tucked inside. Originally 35–39 cm tall, the boots were shortened to 32–35 cm in 1939 in order to save leather. By 1940 leather was becoming more scarce and issue

11040-555: The true "crusher." In 1935 the Wehrmacht adopted a lower, lighter version of the M1916/18 "coal scuttle" helmet; this became the ubiquitous German helmet of World War II, worn by all branches of the Wehrmacht and SS, police, fire brigades and Party organizations. Collectors distinguish slight production variants as the M35, M40 and M42. Heer helmets were originally painted "apple green," a semigloss feldgrau somewhat darker than

11155-404: The tunic. These hooks were connected to two straps inside the lining, which spread the weight of the equipment without having to use external equipment suspenders . The M36 was produced and issued until the very end of the war, though successive patterns became predominant. SS field uniforms were of similar appearance externally but to fit their larger patches had a wider, feldgrau collar, and

11270-1020: The uniform color; wartime factory and field painting covered a gamut from very dark black-green to slate-grey to olive-green (and sand-yellow in Africa), increasingly in matte or textured paint to eliminate reflections. The Army began issuing camouflage helmet covers in 1942, first in Splittertarnmuster (splinter-pattern) and then in Sumpftarnmuster (swamp/marsh or "water" pattern); these were never plentiful and individual soldiers frequently improvised helmet covers from splinter-pattern Zeltbahn (tent/poncho) fabric, or less frequently hand-painted their helmets in camouflage patterns. Soldiers would also cover their helmets with netting or chicken wire into which foliage could be inserted. Prewar and early-war Army Stahlhelme had shield-shaped decals on either side, black-white-red diagonal stripes on

11385-631: Was a walking figure (26/21) of Goring reviewing troops, and as Goring was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall and then to the unique rank of Reichsmarschall a figure was produced that showed "the Iron Man" holding an appropriately large marschall's baton . Premium grade figures of Hitler, Göring, Hindenburg, Mussolini and Franco were made with headless composition bodies that were then fitted with special-made porcelain heads that captured their facial features and expressions with exceptional clarity. These command premium prices from collectors. Mussolini

11500-500: Was a widespread if unauthorized practice to loan a soldier a Waffenrock from regimental stocks to get married in, as evidenced by many wartime wedding photos. A Waffenrock uniform was designed specifically for the Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland , however they were never widely issued and were placed in storage awaiting the end of the war. In 1937 officers were authorized the optional purchase of

11615-461: Was also a seated Hitler to ride in one of Elastolin's magnificent staff cars (German children knew the Führer always sat up front next to the driver and never in the back seat). There was also an early figure of Hitler in civilian attire. Göring's high profile in the German leadership was reflected by the fact that he too was represented by figures showing him in SA, NSFK and Luftwaffe uniform. There

11730-587: Was also no provision to close the collar. Second pattern (1936–42) added three buttons to close the collar, reduced the size of the lapels and had a more pointed collar. Note that some second pattern jackets were produced without collar piping (possibly for non-panzer personnel entitled to wear the jacket). The third pattern (1942–45) deleted the collar piping for all personnel but was otherwise similar to second pattern. Self-propelled anti-tank artillery ( Panzerjäger ) and assault-gun ( Sturmgeschütz ) crews were issued similar uniforms in field-grey from 1940. Originally

11845-504: Was an equally extensive line of tin plate military wagons (including a field kitchen and a field bakery), trucks, half-tracks , searchlights and artillery pieces. Some of the 1920s vintage models were rather generic in design, but some of the later models were accurate scale models of their real-life counterparts—the 721-1/2 leichtes Inf.-Geschutz ("light infantry cannon"), 726 schweres Langrohrgeschutz ("heavy long-barreled cannon"), 710 Schwere Feldhaubitze ("heavy field howitzer") and

11960-453: Was available as a walking figure (25/21N) and sitting astride a horse (25/496N). While German President Generalfeldmarshall und Reichspresident Paul von Hindenburg was still in the catalog for several years after his death in 1934 and was available in uniform (649), in civilian attire (648), and in uniform astride a horse. All of the Nazi leaders (Hitler, Röhm, Heß, Göring, Goebbels and von Schirach) were represented by at least one figure with

12075-409: Was demonstrated early during that war. As technology advanced, the fire-protective flight suit, helmets, goggles, masks, gloves and footwear were designed and used. The footwear often could be cut to appear like civilian shoes in the country where the crew member would land if shot down. Flak jackets were also developed to give bomber crews some protection from flying shrapnel, though these increased

12190-545: Was descended from that introduced by the Prussian Army in 1842 and rapidly adopted by the other German states. In its Wehrmacht form as issued in 1935, it was a formfitting thigh-length eight-button tunic of fine feldgrau wool, without external pockets. The collar was taller than the service tunic and bore more elaborate Litzen, embroidered all in silver-white and mounted on Waffenfarbe backing; smaller Ärmelpatten , similar in appearance to Litzen, appeared under

12305-468: Was developed for the US Army Air Corps and featured two button-down breast pockets and two button-down shin pockets that could be accessed from the sitting position. The US Navy used a slightly different model that featured slanted pockets with zippers. The material used was either wool or tight-weave cotton for wind resistance and fire protection. The need for short-duration fire protection

12420-513: Was dropped from the line after he was executed during the so-called " Night of the Long Knives " (a purge of the socialist wing of the Nazi party) in 1934. The figure of General von Blomberg became a generic General figure after he was forced to retire in 1938. Hitler was represented by several uniformed figures; one was a walking figure of Hitler reviewing troops or perhaps a Nazi unit with his right arm up in his unique bent-arm salute. There

12535-403: Was generally ignored and the popular "Knautschmütze" was worn throughout the war, coming to be known as the ältere Art (old style) field cap. Officers and NCOs in the field would sometimes remove the wire stiffener from the Schirmmütze to achieve the "crush" look, especially tank crewmen (to facilitate wearing headphones); this unauthorized but widespread practice should not be confused with

12650-455: Was rapidly overtaken by the M43 field cap. Since before World War I German and Austrian mountain troops had worn a visored "ski cap" ( Gebirgsmütze ) with turn-down ear flaps secured in front by two buttons. A version of this cap with longer visor, false turn-down, and slightly lower crown in olive cotton twill had been issued with the tropical uniform. In 1943 a similar cap in field-grey wool with

12765-449: Was represented by soldiers washing, cleaning, eating, reclining and their tents . There was also figure 550/36/50, a unit clerk who came ready to work with his own table, bench and typewriter . The Kriegsmarine was represented by a "personality" figure of Großadmiral Erich Raeder saluting, marching officers carrying swords, sailors carrying rifles, marching fanfare trumpeters ( Fanfarenblaser ) and flag-carriers ( Fahnentrager ) and

12880-525: Was restricted to combat branches, and in 1941 jackboots were no longer issued to new recruits. By late 1943 production of jackboots had ceased altogether. However, as late as fall 1944 depots were encouraged to issue Marschstiefel to infantry and artillery, to the extent they were available. Officers' boots were knee-high and more form-fitting, and (as usual) often private purchases of superior quality. They were to be worn with breeches; however, these technically were not "riding" boots, differing somewhat from

12995-409: Was shortened to waist length, an internal belt was added, and the tunic could be worn with an open or closed collar. The color was the new "Feldgrau 44" , a drab greenish-brown. The rarely used and complicated internal suspension system was finally dropped. German insignia was still worn (breast eagle, collar Litzen and shoulder boards). Except for the elite Panzer-Lehr-Division , which field-tested

13110-507: Was supplied, pilots were allowed to provide their own protective clothing by private purchase. Various types of flight jackets and trouser coverings were developed, and two-piece outfits were common among pilots to ward off the chill caused by slipstream and the cold of low-oxygen high-altitude flying. Leather quickly became the preferred material due to its durability and the protection it offered against flying debris such as insect strikes during climb-outs and landings, and oil thrown off by

13225-422: Was the peaked cap as finalized in 1934. The semi-rigid band was covered in bottle-green fabric, and the stiff visor came in variety of materials and were made of either black vulcanized rubber, fibre, plastic, or (occasionally) patent leather . The oval wool crown was stiffened with wire into a curved "saddleback" shape with a high front. Insignia consisted of the national cockade surrounded by an oakleaf wreath on

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