142. German Air Force: Hauptmann, 1942, Tropical Clothing.
144. German Air Force Paratroop: Jäger, 1941, Tropical Clothing.
German Luftwaffe personnel, including paratroopers, were issued with a set of tan coloured Tropical Clothing which was authorised to be worn between 1st May and 30th September, weather permitting, within the boundaries of the Reich. When the same clothing was worn in North Africa it was permitted to be worn throughout the year. It consisted of a tunic (No. 142) and or shirt (No. 144), long trousers (No. 142) or shorts worn with the tropical forage cap, the tropical service cap (No. 142) or sun helmet (similar to sun helmet in No. 100). Footwear consisted oflace-up boots (No. 142) or lace-up shoes. The shirt worn without the tunic, the shorts and the sun helmet were not, however, allowed to be worn within the home area. In other hot climate areas or countries such as Italy (south of the Naples-Foggia line), Sicily, Sardinia, Greece, Crete and Rhodes and other Mediterranean islands under German control the clothing was worn between the dates 1st May and 30th September. The Tropical Service Cap (No. 142) was introduced for wear with the Luftwaffe tan coloured uniform on 13th April 1942. It took the place of the Tropical Forage Cap and was worn by Men, NCOs and Officers. It tended to be worn fairly extensively by members of the Hermann Göring Division when serving in North Africa, Tunisia, Sicily and Italy. They gave it the name ofthe 'Hermann Meyer Cap', a witticism reflecting Hermann Göring's unofficial name. The 'Afrika' cuff-title with the silver-white lettering on a dark blue cloth band was a Iuftwaffe- cuff-title worn only by Air Force personnel actually stationed in North Africa. The Captain shown in No. 142 had at one time served in the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39 (see No. 140). He is wearing the Spanish Cross with swords , , in silver worn on the right breast below the Spanish Air Force pilots 'wings'.

143. German Air Force Paratroops: Oberjäger, 1943, Special Protective Parachute clothing and Jump Harness.
The Special Parachute Protective Clothing issued to German paratroop personnel underwent a number orchanges during the existence of the German Parachute Arm. Originally paratroopers had been issued with a plain grey-green jump smock known as a 'Bone Bag' that whilst it opened at the front was a step-in type of garment with two short 'legs'. The second pattern smock, made from printed camouflage material (No. 143) opened all the way down the front, a much more practical item of wear. Fabric covered rubber knee pads were issued to troops undergoing training. These were intended to protect thr wearers' knees on landing from a juInp. Leather gloves with extended wrist covering were part of this specialist clothing. The rimless steel helmrt with its leather chin strap securely anchored in three places was designed to afford maximum head protection without being cumbersome and at the same time fit securely without the risk of the helmet bring thrown off the wearer's head on impact with the ground. The parachute harness shown in No. 143 was the final pattern issued to Paratroopers. It should not be confused with the parachute harness as worn by Luftwaffe Air Crews.Jump boots in black or dark brown leather were originally side lace-up (No. 144) but later were replaced by less expensive front lace-up ankle boots (No. 143).

145. German Air Force: Gefreiter Brigade Hermann Göring, 1942, Camouflage smock and Field Service Uniform.
The troops of the Brigade 'Hermann Göring' first began to be issued with camouflage smocks and helmet covers from stocks of Waffen-SS camouflage items in July 1942. Not all members of the Brigade received these garments as there were not enough smocks and helmet covers to go around. A year after thr first issues of these Waffen-SS patterned items had been made, additional camouflage clothing of the standard Army 'splinter' pattern (see No. 103) began to be issued, followed later by the 'tan, water pattern' type.

146. German Air Force: Major, Parachute Regiment, 1944, Officers Leather overcoat.
The Leather Overcoat was an item of clothing that was obtained by the individual officer at his own expense. Many officers of all services favoured wearing the Leather Overcoat, the basic design was universal and only the shade of colour changed for some of the more obvious service branches ie: grey-green for Army and Waffen-SS officers, blue-grey for Air Force and Paratroop officers, as is the case illustrated here, dark blue-grey for naval officers etc. The only insignia permitted to be worn on these coats were shoulder straps.

147. German Air Force: Grenadier, Luftwaffe Field Division, 1944 Air Force Field Division combat jacket.
In the autumn of 1942 efforts were made to put new life into the dwindling forces of the German Army fighting on the Eastern Front by drawing on the excessive manpower available in both the Navy and the Air Force. On Göring's insistence the surplus men taken from his Air Force units were formed into ground-combat Field Divisions under Luftwaffe control. The 'combing out' process from Luftwaffe ground units, anti-aircraft units and recruit depots produced in all some twenty Luftwaffe Field Uivisions together with the requisite replacement and training units. Most of the divisions were sent to the Russian Front during the winter of 1942-43 whilst some fought in Italy and others in France in 1944. In the autumn of 1943 the Luftwaffe Field Divisions were absorbed into the Army, many of them having suffered heavy losses and a number of the badly mauled divisions were disbanded altogether. Although initially fitted out with Luftwaffe uniforms and personal equipment the divisions were forced by circumstances to adapt their clothing to suit their needs. Hence the introduction of a caInouflage combat jacket (No. 147) which was unique to the Field Divisions, and the use of field-grey clothing when Luftwaffe blue-grey was no longer suitable or available. They did however continue to display the Luftwaffe National Emblem and they also wore special collar patches which were peculiar to the troops of these formations.

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