Got my Sanjay DAK tunic and cap; Opinions please:
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 9:37 pm
Hello all,
I need y'all's opinions about some aspects of my new tunic. I know that DAK insignia was different from mainland German uniforms, but I am unsure what is proper or authentic or not so I need y'all's opinions. I can always order new proper or more authentic insignia if needs be. As I said before, the reason I started putting together a DAK impression was for self enjoyment around the house, for a display or what have you. I started out just aquiring stuff to dress a manaquinn up as a hobby or display, then decided to get things in my size in case I might want to get back into reeancting, living history, etc..
So anyway, my tunic and cap I ordered from Sanjay in Indian came yesterday. It is very nice and seems well made. But NATURALLY it doesn't fit! I blame myself for not filling out his size chart and just ordering the size I thought I wore. Either I am bigger than I thought and gave him the wrong size, my old size or something, or it was made in a smaller size. Dang it!!! I should have measured myself to make sure. I just took it for granted that I wore such and such size and ordered that size. There is a WWII Fly-In coming up in my home town in May (tentatively planned or scheduled for My 9th so far), with some U.S. reenactors I know doing a Living History display, etc.. I thought I might show up as a German just to give another view of soldiers of WWII. I might just set my mannaquinne up as a display.
Anyway, the tunic and cap seem to be well made. I am no expert so I couldn't say if the color or every stitch and seam and the way it was put together is correct or not. But here goes as far as I can describe things:
First, the tunic and cap color are an olive color, almost the same as my old U.S. Army phatigues were in the early '70s, maybe a tad lighter. I always thought the DAK tunic colors were much lighter, a sort of greenish-beige or something. But I may be wrong. As I said, I am no expert by any means.
The colors of the insiginias, etc, are different than I am used to also. Again, I am new to all things DAK. I used to be in a Waffen SS unit 15 years ago, and have studied the German Army/SS for years, but the Euro/E. Front Theater, not DAK. DAK lore is all new to me, a new interest.
The collar tabs are narrower than I remember, and are grey with gold or yellow bars embroidered on them. The shoulder straps/Epalautes are the same olive greenish color as the tunic with white piping. The breast eagle is like a shiney sort of light greenish embroidered onto a brownish-tan background with gold thread interwoven in it (edging of eagle, outlining wing parts, etc.). The DAK sleeve band is dark green with "AFRIKAKORPS" emboridered in matalic looking silver thread as are the edges of the green band, which is sewn onto a brownish tan band which goes around the forearm. That brownish tan is the same background that the eagle is on. The cuffs are strange in that you can slide your hand towards your wrist into the cuff, which is tacked down in two spots. Sort of like the extra long sleeve was folded back to where the edge is right below the DAK band and tacked down in a couple of spots. It would seem that that would be a catch for dirt and whathave you.
The buttons on the epalautes and jacket front are all green pebbled. On each side, along the seam, are vent holes and brass hooks or keepers for the belt.
The cap eagle is light blue on a llight brown backgrown outlining it, which is itself on a darker brown background triangle or something. There is black thread used on the eagle too, outlining wing pargs, the wreath, etc, as the gold thread did on the breast eagle. The cocade is on a sort of a chestnut brownish diamond inside the upside down "V" of white piping.
Now for y'all's opinions, how authentic are these items? Just curious. I can always order proper insignia to replace any that is not up to par or correct.
Also, I ordered that tunic and cap from Sanjay (India) on 2/3/09. I e-mailed him the other day and he said it was shipping out on Monday. It came yesterday actually, by Federal Express. It is hard for me to believe that something can be sent from India and arrive here two days later. What do y'all think? If that is what happened, that is pretty good service!
Later,
Freebooter
I need y'all's opinions about some aspects of my new tunic. I know that DAK insignia was different from mainland German uniforms, but I am unsure what is proper or authentic or not so I need y'all's opinions. I can always order new proper or more authentic insignia if needs be. As I said before, the reason I started putting together a DAK impression was for self enjoyment around the house, for a display or what have you. I started out just aquiring stuff to dress a manaquinn up as a hobby or display, then decided to get things in my size in case I might want to get back into reeancting, living history, etc..
So anyway, my tunic and cap I ordered from Sanjay in Indian came yesterday. It is very nice and seems well made. But NATURALLY it doesn't fit! I blame myself for not filling out his size chart and just ordering the size I thought I wore. Either I am bigger than I thought and gave him the wrong size, my old size or something, or it was made in a smaller size. Dang it!!! I should have measured myself to make sure. I just took it for granted that I wore such and such size and ordered that size. There is a WWII Fly-In coming up in my home town in May (tentatively planned or scheduled for My 9th so far), with some U.S. reenactors I know doing a Living History display, etc.. I thought I might show up as a German just to give another view of soldiers of WWII. I might just set my mannaquinne up as a display.
Anyway, the tunic and cap seem to be well made. I am no expert so I couldn't say if the color or every stitch and seam and the way it was put together is correct or not. But here goes as far as I can describe things:
First, the tunic and cap color are an olive color, almost the same as my old U.S. Army phatigues were in the early '70s, maybe a tad lighter. I always thought the DAK tunic colors were much lighter, a sort of greenish-beige or something. But I may be wrong. As I said, I am no expert by any means.
The colors of the insiginias, etc, are different than I am used to also. Again, I am new to all things DAK. I used to be in a Waffen SS unit 15 years ago, and have studied the German Army/SS for years, but the Euro/E. Front Theater, not DAK. DAK lore is all new to me, a new interest.
The collar tabs are narrower than I remember, and are grey with gold or yellow bars embroidered on them. The shoulder straps/Epalautes are the same olive greenish color as the tunic with white piping. The breast eagle is like a shiney sort of light greenish embroidered onto a brownish-tan background with gold thread interwoven in it (edging of eagle, outlining wing parts, etc.). The DAK sleeve band is dark green with "AFRIKAKORPS" emboridered in matalic looking silver thread as are the edges of the green band, which is sewn onto a brownish tan band which goes around the forearm. That brownish tan is the same background that the eagle is on. The cuffs are strange in that you can slide your hand towards your wrist into the cuff, which is tacked down in two spots. Sort of like the extra long sleeve was folded back to where the edge is right below the DAK band and tacked down in a couple of spots. It would seem that that would be a catch for dirt and whathave you.
The buttons on the epalautes and jacket front are all green pebbled. On each side, along the seam, are vent holes and brass hooks or keepers for the belt.
The cap eagle is light blue on a llight brown backgrown outlining it, which is itself on a darker brown background triangle or something. There is black thread used on the eagle too, outlining wing pargs, the wreath, etc, as the gold thread did on the breast eagle. The cocade is on a sort of a chestnut brownish diamond inside the upside down "V" of white piping.
Now for y'all's opinions, how authentic are these items? Just curious. I can always order proper insignia to replace any that is not up to par or correct.
Also, I ordered that tunic and cap from Sanjay (India) on 2/3/09. I e-mailed him the other day and he said it was shipping out on Monday. It came yesterday actually, by Federal Express. It is hard for me to believe that something can be sent from India and arrive here two days later. What do y'all think? If that is what happened, that is pretty good service!
Later,
Freebooter