Jump Smock Opinions please.

[ZR1Jan]

MY analytical methodology..!!. OK willi.

If you felt this Gary, I´m very sorry, this was not my intention.
SUPER smock I it.

Best regards Jan

[busterz111]

Originally Posted by SMP

Jan,

Here's one without side-zips. There is also a piece of tan/water material used in it's construction. To me this means it was made in 1943 when tan/water smocks were just starting. My guess is these were an interim measure made by a manufacturer about to switch from splinter smocks to t/w smocks. Of course I have no proof of this, and I am not prepared to argue it . ( OK, John ! )

Thought that one looked familiar.....thats my kitchen floor : )

[John Hodgin]

Originally Posted by SMP

Yeah, sorry Gary !

Great smock

Gary, please allow me to echo Steve and Jan's last posts; your new smock is a first class addition, a wonderful find, and a smock anyone would be overjoyed to own! It just not get any better, seriously! Again, congratulations!

Please also accept my apology if you felt the discussion which followed your posting detracted from your smock in any way! This was certainly the last thought on my mind, in fact quite the opposite. Your smock prompted an interesting, contentious, discussion of jump smock production details which, though tedious to some, were very interesting to others. Received dozens of emails today and over the weekend discussing these details further. So, bottom line, your posting spawned quite a lot of disagreement, thought, study, and discussion, IMHO never a bad thing on a Forum which promotes this. As a life long lover of German jump smock design and development, who happily gets lost studying the minutia of patterns, sewing, colors of threads, buttons, snaps, breast eagles, etc., I enjoyed the thread, and really like your smock!!!

Regards,
John

[Gary Cain]

No apologies needed from anyone at all. I learned a lot more about the smock and it's construction by some of the best in the research arena. As I said earlier, I am in no way an expert (nor will I ever get to the level of you or Willi, I am at heart a generalist) but it is the first out of the woodwork smock for me and I was very pleased to see that what i had gleaned from your book, and talks with Willi over the years, had actually taken root in my addled brain and allowed me to make a correct conclusion.

Thanks to all.

[ZR1Jan]

Well spoken John and Gary, my thoughts as well, and thanks your self for starting and contributing to this interesting thread.

Best Jan

[ZR1Jan]

Hi All
After I have done some more researching and examined the facts once again, I think I´ve come a bit closer to the truth about this “Tropical splinter” or Reversed Splinter pattern, and I´d like to hear your opinion about this, so we maybe can come to a consensus about this pattern, so we can lay this to rest once and for all.

There are no doubt that Wehrmacht directive of the 18th of February 1943 (HM No.181 shown below in English), plays a significant role in the answer to this question, and this directive is the ordering of all German Military equipment is to be painted in a dark yellow base color(DUNKELGELB NACH MUSTER FARBE)(Dark yellow accordingly to sample) , which apparently also shortly hereafter affects the camouflage colors of many camo garments in the Werhmacht in general, which become the group we know as “Tan/Water” “Sumpf” and “Marsh” camo patterns.
(This happens to be right after the introduction of the Rbnr. system(Late 42/Start 43) which is why we have difficulties linking the Rbnrs to Manufacturers, because most new patterns “Sumpf” or “Marsh” jump smocks then turns up with the new Rbnrs instead of Maker Stamps).

To give a qualified guess on why the OKW in February 1943 want to change the base color in general You have to take in consideration where the fronts are at that time, and as there is a mention in the start of the directive no.181, that this base color change also includes “the troops in in Africa and Crete” so this certainly tells us that their eyes were on the tropic areas, and the Mediterranean areas as well.
But their eyes must undoubtedly also at this time have been on the forthcoming summer offensive on the Russian front, in central Russia.
The dark yellow base color does make a great deal of sense on this specific time, both in the tropic and Mediterranean arena(Africa and Crete), where it suddenly dawned on me that it fits perfectly with the use of yellow Ramcke FJ helmets which may even had some influenced on the decision to change of base color, due to its effectiveness in the desert scheme of sandy surroundings,(We know that Ramcke FJ helmets where already yellow in around late 42 as the lovely yellow FJ helmet in John´s great book page 83 where picked up in late 42 at El Alamein).
And the dark yellow also fits perfectly with the golden plains of wheat/grain/grass straws fields in central Russian.


This means that all jump smocks made after the Directive 181 and what we later call “Tan/Water” “Sumpf” and “Marsh” is a compliance to this Order, and dark yellow actually fits the fact that most of these smocks in this group have a dark yellow base color, which ultimately means that they are all variations of the Sump/Marsh/Tan/Water category. but they were all also made to fit in the tropical arena/regions, so no wonder the colors fits the tropical regions colors.

So you can say that both Willi and I was right in a sense, but as this pattern in question isn´t in it self a special Tropical version, I think the point goes to Willi on this on, just with the small paragraf after that all Sumpf/Marsh/Tan/Water smocks were made for use in the tropics region also.

I still maintain the different types of camo patterns ongoing development theory also discussed in this thread, as I´ve found more evidence to support this theory.

Best Jan

H.M. 1943, p. 113, no. 181: Coating of the Equipment of the Ground Forces
1. Equipment paint:
Instead of the previous equipment paint, dark-gray / dark brown, which has been changed for the duration of the war to overall dark gray (see HM 864), as well as instead of the brown-gray for equipment of the forces in Africa and Crete, large equipment from now on has to be painted dark-yellow according to sample.
The order-number according to RAL palette of this dark-yellow will be announced later. Samples can be ordered by Heereswaffenamt Wa J Rü (W u G 1/V), Berlin W 15, Sächsischestr. 8. For small equipment, which is carried in vehicles (such as intelligence equipment, supply cases, tool boxes, crates, and trunks of veterinary equipment, file boxes), the previous paint has to be kept until further notice.
For the painting, the following are to be used:
P paint according to TL6321 for armoured vehicles,
W paint according to TL6320 for radio and intelligence equipment,
topcoat paint according to TL6337 for equipment made of magnesium alloys (such as electron wheels on guns),
Otherwise, artificial resin paint according to TL 6317 B
Opposing instructions are no longer applicable.
2. Camouflage paint: The camouflaging of equipment by application of respective paints according to prevailing field conditions is a matter for the troops. For this purpose, the units are to carry camouflage paste (3) in the following colors: olive-green according to the scheme of R.L.M. for camouflage colors (building and ground camouflage),
red-brown RAL 8017,
dark-yellow according to sample as in par. 1.
3. The camouflage paste noted in par. 2 are to be supplied to the troops via standard army supply. To calculate the total quantity for every unit, the following lump-sum charges in kilograms are valid:
 
olive-green / kg
red-brown / kg
dark-yellow / kg
trailers
0,5
0,5
0,5
cars with trailers (also with limber)
1,0
1,0
1,0
cannons till 7,5 cm Kal. einschließlich
0,5
0,5
0,5
cannons till 10,5 cm Kal. einschließlich
1,0
1,0
1,0
cannons till 21 cm Kal. incl.
1,5
1,5
1,5
cannons above of 29 cm Kal.
2,0
2,0
2,0
Nebelwerfer of all kinds
1,0
1,0
1,0
heavy throwers (each 10 racks)
1,0
1,0
1,0
armoured vehicles
2,0
2,0
2,0
personnel cars
0,5
0,5
0,5
trucks till 2 t
1,0
1,0
1,0
trucks above of 2 t
1,5
1,5
1,5
single axel trailers
0,5
0,5
0,5
twin-axel trailers
1,0
1,0
1,0

The camouflage paste is issued in packages of 2 and 20 kilograms. The total amount for each unit has to be rounded to a number that divides by two, in case of amounts above of 20 kg the bulk has to go first hand to 20 kg packages, the rest by such at 2kg each. In view of the current situation in regards to raw materials, production and transportation, it must be made the duty of the troops to use paint and camouflage pastes cautiously and to limit the consumption to what is urgently necessary.
4. In what form the camouflage paste is to be applied is left to the discretion of the troops. It is generally suitable to divide the surface of a piece of equipment (vehicle) into different colors for the purposes of sight. In general, the application in large spots of color, avoiding all regularity ("cloudy"), has proved effective. The camouflage paste is to be used in the condition in which it arrives or after the addition of water or gasoline. As well as with a paintbrush, it can also be applied with makeshift tools (brushes or rags), and will dry in a short time. It is also suitable for camouflaging the tarpaulins (canvas) of trucks. In case the camouflage pastes need to be removed, this may be done by use of fuel.
5. The winter camouflage (in snow covered area) until further notice is achieved by white coat with emulsion paint according to TL 6345. All equipment that is issued to the field troops until the end of February of 1943 is to be covered with white paint before shipping. The introduction of white paste for winter camouflage will be announced later.
6. Transitional regulations:
a) Newly made equipment which has already been given the previous paint is to be repainted or recolored prior to delivery according to par. 1, and canvas covers is to be re-painted.
b) Equipment in stock is only to be handed out painted or colorized according to par. 1. This equipment furthermore is to be coated by white emulsion paint, so far it becomes shipped until the end of February 1943 (5).
c) Among the field troops, the equipment on hand (dark-gray or in case of troops in Africa and over Crete brown-gray) is not to be repainted. Necessary camouflaging is to be done with camouflage paste (2 to 4).
d) Among replacements and occupation troops, equipment is to be painted with new paint according to par. 1. The needed paint (1 st. 4) as well as the camouflage paste (2, 3), is to be ordered by the units by standard routine. The recoloring of truck tarpaulians through must be done with camouflage paste.
O.K.H. (Ch H Rüst u. BdE), 18.02.43
- 72/88/16 - In. 2 (V)

[ZR1Jan]

Small correction to this paragraf;
This means that all jump smocks made after the Directive 181 that are in these colors, and what we later call “Tan/Water” “Sumpf” and “Marsh” and the smock in question "tropical splinter/reverse splinter" is a compliance to this Order, and dark yellow actually fits the fact that most of these smocks in this group have a dark yellow base color, which ultimately means that they are all variations of the Sump/Marsh/Tan/Water category. but they were all also made to fit in the tropical arena/regions, so no wonder the colors fits the tropical regions colors.