Waffen-SS second type camouflage cloth cover
During World War II, German helmets used a variety of camouflage. These include fence-like iron wire, iron wire netting, paint, soil, cloth cover, and various net wires used to fix branches. The Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS have a variety of models and camouflage patterns helmet cloth camouflage. These fabrics are tailored to the size of the helmet shell. The camouflage style changes according to the terrain and the season. These camouflage fabrics are highly dependent on logistics supplies, and some troops are even specially equipped with relevant responsible units.
The use of camouflage paint is not very widespread in the German army. Only when a unit has a need for camouflage, soldiers will get enough camouflage paint to use. The best application of camouflage paint is on armored vehicles, artillery, and anti-tank weapons. The chaser is the unit that has the most exposure to camouflage paint, and the most common use is camouflage on the helmet.
Due to the shortage of materials, the camouflage in the latter part of the war focused on the helmet. Because of the continuous and fierce combat of front-line combat troops, only a few helmets are camouflaged, even if these troops need to use camouflage. However, after landing in Normandy, the Allies found that the Germans had enough paint camouflage helmets during the battle against the Germans. These camouflage helmets are widely used in the ground forces of the army and air force on all fronts, especially those snipers in the chasing forces.
camouflage paint:
Army M40 Normandy camouflage helmet
The use of helmet camouflage comes from the regulations for camouflage concealment of heavy vehicles and equipment. The color and use of camouflage paint are quite different. Even in the same unit, helmets of the same model have huge differences in texture, color, pattern, and paint thickness. Therefore, a variety of different camouflage patterns can be found on all helmets. Therefore, it is almost impossible to completely count the color combinations and patterns of all camouflage used by the German army.
The paint used for spraying camouflage color is stored in 2kg and 20kg paint tanks. Paste paint was introduced in 1943. The paint was diluted with water or gasoline and sprayed with a brush and spray gun. Paste paint will become unstable when diluted with water in harsh environments, especially before it dries, it is easy to move and get dirty, so gasoline is the preferred thinner. In some cases, engine oil is also used as a dilution Agent.
Spraying technology:
Air Force M40 three-color camouflage paint finished by hand brushing. When painting by hand, I have been very careful to avoid affecting the helmet emblem.
For units equipped with vehicles, the most common spraying tool is a pneumatic spray gun. Many armored vehicles are equipped with compressors and painting equipment. This is the most common way to paint helmets in the rear or at the supply station. When painting is needed, simply place the helmet on the ground and spray the paint in thin to thick layers until all the outside of the helmet is covered. In many cases, the spray paint of the helmet generally uses one color as the base color, and then adds other colors, and finally confirms that the colors are integrated correctly and the spray paint is completed. When
paints, the emblems on both sides of the helmet will be covered, so the emblems often need to be repainted. Some helmet emblem spray paints will use a thin cloth to cover the helmet emblem to prevent the helmet emblem from being covered. If you paint by hand, you can avoid the helmet emblem. Hand-painted helmets generally have thick spray gun surface paint, because hand-painted paint does not cover the spray gun evenly. However, if you use handwork, different people's skills will also cause differences in the effect of the paint on the helmet.
When you need to paint by hand, the most commonly used tools are paint brushes, wipes and burlap bags. When there are not enough workstations or replenishment stations, the latter's materials often temporarily serve as paintbrushes. Checking the hand-painted paint on the original helmet, it can be found that cloth and burlap are often used, which will leave a special effect on the camouflage helmet.
The one on the left is hand-painted
African Legion camouflage color:
African Legion standard M40 tan camouflage helmet
March 25, 1942, German Supreme CommandA subordinate order (HM 1942, No. 315) required all troops serving in North Africa to use the new camouflage pattern. Replace the original brown-yellow (RAL 8020) with a dark yellow-brown color. Replace the dark gray (RAL 7027) used with the standard gray-green. The standard camouflage patterns are used to replace the camouflage patterns used by the North African troops because the North African troops use a wide variety of camouflage patterns and vary. In the North Africa campaign, the German army seized a large amount of British equipment, and combat unit records showed that the German army used British paint to paint its own equipment when needed. So it can be inferred that the helmets of some North African troops have also used British paint. Similarly, the German army has also used Italian paint. Although colorful, in most cases, North African troops still paint camouflage colors according to the above-mentioned standards and techniques. And when using paint, sand is inevitably mixed. In most cases, the helmet emblem was completely covered when the North African troops sprayed the helmet.
The yellow-brown camouflage color used in the African Army is often used by the Germans on the fighter ME109, known as the yellow-brown 79. Generally yellowish brown with a little pink hue is the most common helmet camouflage color for the Luftwaffe. In all the helmets of the African Legion, some camouflage colors of various shades of tan were also found. Sometimes the helmets of the Wehrmacht Army also use the camouflage color of the African Legion.
The air force’s M35 yellow-brown camouflage helmet with a double helmet emblem.
A group of captured Air Force soldiers wearing M35 helmets in Tunisia, similar to the picture above.
Normandy three-color camouflage color:
Normandy three-color camouflage color is a relatively common helmet camouflage color used by a large number of army and air force soldiers in the Battle of Normandy in 1944. Normandy camouflage colors generally include a yellowish-brown background, and then sprayed with green and dark red dots. However, it should be noted that only the case is sprayed with dark red, most of which are still sprayed with brown. The consensus of all general errors is that the three colors (yellow, green and dark red) are the standard camouflage colors for the Battle of Normandy. The picture below shows the Normandy tricolor German helmet seized on Omaha Beach on D-Day.
winter camouflage color:
winter camouflage color is the relatively single white camouflage color used by the German army in the winter campaign. Most of the common paints used in general are wall paint and milk paint, and they must be scraped off in spring. However, there were also examples of using lead paint as white paint. In addition, the camouflage helmet in winter will be scraped off next spring, so all objects are rare.
Italian camouflage color:
Italian camouflage color is a helmet camouflage used by the German army in Italy and the Mediterranean. Yellowish brown is mostly used, but there are also many cases where green and brown are added in small amounts. But most of them are bare yellowish brown.
The sixth paratrooper regiment camouflage color:
The sixth paratrooper regiment camouflage color is a very special camouflage color, which is unique to the sixth paratrooper regiment stationed in Normandy, France. These paratrooper helmets are characterized by a yellow-brown primer and strong green spots of sawdust or sawdust. In fact, paratroopers generally spray large patches of green paint, and it is not the spotty green. This is a unique camouflage color, and it has only appeared on the M38 paratrooper helmets of the 6th Paratroopers.
Sawdust camouflage:
Sawdust camouflage, which is a camouflage color that mixes sawdust/sawdust into paint and sprays it on the German helmet. Generally, it can be used in various colors of paint, including standard field gray to Normandy three-color camouflage.
A sleeping Waffen-SS soldier wears a camouflaged M1942 helmet. It shows that the Waffen-SS was also camouflaged with helmets.
A condolence meeting for a cavalryman. Among them were the participation of NSKK members. In the picture, it can be seen that the M35/40 helmet and M42 helmet have been sprayed and hand painted to resemble cloudsCamouflage pattern. It can be seen in the picture that spray painting and hand painting show the difference in patterns.
Below is a collection of some camouflage patterns
In addition to spraying camouflage directly on the helmet for concealment, the Germans are still in the helmet. Use add-ons to camouflage.
Cloth cover camouflage:
Rat gray army helmet cover
During World War II, the German Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS used a variety of helmet covers for concealment . However, canvas or linen cloth has been used as helmet cover since World War I. The Wehrmacht and SS use helmet covers according to the season, and most helmet covers are used on both sides. The first type of helmet cover was used by the Waffen-SS, and painted a unique camouflage pattern in 1937. Himmler, the leader of the SS, also monopolized this design as a unique equipment of the Waffen SS. However, the Wehrmacht will also design and equip its own helmet cover in the future.
In 1942, the German factory began mass production of helmet covers for the frontline Wehrmacht troops. Although not everyone has a helmet cover, the quantity produced is enough for frontline troops. Helmet covers are mainly used by the Army, and others are used by the Navy’s coastal defense forces and naval infantry. Air force field forces generally mix and match the helmet covers of the army and the Waffen-SS, and there is no fixed standard. The order of July 21, 1942 required the air force field forces to use Waffen-SS helmet covers. The first group used the Hermann-Gering brigade, later the Hermann-Gering division.
Waffen-SS helmet cover:
The first helmet cover used by the German army was the camouflage helmet cover used by the SS Special Operations Team in 1937. On February 3, 1937, Himmler, the leader of the SS, introduced a camouflage helmet cover for spring and autumn.
The first helmet cover was designed by Brandt, the second-level commando squadron captain of the SS, and later applied for a patent jointly by George Otto Sigg and Himmler of Munich. Himmler hopes to monopolize this patent so that the Wehrmacht cannot copy it. In addition, he also hopes to ensure the mass production of helmet covers to satisfy his ever-expanding Waffen-SS. The oak leaf and fog edge camouflage are only used on the Waffen-SS helmet cover.
The first helmet cover uses four metal buckle clips to ensure that the cloth cover can be completely fixed on the helmet. One on the front, one on the back, and two on the side. In the later design, the metal clip was reduced to three. The fourth metal buckle was removed, and replaced by the front of the helmet in the front pocket of the helmet cover. Metal clips are made of steel and aluminum.
The first type helmet cover camouflage uses the platanus pattern, excluding the circular leaf camouflage pattern. However, the helmet cover produced in 1942 began to use leaf-like camouflage patterns on the front and back. Some photos show that Waffen-SS soldiers used the first type helmet cover instead of the second type helmet cover during the war.
The picture below shows the camouflage helmet cover introduced in 1942, which used oak leaves and circular leaf camouflage patterns. The lower part still uses steel rivets fixed to the helmet to fix the helmet cover. Some Waffen-SS helmet covers use aluminum rivets and metal clips. These two are the most common metal materials used in metal clips. The size of the helmet cover is generally based on the size of the helmet itself. The picture shows a 64 cm helmet.
Army helmet cover:
Army crack camouflage helmet cover
During World War II, the National Defense Forces have begun to produce camouflage helmet covers for combat camouflage. In fact, this technology was passed down in the First World War. Beginning in 1942, the National Defense Forces began to produce and launch an official helmet cover for frontline troops. Although it is not possible for everyone to have it, it still guarantees the use of front-line troops on all fronts.Camouflage helmet covers are mainly used by the army, while some are also used by the navy's shore defense forces and naval infantry units.
is different from the army. The air force field divisions often mix and match the army and Waffen-SS camouflage helmet covers. On July 21, 1942, a formal order was issued to stipulate that the Air Force use Waffen-SS helmet covers. At the time these units were the Goring Brigade, which later became the Goring Armored Division. At that time, a certain number of them were produced by supply personnel in field conditions. These are all issued to officers and necessary personnel. These helmet covers are made of the same material as the camouflage waterproof tent cloth (zeltbahn) and are called "crack type A" materials, while the factory-produced materials are called "crack type B" materials. The two models are also very different. Type B materials are generally used in specific places, including winter coats and trousers, work clothes and other uniforms.
The soldier on the left uses the Army’s camouflage helmet cover
Helmet iron mesh cover:
Iron mesh covers of different thicknesses can be worn on the helmet, and branches and leaves are inserted for camouflage. However, in many cases, the iron mesh cover is barely covered on the helmet without any leaves or branches. There are many ways to wear the iron mesh cover, such as using fence-like iron wires and thin iron wires for different specifications. In general, there are many different styles on the battlefield, and it is difficult to count them completely, but there are still several standard styles.
The use of the iron mesh cover varies according to the helmet and combat area. In 1943 and 1944, iron mesh covers were widely used on the battlefields of France and Italy. As a region with developed agriculture in Europe, the yards and wire fences of small villages that can be seen everywhere have also become a rich source of iron mesh cover materials. The upper helmet on the Russian battlefield does not often use iron mesh cover, as can be seen from some historical photos. This is because most of the Russian battlefields are desolate grasslands, and it is difficult to provide materials for making iron nets on the spot.
When using the iron mesh cover, use iron wire around the helmet, and use an iron wire around the front of the helmet to fix it, or you can directly fix the iron mesh cover to the edge of the helmet. In many cases, the iron nets are made by soldiers themselves. Although there are official productions, they are only supplied in small quantities.
camouflage net cover:
camouflage net cover, suitable for all models of German helmets in World War II (M35, M40, M42, M38), also including paratrooper helmets. The camouflage net cover style had only one standard version released by the National Defense Forces in World War II. The picture below is a camouflage net which was remade according to the German standard of World War II. Sometimes German snipers also use camouflage nets, but it should be pointed out that camouflage nets are not exclusively for snipers. The camouflage net cover has two iron wires, two iron hooks for fixing the front part and an iron ring for tightening the rear part.
The metal elastic ring, iron hook, connecting wire and elastic rope of camouflage net cover. A close look at the iron hook and elastic ring
The iron hook hooks the upper part of the fixed camouflage net cover
The excess part of the lower part of the camouflage net cover is stuffed into the helmet and the inner lining interlayer
The rear and sides are stuffed into the inside of the helmet
The chin strap is upward to buckle the extra part of the camouflage net cover
Use cloth The belt is fixed
The picture below shows the use photo of the camouflage net cover
