BACKGROUND: Generally all Luftwaffe personnel wore light blue/grey or blue flecked shirts for most forms of dress with a white shirt for the formal dress uniforms for Officer’s ranks and a grey shirt for the Hermann Göring Panzer units. Originally the issue shirts were the collarless style until regulations of September 1943 introduced a shirt with an integral collar to replace the earlier collarless shirts. In late 1940, with the impending German entrance into the North African campaign, the army quickly developed and issued tropical uniforms and equipment in time for DAK, Deutsches Afrika Korps, (German Africa Corps), personnel’s arrival in Tripoli in February 1941. At the same time the Luftwaffe also developed and introduced their own version of the tropical uniform and equipment independently from the other branches of service. Originally the tropical uniforms were only intended for wear in North Africa but that was later expanded to include personnel serving in southern areas of continental Europe during the summer months, (May 1ST to September 30TH). The design of the tropical uniform items were based on the standard continental uniform items but in a different color and material and included both long and short sleeve shirts with integral collars. Originally the tropical shirts were the pullover style with a four button front plaquet but later issue shirts were altered to include a full button up front closure. As with the continental shirts the tropical shirts were worn by all ranks and usually included the shoulder straps/boards as an indicator of rank and the national breast eagle. Regulations dictated that collar tabs were not to be worn on the shirts. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the Luftwaffe’s Verkaufabteilung, (Air-Force Sales Department), system. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could choose to purchase their uniforms from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase garments of higher quality. Although enlisted personnel were issued their uniforms from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored uniforms although the price may have been restrictive.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Early pattern, light weight, tan cotton construction, long sleeve, pullover shirt with an integral lay down collar. The shirt features a vertical, four button, front closure plaquet which runs from the neckline down to the waistline. The shirt has two pleated, patch, breast pockets with scalloped button down flaps. The right breast has a machine embroidered, second pattern, (Circa 1936/1937-1945), Luftwaffe eagle, clutching a canted swastika in one talon, in light clue rayon threads, mounted on an inverted, tan cotton, triangular base. The eagle is machine stitched to the shirt. The sleeves each have a seven, small, vertical tapering darts and a vertical outer seam slash at the cuffs with single button closures. The shirt has a long tail skirt with vertical slashes at the bottom of each side seam. The shoulders each have a cotton, shoulder strap retaining loop and shoulder strap retaining buttons intact but the slip on shoulder straps are absent. The reverse shoulder panels have dual, short, vertical, tapering dart to each side. The exaggerated pointed tip, lay down collar has no collar tabs as per regulations. The reverse of the forward collar tips have small compartments designed to insert collar stiffeners for a neat appearance. The collar stiffeners are absent. Excellent LBA marking. The shirt is roughly size 44" chest. Super nice!