Question about German helmets (1 Viewer)

[ozymandias]

Hi everyone
I'm a new collector of K&C soldiers and was wondering why in the earlier sets of the regular Wehrmacht Heer such as WS39, WS42, WS44 (I know these come under the Waffen SS series but I don't think they are Waffen SS troops are they?), the helmets of these soldiers seem to have a yellow 'band' around them? I have never seen this 'band' either in old photos or movies or anywhere else and was wondering if anyone knew what it is? Also, was wondering if anyone knew whether K&C ever produced Germans with both stone grey tunics and pants as opposed to what I have seen so far which is field grey tunics with stone grey pants? I guess I'm looking for 'regular' Germans in the uniforms that most of us are familiar with. Would greatly appreciate any info anyone could provide.Thanks in advance.

Leo

 

[fmethorst]

Hi Leo,

Welcome to the forum. I think you'll find there is a great bunch of guys here.

Picture 1 is WS039 displaying the foliage bands in question
Picture 2 shows that these type of bands actually existed
Picture 3 shows a Pak 36 with a couple of guys with dark colored foliage band
Picture 4 shows engineers in a rubber boat with foliage camouflage attached to their helmets.

I have to admit the light colored bands are not that easy to find.

You will find that K&C has certain quirks in their figures. For instance, for a while there every camo Waffen SS set had at least one guy with Italian camouflage. While the Italian camo was "borrowed" from the Italians after their capitulation it was hardly in widespread use. Certain divisions such as 1.SS.Pz.Div "LSSAH" and 12.SS.Pz.Div "HitlerJugend" would have had more access to it.

...and if you really want to generate a passionate response mention Italian camo helmet covers to Canadian Samurai

I suspect K&C saw an early war picture like the one below which they liked and decided to model all their early war Germans after it

 

[ozymandias]

Hi Frank
Thank you for clarifying this to me and also providing the pictures So foliage bands is what they are huh? At least now I know those bands existed I'm no expert in the uniforms worn but isn't it true that a little later in the war, most of their tunics were stone grey matching the trousers versus the greenish field grey tunic that were worn early in the war? Most other manufacturers seem to make figures with matching stone grey tunics and trousers it seems...Anyway thanks again for your help. I look forward to reading all the interesting msges on this forum. Take care.

Leo

 

[binder001]

Hi Frank Thank you for clarifying this to me and also providing the pictures So foliage bands is what they are huh? At least now I know those bands existed I'm no expert in the uniforms worn but isn't it true that a little later in the war, most of their tunics were stone grey matching the trousers versus the greenish field grey tunic that were worn early in the war? Most other manufacturers seem to make figures with matching stone grey tunics and trousers it seems...Anyway thanks again for your help. I look forward to reading all the interesting msges on this forum. Take care. Leo

I can't speak for the early part of the war but check out some of the color film newsreels or color shots taken in 1945 of the German prisoners and you will see wide varieties of greens and grays in use.

Gary

 

[arnhem44mad]

I can't speak for the early part of the war but check out some of the color film newsreels or color shots taken in 1945 of the German prisoners and you will see wide varieties of greens and grays in use.

Gary

K&C Should make another boat with the grass cammo in the Germann's helmets

 

[nmrocks]

K&C Should make another boat with the grass cammo in the Germann's helmets:

I'd love to see that and make a bigger crossing raft with assault team.
Ray:

 

[Njja]

Isn't it great that you can post a question, and get a great response complete with photos from another member!

Great job fmethorst!

 

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

I believe that most German Heer tunics were field grey (grey-green) throughout the war. The early Heer trousers were grey and then later produced in the same field grey as the tunics. The recent German King & Country German figures should not have the field gray trousers. Only early war figures should have gray trousers.

 

[Flammenpanzer]

The light color bands are made from breadbag straps, and the dark color ones are made from tire inner tubes.

 

[sv288]

Thanks for the pictures of the classic german original photographs.