Slightly arched pocket flap top edge. No other repro maker seems to have noticed that on high-quality, non-death camp M43 field blouses the Germans used a pocket flap with a sublte, but distinctive, downward curve on the top edge. We are the only company that reproduces this feature. Uniforms produced in death camp factories and late war "cut-downs" of earlier model uniforms often have the pocket flaps sewn on in "straight-edge" fashion. The prisoners who were doing that work could not duplicate the high-quality contractor work. We can and do, our competitors don't even know they have a problem.
Five button front with all bar-tacked "keyhole" eyelet buttonholes sewn with gimp cord on the same model machine as used by the Germans during WWII. WWII Germans never used "flybar" keyhole buttonholes on uniform jackets and neither do we.
Double stack belthook eyelets made on the same model machine as used by the Germans during WWII.
Taupe colored topstitching at correct 9 stitches per inch.
Properly tapered waist (as shown at right).
No oversized collars.
Correctly shaped sleeves - straight front edge, curved back edge.
Correctly cut cuffs - front slightly higher on angle than rear.
Correct lining. Made from gray twill or silver gray rayon as originals (just depends on what we have available at the time). And, unlike the other guys, we don't simplify the lining. All parts found on the originals are included.
Correct angle on lower skirt. Back hem is 1.25" - 2" higher than front.
Chest darts are included. When in 1943 the SS started making their own uniforms using concentration camp labor they omitted several steps that the semi-skilled prisoners had difficulty with. The chest darts under the pocket flaps were one such step. However, SS production only amounted to 30% of the uniforms and the high-quality contractors still provided them with darts in most of the 70% of SS uniforms they provided.
Above: Note the chest dart running from the shoulder sleeve seam to the pocket flap. This dart is six inches long (about five inches of its length is covered by the flap. Chest darts are found on the high quality, contractor-made SS M43 blouses, but not on the death camp SS M43 blouses as they were simplified for production by semi-skilled inmates. Even at the height of production the SS death camp clothing factories only provided 30% of the Waffen-SS uniform requirements with the majority coming from private SS clothing contractors. None of or competitors choose to use chest darts in their M43 "tunics." We presume the reasoning is the same as that of the SS: too difficult for people of limited sewing skills.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Left: Detail shot showing top stitiching, belt hook eyelets, and correct bartacked, gimp-corded, keyhole buttonhole.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below: Here's a look at a correct M43 blouse lining. Material can be either silver/gray rayon, as here, or brown or gray twill. The field dressing pocket appears to be on the opposite side because the jacket is reversed to display the lining. Note heavy twill undercollar.
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1