Uniforms

The last year of the war saw the most dramatic changes in SS camouflage uniforms. A new two-piece uniforms was introduced in early 1944 to replace the smock. Additionally, it was primarily produced in a new pattern that would become commonplace among SS troops in the final months of the war.

Тhe black panzer uniforms was introduced for members of the army Kraftfahrkampftruppe by an order dated 12.11.1934. the uniform consisted of a short double-breasted jacket, trousers, tricot pullover shirt, black tie and beret.

It appears that the first models used were the same pattern as the army, and likely obtained from them. One visible difference in the overall appearance was the SS brown shirt beneath the jacket instead of the army grey model. With a greater level of mobilization occurring within the Waffen SS, the uniform undoubtedly began to be manufactured by SS sources. In the 1941 the SS introduced the wool assault gun uniform in field grey, and reed-green HBT protective suit, both in the same pattern as the black. These new uniforms elicited a slightly different cut by rounding  out the collar and giving the front opening a vertical closure. The new style quickly distinguished the SS model from its army counterpart.  The changes over in design for the black uniform likely occurred prior  the introduction of these uniforms, as they were intended to follow the same pattern as the black version. Therefore, modification of the black jacket probably occurred in the latter part of 1940.  Thereafter, the jacket remained fairly consistent for the duration of the war, with only a few minor variations.