|
The basic uniform for the 43rd has several parts, starting from the top and working down:
1) Headgear - helmet (required) 1936 or 1942 model (German only) Stahlhelm. Spanish or other nationalities may look close, but they are not good enough. Softcap - 1936 or 1943 feldmuetze (not required but strongly advised.)
2) Jacket - wool, 1940 feldbluse tunic. Later models severely limit the impression and the 1936 is both distinct and rare by the end of the war except for officer's and senior NCO's. The summer, HBT version is also advisable given the hot weather here in the South.
3) Udershirt - any acceptable army (Heer) pattern. Either knit or twill.
4) Pants - 1936 wool kielhosen are the required pants. We have similar rationale for the 36 kielhosen as for the 40 feldbluse. You may also want to get the HBT equivalent of this.
5) Socks - German army socks; gray, wool, with size rings at the top.
6) Footwear - pioniers have two options here. First is the marschtiefel or marching boot (commonly known in English as "jackboots.") This was somewhat uncommon by the end of the war, but was the only boot in the early war period. The other, and less expensive option, is to get the low-quarter boots and the ankle gaiters. The gaiters should have two leather buckles.
Weapons:
1)Longarm - All pioniers should start out with the K-98k (Mauser) bolt-action rifle for their first armament. This was the most common weapon of the German Army.
2)Sidearm - Start with the bayonet and carrying sheath and frog for the 98k. Pistols and other sidearms will be left for NCO's and crew served weapons.
Equipment:
1)Waistbelt - Standard German Army waistbelt and Army "Gott mit uns" buckle. Koppel und Koppelschloss.
2)Y-Straps - support straps for your equipment. Note - Czech made Y-straps are not acceptable. German army Y-straps have no extra padding.
3) Breadbag - (brotbeutel) German Army breadbag, any wartime style will do.
4) Canteen - Trinkbecker, too many variants to list here, almost all wartime canteens are acceptable, provided they HAVE A COVER.
5) Shovel - Either the fixed (kleinspat) or the folding variety are fine, along with their carrying frog.
6)Ammo pouches - patronentasche, must be black and made to meet German army specs. There are a lot of good repros out there, and there are a lot of wrong ones out there. Ask a vet before you buy.
7)Zeltbahn - Only German army 1939-45 will do. No repros that I know of right now. French and Belgian may be close, but they are still wrong.
8) Gasmask canister - Any wartime pattern, either early or late, will do.