Harrier

Next up is the reefer jacket of Konteradmiral Heinrich Ruhfus, former Kommandant/Oslo and Kommandant/Toulon. Captain of the NIOBE at the time of her tragic sinking (still commemorated by the German Navy on July 26 of each year) and captain of the Konigsberg, also at the time of her sinking. He was court-martialled (and completely exonerated) after the NIOBE incident. Count von Luckner (the "Sea Devil" and former captain of the NIOBE) testified on Ruhfus' behalf, saying that there "was absolutely nothing" Ruhfus could have done to prevent the sinking, which claimed the lives of 69, including 50 cadets considered the "flower of the new Navy". Ruhfus was considered the "Mr. Chips" of the German Navy and was a much-beloved figure. His wife, following the NIOBE tragedy, almost had a nervous breakdown, as many of the lost cadets had spent weekends at the Ruhfus home.

There are some VERY nice crosses being posted here! :beer:

Many thanks!

I was afraid of this. Showing my total ignorance...are there such things as tailor or wearing copies?

Can anyone point me in the right direction to obtain the breast stars for these Orders (Military Division)(ERII period) without breaking the bank? Thanks! Harrier

Beautiful work! :beer:

Not much to tell, really. I've had this probably since the 60's. One of the few advantages to doing this stuff since before God created dirt........... Of course, I did manage to post it upside down!

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_03_2009/post-2778-1237338448.jpgBack.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_03_2009/post-2778-1237338335.jpgThought you guys might want to see this.

Sorry, Jacques, I did not.

I've never seen a KM tailoring book out there, but know there are some for other uniforms (VERY expensive and VERY, VERY hard to find), so maybe they do exist. The 3 volume Angolia series on the Kriegsmarine is a must, but at the same time period photographs are a real key. I look at every one I can find.

That's helpful information, Jacques!

Based only on some photos I have looked at, I think the Red Military Service Cross was for Silver recipients. I will happily be corrected on this. One other thought on "drop-tail" crosses. Does anyone have any idea why so many minatures of Spanish Crosses use a "drop-tail" eagle? Frankly, minatures are not my field at all, and I probably wouldn't know a good one from a bad one, but it seems to me that many of the ones which come up for sale, including ones on the sites of reputable dealers, as well as some I have seen in the hands of serious collectors, have this feature.

Eduardo, I agree with you 100% that there are variations and the best way is a complete hand inspection! I have spent many, many hours looking at photographs and examining real tunics to try to get a "feel" for these things. Although I have seen a very few tunics with buttons a LITTLE bit lower than normal, that has only been the exception, not the rule. Both the tunic from the museum and the chaplain tunic you posted are, to me, re-done postwar tunics and I would never be comfortable with them. Real KM tunics are always, in my experience, well-made and use very nice cloth. Every fake tunic has some "red flag" about it. As Rick Research noted, name tags (unless the officer was Reserve) are helpful in determining if the rank shown is even possible for what the tunic is supposed to be. My only rule is that if ANYTHING deviates from normal, the tunic must be looked at very, very closely. It may be fine or it may not. For Payton's tunic, I would need to see it in hand. To me, the buttons are a bit lower than I like to see, but the more important parts are the cloth and the construction of the collar, but of which "look" more modern to me than I am used to seeing. Again, I am NOT saying it is wrong for sure, but I would like to "feel" it to be comfortable. Best, Harrier

Payton asked me to post these 4 photos for him.

Kriegsmarine tunics have 4 (and sometimes 5) ACTUALLY FUNCTIONING rows of buttons on the front. Most, but not all, with the 4 button configuration, have a 5th, non-functioning set. Either the 4 or 5 configuration could also have another set under the lapels (at the notch area). This last set was purely a "fashion statement". Postwar Bundesmarine uniforms copied U.S. Navy button configuration, with 3 sets of buttons. To turn a BM tunic into a KM tunic, extra button rows MUST be added, either at the top or at the bottom. Almost invariably, if the buttons are added at the bottom, the last row will then be noticeably below the upper line of the lower pockets. Fortunately (for us), most BM tunics have lapels which are narrower than their wartime counterparts, so adding the extra set at the top will make the lapels look even narrower, as the initial fold of the lapel will have to start higher than originally intended by the tailor in order to have a functioning buttonhole above the top row of the 3 already in place. This is one of the reasons I fear conversion of other nation's tunics more than I fear conversion of a BM tunic. Now, go back and look at the tunics posted and envision in your mind the alterations, including button changes, which could be made.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_03_2009/post-2778-1236813133.jpgI may be dead wrong, but here's what you get (in MY opinion) when you add an extra set of buttons to the lower area of a Bundesmarine tunic. (This photo was originally posted by Gordon from his trip to the fabulous Hamburg maritime museum.)

A closer view of the "buttonhole-less" lapel area. The holes could be added in the lapels and an extra buttonhole could also be added to the jacket body simply by folding the lapels back a bit. Add that fourth set of buttons ABOVE the top existing row,and then another, fifth set (plenty of room) and presto: a KM tunic.

These tunics have the correct insignia already in place.

A standard Bundesmarine tunic. There are NO buttonholes in the lapels (which, I suppose, means a tailor could add the right kind easily).

Perhaps I am paranoid, but I buy these things (which are incredibly cheap) to study how they are made and what fakers would have to work with. If anyone thinks it would be helpful, I'll be glad to post a Bundesmarine tunic from the late 50's to show what might be done with one of those.

Here's the problem: Only one buttonhole and that at the wrong angle.