Unusual East German NVA Tanker Jacket

[Equitis]

After collecting US, UK and Commonwealth militaria for years, I've recently developed an interest in former East German items.

 

 

I recently acquired this unusual zip up jacket which I believe to be a rare type of East German NVA tank crew jacket, based on the fact it is black (it appears dark blue in the photo but is definitely black), the style and type of the size label (size "m48") and the shoulder board attachment arrangement.

 

There are no visible stamps inside.

 

No shoulder boards were present, and the panzer patch has clearly been removed (it's position is still visible), but it does have the unusual patch above the left hand breast pocket.  Initially I thought it was a later addition, but the material looks contempory to the jacket.

 

It is similar to this jacket being sold by D and B Militaria:  https://www.dandbmilitaria.com/east-german-army-tanker-jacket-with-soviet-shoulder-boards-16-ul-k

 

The patch on that jacket has less "stripes" but the patch itself is approximately the same size and in the same position (and that jacket also has its panzer patch missing).

 

What is most unusual is that every picture I have found has shown East German tank crew wearing either the standard button-up strichtarn battledress jacket or a black version of the same.  I've so far been unable to find any contemporary pictures of this zip-up style jacket being worn.

 

I'd be very interested to know any information about the origins and usage of these jackets, and in particular the meaning of the large striped patches?

 

Regards,

 

Equitis.

[SARGE]

The uniform construction and tag certainly seems DDR to me.  Could this patch be the subdued rank stripes?  This could explain the lack of shoulder boards.  Look at these subdued insignia for some police examples.  These horizontal rank stripes were never fully accepted so perhaps your jacket is a prototype?  

 

 

[Equitis]

The weave of the material certainly looks the same.

 

Also, the lack of pictures of it being regularly worn would also suggest it is a prototype, or more probably some sort of field trial.

 

I suppose it may have been part of the UTV patterm uniforms planned for the early 90's that were never issued as well.

 

 

[SARGE]

OK.  I found your jacket in Keubke/Kunz, "Uniformen der Nationalen Volksarmee der DDR 1956-1986", page 190.  It is shown as 1978 issue "Sonderbekleidung der Luftstreitkrafte/Luftverteidigung 1978" as a black Summer Technician jacket & trousers.  The rank insignia is as we discussed above and is indeed worn where it is sewn on your jacket.  

 

So, a NVA Air Force outfit with proper rank insignia and no shoulder boards.  

 

Good find.

 

[Equitis]

Many thanks for researching this topic.  It's good to know it's authentic issued uniform and seemingly relatively rare.

 

After a bit of searching with the aid of your info I found photographs of recently acquired and apparently unissued "Technikerjacken" on the "Luftstreitkräfte der DDR" Facebook page.

 

The rank patches were a bit more elusive, but the "military" cast of the 1984 DDR movie "Flieger" (washed up fighter pilot retrains to be a helicopter pilot - basically an NVA recruitment film) are all sporting the same style rank patches.  Amazon (UK) had some stills from the movie.

 

Actual photographs of Luftstreitkräfte personnel in working dress seem to be very thin on the ground.