Also the order for the removal of the Tri-colour decal came in 41? iirc. So that should always be missing. As you can see in the previous photo even the veterans didn't necessarily remove their Adler
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Sovied veterans could wear few watches. I heard from lots of sources they enjoyed "confiscating" them during raid on Berlin. There is popular rumor behind famous photo of soldier setting up USSR flag on Reichstach - he had watches on both hands and soviet censors decided to erase them
That body armor looks very uncomfortable to wear, and I'm wondering what good it would've done in street fighting where the most common range is 50 meters or less - at which range a 9x19mm Parabellum will most likely punch through it. Also against their own PPSH it would be even worse, as the 7.62x25mm Tokarev round actually possessed a slightly better penetration capability than the 9x19mm.
Also I should add that by 1942 onwards the Germans were issuing 9x19mm S.m.E. ammunition on a large scale, which seated a 9mm bullet with a mild steel core, instead of the std. lead core, for increased penetration performance. Now with this ammunition an MP40 would rip through body armour like the above at pretty much any practical range, I don't even think 200 m would've been a safe range.
Most of the German lads on the frontlines weren't in their mid-40's
Also the Reichstag watch business is no rumor, here is the original print. In the edited version more smoke is added and the watch on the soldiers right wrist is gone.
Hell i'd probably be looting too if i was being shot at everyday.
There isn't enough distance between the head and helmet to cause any damage. The person isn't wearing a parachute strapped to his head.
If you're close enough for pressure from an explosion to snap your neck, you're close enough to get riddled with shrapnel. You die or are incapacitated either way.
No one actually unhinges their helmet strap for "safety reasons".
LOL... ok captain serious pants. Take a deep breath.
Its designed to stop shrapnel not bullets. Just like German helmets and flak jackets in Vietnam.
Besides we don't want a class running around invulnerable to bullets that would be too imbalanced.
agreed that the pressure thing is pretty ridiculous. But if that actually was believed incorrectly back then, that could have been the reason some guys didn't wear straps.
Also, I've heard but can't confirm that (at least US) soldiers didn't wear chinstraps for fear of being sneaked up on- one can pull back the visor of a strapped helmet from behind, exposing the neck to a knife attack. an unstrapped helmet would just be pulled off
They didn't primarily put bread in the breadbag, you know.
What I dont understand is, why did the Germans have metal studs on their boots and a rattly gas-cannister which basically prevented any form of silent movement what so ever. Serious disadvantage to the average landser if you ask me, the later war shoe-variant with rubber soles much more preferable if you ask me.
Sturm
The most critical factor in the Germans keeping the jackboot with it's nails was because of a critical lack of rubber in Germany. All of the rubber the Germans had went towards things like wheels etc. They simply couldn't afford to change the boots out to have a more modern heel.
For the record, there are hobnails in the low boots too. They're incredibly comfortable (honestly I hike in them on occasion), but they're just as loud as the jackboots.
To prevent wear and tear.
And if you want to be silent (for a short while), wear a sock over your boots.
They did it in the navy anyway.
Speaking of experience.. It is ipossible to move quietly in the german kit :3 Toss in a box of MG ammo and you are sounding like Stomp playing. (90s band making music with garbage lids) bootstuds slip on hard surfaces (running on asphalt and cobblestone is just.. suicide, you just slide around) gasmaskcan and water can bang together.. If they should make RO realistic the sound of rushing germans should be "rattlerattlerattlerattle".