History

During the Second World War, German troops stationed in northern Africa are generally referred to as the Afrikakorps. Technically, this is not entirely correct, since some German units operating in Africa were not actually part of the DAK (Deutsches Afrikakorps), and some units of it were, in fact, Italian ones. However, for the purpose of collecting so-called “tropical” uniforms and insignia, collectors have simplified the meaning of the term.

The first German troops were sent to northern Africa in February of 1941, to support their Italian allies against the British. The climate of the African continent made it necessary to wear specialised uniforms and gear that not only supported the soldiers in serving in a hot and arid environment, but also helped them in blending in with the landscape, which, in general, presented itself as brown, olive, khaki, or sand/tan in colour. Worn over long periods of time under the blistering desert sun, some uniforms were eventually bleached to white or off-white. Uniforms and insignia in these colours are often referred to as “tropical”, and it is worth noting that they weren’t just worn by members of units stationed in Africa, but in the entire Mediterranean theatre of war, including southern France, Italy, the Balkans, and Greece, as well as in southern Russia during the summer months. Tropical uniforms were worn by members of all three branches of the Wehrmacht: the Heer (army), the Kriegsmarine (navy), and the Luftwaffe (air force). Members of the Waffen-SS stationed in southerly regions also wore tropical-style uniforms, and even though they technically have no connection to the DAK, all tropical uniforms and insignia of all branches of the German military are listed here.

There are three main models worn by Luftwaffe Paratroopers during the Third Reich, the M36, the M37, and the M38. All of these helmet models are composed of several main elements, including the shell, the liner, the air vents/grommets, the chinstrap, the paint, and the insignia/decals. Each iteration of the steel helmet was launched in an effort to reduce the time and cost associated with helmet production.

The paratrooper helmet was not only designed to protecting the wearer from bullets and shrapnel, but also to protect the head from hard knocks that can occur on air drops. The peculiar shape was chosen in order to reduce the risk of the helmet fouling harness lines. Not only the outside differs from the standard steel helmets, the inside liner also had a unique design.

Camouflage efforts for Afrikakorps helmets have been found with varying patterns or single-coloured to blend in with more uniform terrain. It was common to mix sand in with the paint on a helmet for a dulling effect.

A black, white, and red shield was painted onto the right side of the helmets. The shield was to be abolished in 1940. However, this was not always adhered to. Onto the left side of the helmet a Luftwaffe style eagle decal was painted, facing towards the front. There are two main patterns of this eagle. The first pattern is nicknamed the “droop tail” pattern. It fell out of use in 1940. It is characterized by a shorter wingspan compared to the second pattern, the eagle has an open beak, and is more “cartoonish” in appearance. The second pattern eagle is known as the “stylized” eagle. It first appeared in 1937. Compared to the first pattern, this eagle has a wider wingspan, a closed beak, and appears more graphically life-like. Eagles were gold-coloured for general ranks and silver-coloured for everybody else. The eagle decal was eliminated in 1943, but, again, this was not always adhered to. Due to the differing number of decals on the helmets, versions have been dubbed double decal, single decal, and no decal.

Since the Heer (Army) formed their own paratrooper unit, these helmets can be encountered with the army eagle decal as well.