1961 SWISS COMBAT UNIFORM: Vintage Film (w/Subtitles)

This snippet from an April 1961 Swiss TV reel, subtitled for your viewing pleasure, shows the various new features of the M61 combat uniform, or "Kampfanzug 61". Developed in the late 50s and introduced progressively in the early 60s with the new Stgw. 57, the complete uniform solution consisted of a load-bearing vest/parka, overtrousers, raincoat and combat rucksack.
Interestingly, there were no separate pouches nor straps, as all the load-bearing components were integrally sewn into the jacket itself. Although this unified the uniform pattern, it made the overall kit heavy, unsuitable for alpine use, hot to wear in summer, and difficult to maintain.
Nicknamed "tenue pizza" or "4-Frucht Pyjama", this pattern of uniform was updated in the 70s as the Kampfanzug 70, which would remain in service until partially replaced by the Tarnanzug 83, and supplanted by the Tarnanzug 90-Grundtrageinheit 90 combination.
Source: Swiss Federal Archives, J2.143#1996/386#964-1#4*

[@TammoKorsai]

"No longer a walking Christmas tree." Brilliant! :D

[@paulwolf7562]

Much better load out, than even equipment used today. They really made the jacket and pants, into real survival gear.

[@badbotchdown9845]

No it was really awful to have a coat with all inside going side by side when running not comfortable when sitting on truck benches, very awful with rifle magazines in the chest pockets. Not enough protected for cold weather, keeping sweat and moisture for days. Apart from the hood and the IR veil it was a big crap

[@splittertarn2]

@@badbotchdown9845 I would say it was decent for the era it was developed in. Also, when it comes to cold weather, quilted layers are a thing… But of course, I wouldn’t use my m70 uniform for serious situations, I have better stuff for that. I would call this more of an evaders choice of kit rather than a frontline soldiers kit.

[@leftnoname]

The Swiss were the ones who correctly understood that any defence against Soviet attack is anti-tank defence and gave every soldier an anti-tank weapon. It might not have been the best, but they had it and they had a lot of it.

[@harryhirsch8527]

The Swiss were the ones ...good one

[@PySnek]

germany started with this in WW2, not switzerland

[@brianfergus839]

@@PySnek yeah Germany started a lot of shit

[@Murmelmann]

Don't forget Finland!

[@balkanicsense1952]

@@brianfergus839 like still today.

[@goatmurray]

There is so much interesting stuff that isn't on the internet yet.

[@goatmurray]

Dale the Stgw. Dude I'm excited to learn more, keep it coming!

[@ursusfloeckli9065]

We were hardly ever wearing that combat uniform. Most of the time it was the "Gebirgs Anorak" with the woolen pants. Much more comfortable for long marches, skiing, running etc. Looking back it seems to me, we only wore the Kampfanzug 70 when the exercise had something of an official touch - like an inspection or what not. That was the case during basic training (Andermatt 1986), NCO Training etc. and all my refresher courses after that. I actually quite liked the Mountain Anorak with the woolen pants, never had a problem with the wool chaffing my thighs..... otherwise... heult der Wolf ;-)

[@badbotchdown9845]

I haven't made one day of service without long underwear under my pants, more comfortable when outside and not wolf for me.

[@ursusfloeckli9065]

@@badbotchdown9845 I was lucky in that regard. The wolf left me alone, even with short underwear in summer.

[@Braun30]

In 1979 we wore it very often, even if we were mountain infantry. As I had a bad case of sinus troubles I once "lost" three nose sprays in those pockets, only to find them the moment we changed the uniforms for regular cleaning. Chur 212/79

[@ursusfloeckli9065]

@@Braun30 Basic and NCO Training in Andermatt/Stans (Geb Inf RS 211/86) was mostly done in the Gebirgs-Anorak. WKs nearly exclusively (Geb Füs Bat lll/72).

[@stevepiemontesi6695]

Et bien tu as eu bien de la chance !! Moi j'ai fais mon ecole de recrue à Colombier en 1986 suivi de 7 cours de répetition et on portait cette tenue jour et nuit....

[@reecealeck8314]

“Anti- Infrared veil”. Damn. I wonder how affective it was. Thanks for the translation. Your videos are amazing.

[@rancidpitts8243]

Anything that blurs the shape of the face is useful. In 1961 Infrared scanners were few and far between, and not the quality of today's scanners.

[@marcmonnerat4850]

The rain coat was called the "Drac(ula)", because wearing it with your gas mask gives you a scary look!

[@Simon_Nonymous]

love the face veils - anti IR - and a sound track almost writen by Elgar!

Today I learned that it can rain in Switzerland 😂👍

[@rokibepi1157]

I fell in love with this uniform

[@DaletheStgwDude]

Hot and heavy makes it attractive

[@Karl37112]

You can see jackets like that even today. In the German Army for example we infantrymen like to wear the ,,smock". Which is basically a jacket with a lot of pockets on the waist area. I've worn mine on marches, combat exercises and doing obstacle courses and i love it, very versatile

[@kimfucku8074]

The combat uniform was a nightmare! It made you incapable of moving quickly for a longer time. On the other time you could fill the pockets with food for an entire year!

[@kimfucku8074]

@@DaletheStgwDude I did my basic training in 1984 (Romont, Anti Tank Weapon PAL BB 77). We got mostly those with the waterproofing on the outside, which I believe was a newer model. Some older models, I believe they had the waterproofing on the inside, were also distributed.

[@badbotchdown9845]

@@kimfucku8074 we have only one concern with pants cutting the plastic with knife pocket already we have get them. Div mont 10 Art rgt 10 Sion 1985

[@MrSlitskirts]

Great film footage, it really shows the concept of the smock with pockets/face veil versus separate webbing concept. They certainly had some unique ideas and great translation, kind regards from Australia.

[@TheGrenadier97]

Swiss Army Soldier's Knife can be seen at 0:27 and 2:10. The basic model was introduced in 1890 and redesigned in 1951. Starting in 1962 until 2007 it was redesigned to a different pattern with aluminum scales; the civil equivalent (which actually came before the military issue) is predecessor to the current Pioneer. In 2008 a new model was introduced, larger, with saw and locking one-handed blade. It's equivalent is the Trailmaster. All Soldier knives except for the 2008 version were produced by both Victorinox and Wenger to the same standards, but slight modifications. The Soldier's rifle has always been a great utilitarian toolset, but also had tools to maintain the rifle (at least the bolt action ones).

[@oliverbustoshuanca1838]

Aplausos para ese uniforme, tiene un parecido al alemán, nunca lo dejen, ni lo abandonen por camouflages pixelados ridículos, encontré bacan la parka, saludos de Arica chile.

[@alanfaulkner6329]

Absolutely brilliant set up.

[@hanktorrance6855]

Thanks for sharing this, I have the field jacket and now see the utility it provided the soldier. The veil is fascinating, never seen one, but makes total sense.

[@hanktorrance6855]

Dale, now I am going to look, I have two of these, I'll check both.

[@Trancefreakeh]

@@hanktorrance6855 And? :) Don't leave us hanging, Hank! ^^

[@jean-pierrekouvalchouk4980]

Sehr fortschrittlicher Kampfanzug für diese Zeit.

[@TheGXDivider]

Excellent ! Merci pour le partage ! Cela me rappelle le petit livre vert "Livre du soldat", qui était distribué jadis. J'espère voir d'autres perles historiques bientôt.

[@badbotchdown9845]

Ha oui çui là avec ses dessins en noir ou noir

[@user-ft1xf8wk9m]

thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@carterskindle7086]

That's a dope looking setup for being 60 years old

[@ShellShock11C]

Ha. I have one of these coats. They are great. The anti infared veil is one of my favorite things on it.

[@pj4433]

I do too, apart from its weight it’s fantastic, mine is missing the veil though. Wish I knew where to get hold of one.

[@user-co4rs7ob1t]

Отличный фильм!!!В фильме TAZ - 57 раннего типа...,,помочи на штанах с 4 пряжками,крепление штыка на куртке...Очень интересно.С меня лайк!

[@danielgreen3715]

Some interesting developments in equipment and load carrying

[@Grenzkraft]

1:32 17kg "as light...as a ballet dancer" RIP to the ballet dancer that only weights 17kg and RIP to the soldier who has 17kg on his shoulders all day long.

[@daveambuhler5699]

Hallo Dale. Ich finde deinen Kanal erstklassig! Deine Videos sind sehr hilfreich in bezug zu meinem interesse für die ersten Jahre des Kampfanzugs.. Hast du noch mehr Videos oder bezugsquellen für Infos zur Schweizer Armee Ausrüstung um 1958 bis 1964?

[@DaletheStgwDude]

Hoi Dave, danke! Leider gibt es zu dem Kampfanzug 61 nicht viel audiovisuelles Material. Am besten konsultieren Sie das Bundesarchiv, suchen Sie einfach, was Sie finden möchten.

[@badbotchdown9845]

We have only two sizes for this one too big or too small

[@Thomachi]

Gosh, they are putting all that kit over a woolen uniform. I'd be sweating like a pig with all that! Love seeing old films like these!

[@Thomachi]

@@DaletheStgwDude I can only imagine! I'd also imagine the Swiss are used to cold temperatures anyways, and don't need a lot of layers even in the cold.

[@simongartmann5294]

@@Thomachi even for indigenous are temperatures on Gotthard and the alps to low to feel comfortable. I grew up in the alps and this winter was damn cold

[@badbotchdown9845]

For avoiding red scars on skin loup) I have always wearing long underwear under my pants

[@jacobjones966]

This is badass

[@lostphoenix1172]

I bought a jacket the model 57 great for hiking wear a fleece sweater under and I stay warm but breathable I prefer to hike with the jacket than a backpack saves my back and tires me out less

[@DaletheStgwDude]

Congrats on your purchase! You probably bought a model 61 (if it has windcuffs, bayonet carrier and shoulder waterproofing) or model 70 (later simplified pattern).

[@tomdulski3729]

very cool, garish is right

[@walangchahangyelingden8252]

2:20 That is really useful.

[@jodc2760]

Merci ! Petite remarque : Le Tarnanzug 1983 ne remplace pas le Kampfanzug 70 -> il s'agit juste d'une tenue camouflée destinée au personnel "non-combattant". Le TAZ 83 n'a pas des poches spécialisées pour porter les chargeurs / grenades ....

[@jodc2760]

@@DaletheStgwDude Effectivement. Anecdote -> Comme les Fass 57 n'ont pas de porte-chargeurs attitrés (vu l'uniforme suisse), le Chili des années 1960s, a du acheter des portes-chargeurs de HK G3 à l'Allemagne pour pouvoir transporter les chargeurs de leurs SIG 510-4 acquis à l'époque.

[@floppa4934]

Love those coats i got 2 Only thing i dislike about them is the sleeves are too short for my arms

[@pj4433]

Ha, I have the jacket and rucksack. I always wondered what those pockets on the bag were for. Fit water bottles in mine. Same the jacket came wishing the face scroll.

[@pj4433]

Shame I can’t type. That should have said shame it came without face veil

[@altopetrenkovZV]

Même avec le programme Félin ils s’en sortent mieux que nous…

[@baronedipiemonte3990]

Their ponchos su:k... Only way to be able to use as a shelter would be to gorilla tape two or three together and hope... They are good for a rain coat. I got 5 new for $20 ten years ago

[@Braun30]

We hated the version with plastic coating. A mobile sauna, first thing you did when you were issued a new one was to cut all plastic off.

[@badbotchdown9845]

Absolutely right we did it also

[@worldtraveler930]

I would have the preferred to the low German version of this instructional video.

[@niemandnieman4837]

And now im im carrying around 35-40 kilos in the current Infantry RS...

[@Braun30]

Actual load was somewhere in that category. 6 kgs of magazines. 3 kgs of HG 43 6 Kgs Fass57 3 kgs gran ac 58 17 kgs heavy duty flack jacket Gas mask, pellerine (poncho), shovel, knapsack tied to the gazarusa with enough food for a couple of days. Then they asked you to run! The heavy flack jacket was for us, heavy mortar crews were considered stationary troops, so we got the heavy stuff.

[@ursusfloeckli9065]

@@Braun30 Autsch...... what a schlepp!

[@Trancefreakeh]

I'd like a video / post explaining what goes in which pocket if possible. Thank you for this post. I'm nit sure why, but they tickle my interest enormously!

[@badbotchdown9845]

In rear pockets: canteen, pouch for shoe shine/sewing/spare buttons/3 brushes (two for shoes one for clothes) Pouch for maintain /clean rifle Gamelle= field bowl containing (same as German one) Alcohol solid field pocket stove With a white bag containing a spoon and fork.

[@badbotchdown9845]

In front: Chest pockets are for 2x2 Stgw magazines. Lower pockets are for paper/note book and pencil, personal things as cigarettes Left arm pocket personal band aid, for NCO a whistle

[@user-du6yr1qx5d]

У этой формы есть и недостатки...крючки ранца цепляются к куртке...и натирают кровоподтеки на ключицах...Но видимо суровых швейцарцев это не пугало!!!Других претензий нет к этой форме.

[@DaletheStgwDude]

It’s definitely not very ergonomic. I feel they went a bit too far with this whole “integrated” concept. Definitely interesting though

[@Alexander-gb6oz]

Как насчёт расцветки а-ля TAZ-57? В природе вообще существует местность, где такой камуфляж скрывал бы солдата?

[@P.h.i.l.65]

SEMPER FIDELIS ALL GRANATIERI 🇨🇭

[@verdierjean-pierre3906]

A 2.14, le brave soldat sort de sa poche le fameux "couteau suisse" à quarante- douze lames , c'est ça ?? LOL

[@badbotchdown9845]

Ben non le couteau de POCHE comme il s'appelle comporte une lame un poinçon un tournevis (qui sert comme contact pour tout les vhcles si pas de clé) un ouvre-boîte /decapsuleur et Basta

[@yes43434]

where can i buy that veil?

[@DaletheStgwDude]

It’s standard in all M61 and M70 vests

[@alexanderlawson1649]

Try moving swiftly with 17kilo of equipment in your pockets.

[@SubCapt]

FWIW the voiceover is the characteristic tone of Alphonse Kehrer.

[@badbotchdown9845]

He have made so many army documentary voices

[@felixdzerzhinsky9926]

i have one of this

[@mg4mg281]

Die Schweizer, beschützt die Berge, Weitermachen ! x D

[@eddy_malouempereur_du_cong6536]

Why the mountain speak French German and italian ?

[@fitrianhidayat]

I'm guessing it would be uncomfortable

[@Nathan-jh1ho]

I have a set of these. They aren't very practicle. Using it in summer you'll die. Takes forever to dry. It is not customizable at all. Basically a cotton smock and cargo pants with a ton of pockets.

[@FEINDKONTAKT.]

Ok. Maybe smth else to say?

[@DerelictDan69]

Worst uniform I ever bought. I actually like the Finnish m62 uniform with the Swedish webbing better.

[@moonryan3908]

Soviet army is so cool

[@randomspectator229]

Sa a limite laire plus pratique que lequipement actuel, je dirai meme moin encombrant

[@user-kg2ez1eg2y]

Great, bud not colored.

[@harryhirsch8527]

Swiss and army in one sentence? that is like Soy Sausage....stick to tax evasion and making chocolate

[@ikoikoni]

The swiss shot down multiple allied and German planes in ww2. They also shot at any German patrols who crossed the border. The swiss may be neutral but they aren't a push over.

[@baronedipiemonte3990]

@@ikoikoni It's a mistake, often a grave one, to look at the enemy as a "pushover".