Wiking

[airsoftaddict]

the team that I play with for modern airsoft bases themselves off of this unit all I know about the unit is this(Quoted form teams website): Wiking was the name given to a division of Nordic volunteers to the German army in WWII. (Wiking meaning Viking in German), I want to do a WW2 impression for this unit, can you help me?

[Jager.Drü]

They were an SS unit. So a basic SS uniform with the Wiking collar tabs and cuff title.

[neoptolemus]

What specifically would you like to know?

The 5th SS has a really interesting unit history and there is a lot to say about it.

Also, what do you mean your team bases themselves off the unit?

If you post a more specific question, I am sure we can help you better.

[airsoftaddict]

well we wanted to be german because we like flecktarn and that stuff, but alot of people seem to think that even today germany=nazis so we decided to be german with out actually being german, and what I need help on is what type of gear would they be using, also now that I know they were SS do I need to have everything SS marked, my stuff won't really be under close inspection by anyone that knows jack.

[KippySmi7h]

airsoftaddict said:

well we wanted to be german because we like flecktarn and that stuff, but alot of people seem to think that even today germany=nazis so we decided to be german with out actually being german

Wow. People who think that are idiots and know nothing. Do what you want and dont be afraid of what people think of you because you are in a certain airsoft unit. BTW, Flectarn and G36's FTW.

[2ndranger]

You dont need everything SS marked...only the serious reenactor will do that. Just get a basic SS impression, Please correct me if Im mistaken but I believe it was popular with Oak Camo trousers? Or was it the pea dot? I just know they did use alot of camo, by some photos. Good luck.

Franz

[Russian]

the Wiking collar tabs, while now being sold, were almost, if not just blatantly, never worn. The soldiers just used standard SS collar tabs. Also....flecktarn? WWII? Ooooh....it burns us....

[neoptolemus]

Correct me if I'm wrong OP, but I believe that airsoftaddict's team wants to have a WWII German unit name for their airsoft team because they like the idea of a WWII German team but don't want to commit to doing impressions.

Also, they chose Wiking because they don't think it will be associated with Nazi Germany, but still want to have a German WWII connection.

The motives are strange to say the least, and I think you would be best served by coming up with an original unit name, rather than using a real one.

Wiking had a very good service history, and while I shouldn't generalize, I think it's disgraceful to use it's name because you guys want to be WWII Germans, but not have people know about it.

As far as uniforms go, they were issued with a good amount of camouflage winter equipment in 1945, when they fought with the 3rd SS in Hungary, but I can't comment with specifics because one the forum members (cough Andrey cough) has my books on the subject.

[gliderrider]

airsoftaddict said:

well we wanted to be german because we like flecktarn and that stuff, but alot of people seem to think that even today germany=nazis so we decided to be german with out actually being german, and what I need help on is what type of gear would they be using, also now that I know they were SS do I need to have everything SS marked, my stuff won't really be under close inspection by anyone that knows jack.

The problem is to be in the Waffen SS you had to be a National Socialist.

Wikking Divvision, can be done without any swasticas, were you thinking of cammo or wool?

russian said:

Also....flecktarn? WWII? Ooooh....it burns us....

But not as much as (Deep intake of breath)"MULTICAM"

[Jager.Drü]

gliderrider said:

airsoftaddict said:

well we wanted to be german because we like flecktarn and that stuff, but alot of people seem to think that even today germany=nazis so we decided to be german with out actually being german, and what I need help on is what type of gear would they be using, also now that I know they were SS do I need to have everything SS marked, my stuff won't really be under close inspection by anyone that knows jack.

The problem is to be in the Waffen SS you had to be a National Socialist.

Wikking Divvision, can be done without any swasticas, were you thinking of cammo or wool?

russian said:

Also....flecktarn? WWII? Ooooh....it burns us....

But not as much as (Deep intake of breath)"MULTICAM"

Wow... You don't have to be part of the Nazi party to be SS. Wiking wasn't even German, they were made up of men from Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.

There is nothing wrong with a swastica on your uniform. Since that was already there. Overly displaying them is a different story.

[gliderrider]

drewb said:

Wow... You don't have to be part of the Nazi party to be SS. Wiking wasn't even German, they were made up of men from Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.

There is nothing wrong with a swastica on your uniform. Since that was already there. Overly displaying them is a different story.

I'm pretty sure you have to be have to be a member of the national socialist party. Can anyone else say?

[Adler69]

By the end of the war the Waffen SS was made up mostly of Non German troops(about 60%), even the last troops to fight in Berlin weren't even German , they belonged to the Charlemein SS Division , a division recruited in France and made up of French volunteers (after the end of the war members of this unit where given 2 option by the French government, The firing squad or the Legion, they chose the Legion and they went on to fight at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu).

[Adler69]

And no , you didn't have to be a member of the party to join , but you had to meet their requirememnts , at least 5'9" tall , excellent physical shapeand have an Aryan background , but when losses in combat became to much , all this requirements went out the window.

[neoptolemus]

More Scandanavians fought in Berlin than French. 33rd Division (Charlemagne) was subordinated to 11th Division (Nordland) because only a couple hundred (I've seen 200-300 quoted) were able to make it to Berlin. Not only did they have insufficient transport, but also they suffered from air attacks on the way there.

Charlemagne members post war actually had more than 2 choices.

Many served labor time (including the Knight's Cross winner Fenet), but were not forced to join the foreign legion.

Probably more Germans joined the foreign legion then French after WWII as a way of avoiding war crimes trial or punishment for their participation in the war. At Dien Bien Phu, some veterans remember German soldiers singing various songs like Ich hatt ein Kameraden.

[Adler69]

If you listen to the songs of the L E F you'll notice that many of them are WWII German songs translated to French

[airsoftaddict]

actually the team that I'm on isn't even going for WW2 they just chose wiking, I don't know why they chose wiking as I joined after the team was started, I'm the only one interested in WW2.

[Conrad]

airsoftaddict said:

actually the team that I'm on isn't even going for WW2 they just chose wiking, I don't know why they chose wiking as I joined after the team was started, I'm the only one interested in WW2.

So...they don't dress in WW2 German uniforms, don't participate in WW2 events, but just call themselves the 5th Wiking?

[airsoftaddict]

no just wiking they don't get into the divisional numbers and the such, airsoft in utah is way different from airsoft everywhere else

[Jager.Drü]

How so?

Why call yourself Wiking when you arent repersenting Wiking?

[Nimlas]

Some clarification would help here.
So your unit is an SS unit, but not REALLY doing SS, just saying that they're SS?
Are you just taking the name Wiking?

[valtteri]

Appears that they're just an average airsoft team who call themselves Wiking. Why not, airsoft teams usually have foolish names that often link to a real unit without the team doing anything to represent the real one.

If you get going after him you'll just get angry and still the world will be as bad place as it was in the beginning.

Airsoftaddict, if you are going to start getting a WW2 impression, first EDUCATE YOURSELF TO THE BASIC GERMAN (SS) IMPRESSION and then specialize. You never get anywhere if you just start a thread, knowing nothing, and expect to learn everything just there.

(These kind of people usually even read just 50% what people put into these threads..)

About the Wiking division, this is a close one for us Finns, as Germans required a volunteer Finnish unit into the German armed forces as part of the cooperation against Soviet Union. This became the Finnish battalion inside Wiking from, who served 41-43. They weren't party members and despite German requirements, most of them were normal Finnish, not quite Übermensch by nazi standards.
They had all your standard SS stuff plus some special insignia (armband, Finnish vlunteer badge). They had the camo smock over the wool uniform and standard infantry LBE. Kar98Ks, MG/34s and machine pistols for officers etc. A curiosity was that Finnish were used to giving machine pistols to front-line infantry men, privates and all, and shipped a load of the excellent Suomi machine pistol for the SS volunteers, who then used them more liberally than the general German doctrine was.
Customized clothing were private manufacture for officers and very scarce, as you would expect in 41-43. Practically no camo pants. Apparently they had a good supply of marching boots.

[Nimlas]

valtteri said:

If you get going after him you'll just get angry and still the world will be as bad place as it was in the beginning.

I don't think anyone was getting angry or 'goring after him', it was more confusion towards what his initial intent was.

[Lev]

Just google the unit and you'll find a lot of stuff about it. It's best to at least make an attempt before making a post to the board. We're not going to do your rudimentary research for you

[ottoss]

www.wiking.org heres a link from some guys from ohio.. Its not a airsoft unit, but theres some info on wiking ss.