Sotaaikaiset jalkaväen housut M/36

Todella hyväkuntoiset housut, kelpaa mihn tahansa pukukokoelmaan.

Trousers for uniform m/36 :

Finnish uniform regulations specified that three types of trousers could be worn with military uniform m/36, these were:

• Straight pants: Standard issue straight pants made from the same steel grey wool as uniform tunic m/36. Originally straight pants were the type of trousers issued for conscripts, later on during World War 2 they became the standard trouser type typically issued for enlisted men.
• Riding breeches: These trousers are also made from the same steel grey wool as military tunic m/36. Being riding breeches they may have leather or fabric reinforcements in buttocks. They have similar large buttoned opening on the groin as in riding pants m/27, but also fabric loops going under soles of foot for securing trousers legs. Before the war riding breeches were typically used by officers and senior non-commissioned officers, but during the war the situation was not quite as straight forward. While there is good reason to believe that riding breeches remained more common especially among officers than with other ranks, straight pants seem to have been more common and use of riding breeches not as exclusive as in peace-time army.
• Trousers originally introduced with military uniform m/22: While this was not exactly a standard issue trousers type for military uniform m/36, Finnish military was not into wasting money, so existing trousers of military m/22 could be worn with tunic m/36, although according uniform regulations pre-war use of this combination was to be limited to combat training and field training. While trousers of military uniform m/22 are also grey wool, they can be often easily spotted even from black-and-white period photographs by being notably darker grey, than standard issue trousers of military uniform m/36. In addition cavalry and Air Force did not just stop using their own m/22 trouser types, which had already developed into status symbols. Although cavalry’s red riding breeches and Air Force’s dark blue straight pants with grey stripes on sides for practical purposes apparently got transferred into status of items belonging for holiday uniform and dress uniform use only.

PICTURE: Lieutenant of Finnish Air Force in summer tunic m/36, trousers are Air Force breeches m/22 and Air Force field cap m/22. Bright blue collar patches with black frames indicate Air Force and brass unit markings in epaulets verify this. The belt is officer's leather belt m/27 with pistol holster for L-35 pistol. The badge on tunic pocket is pilot's badge m/18 (lentomerkki m/18) - Finnish Air Force version of pilot's wings and used from year 1918 to year 1945. Photo taken in Finnish Military Museum (Sotamuseo), Helsinki. CLICK THUMBNAIL TO SEE LARGER PIC (141 KB).

It is worth noting that officers, senior non-commissioned officers and military officials could also acquire themselves (fancier) uniform trousers made from diagonal wool. In general the cut and design of trousers of military uniform m/36 was very similar to those already earlier issued with field uniform m/27, although wool used in them was different and obviously their color was medium steel grey color instead of brown-green-grey of field uniform m/27. These trousers designs were also basically identical to those used with experimental military uniforms m/34. All other soldiers except conscripts normally had side stripes that indicated service arm and also rough reference to level of military rank.