M86 ET /COE variant

Hard used M86 ET type ( army ) uniform. This and Legion version are the last of Amoeba type camouflage uniforms. The owner seems to have spent some time in Kosovo.  

This variant seems to mix some M69/M73/M76 features in both blouse and trousers. Blouse seems to be a simplified M69 without sleeve pocket like M73, and a simplified wrist closure like M76.
 
Sleeves attach the same way on both types. Both have a small Spanish flag on left sleeve.

Trousers have 2 cargo pockets but they look similar to the legion version with a 4 button closure. There are 2 rear pockets a la M69.  The belt loops are a button and tab type and a tongue and loop waist closure just like M76 .

 Legion variant has a few small differences, mainly 4 leg pockets, no rear pockets  on Legion type trousers. Blouse has small differences in shape of epaulettes, and of course, with Legion embroidery, but it's otherwise similar to ET type.




                             


                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                             

Quite a pitty they didnt keep this variant....Its a nice combo of pattern and colors.

mylle wrote:Quite a pitty they didnt keep this variant....Its a nice combo of pattern and colors.

I agree. This could have been a useful and long lived uniform with it's own pattern and 2 cuts. I like the colors and of course, the shapes.

Guess the fad at the time was woodland and the many versions of m82, itself a reduced size M81 pattern.

Strange that this uniform served along side of those M82s. Would love to know how long they were produced and issued.

Used by the Spanish Army as well? This breaks my ground a bit. Until now, this M-86 camouflage use was only attributed to some flags of the Legion.

Yes, both Ejercito ( army ) and Legion briefly wore these uniforms with slight differences.

Biggest difference was that Legion M86s had Legion logo embroidery on epaulettes, while Ejercito types did not.

I just found this information provided to me in 2009 I received from a member here who was in the Legion at the time.  I have cleaned up the language a little to make it more clear:

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There are 2 models of trousers:

1st Model as shown in photos which has 2 pockets on side thighs and two smaller ones above the ankles, no rear pockets, no hand pockets.

2nd Model has 2 pockets in side thighs, two rear pockets, no ankle pockets, no hand pockets.


He specified that the Legion had three variants of uniforms issued:

1.  Jacket w/embroidery + 1st Model trousers
2.  Jacket w/embroidery + 2nd Model trousers
3.  Jacket without embroidery + 2nd Model trousers

This pattern is actually more difficult to find than other types because although Plan META in 1986 changed all uniformity rules in Spain at least in Legion we continued using Rocoso with Boscoso. The question was that we used them until the stock allowed that.

At that time in Tercio, more in African ones, we lived on our own with strict Legion rules, but lax on combat uniform consistency.  By mid 90´s you could see people in combat exercises with desert chocochip (not many in African Tercio), Rocoso, Boscoso, and Woodland patterns.  Sometimes soldiers transferred from other units (EZAPAC, Marines, etc.) continued to wear their old uniforms on combat exercises.

When Legion Brigade formed, based on Fuerteventura 3rd Tercio (which came fron Canary Islands to Almería) many artillery, Logistic, etc...were forced to become legionnaires, which brought in new ideas of uniform consistency.  The new way of thinking was uniformity of combat uniforms was good, so old patterns were officially prohibited from use. But.... Boscoso looked similar enough to Woodland, therefore both were still in use for sometime.  Today you can even occasionally see them when captain of Company allows in combat exercises.

That's way this uniform has been in more use than others, so many of them have been used until destruction or are kept by legionnaires who think they still smell like old Tercio way of living.

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My guess is the third issue of the uniform to Legion soldiers used the simplified "Army" trousers without the button down belt loops and faux belt found on the earlier Legion specific types.

The attached picture shows a Legion soldier probably with the 3rd issue of the uniform as he has Legion slides on the epaulets.  He also wears a Woodland boonie hat.

I also have pictures of three jackets with original Legion badging but no embroidery.  Attached is one of them that was sold with 2nd Model trousers.


Steve

Its quite a pitty the didnt keep this uniform, I like it and the typicall spanish touch of the camo.
And I will never get to understand the spanish legion uniform.....