Mystery uniform.

This one has been with me a long time. I am still uncertain of it's pedigree. No date of production ( although definitely an '80s vintage ) and no nomenclature on this one.
Looks to perhaps be an attempt at resurrecting another Spanish mystery uniform ( M65 ) about which we at least know the designation ( but not too much else).  
It also looks similar to one of the 2 Lightweight Green dominant uniforms that appeared in the mid '80s, but that uniform is much simpler in construction.

Blouse seems to follow the classic TAP56 design, and again, looks similar to one of the Green Dominant Lightweights.
Trousers seem to follow old world tailoring, especially the hand and rear pockets, which are made from separate material and are sown into the waistband like old tailored European trousers.

A few years ago, I rescued the field jacket from one of the Thai rag merchants, and not too long ago, the same merchant had a lightweight shirt in the same pattern which went to another buyer.

Here it goes..



                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                


                                                                                                                

Very interesting. I agree it appears to be mimicking the M65, but using established TAP56 tailoring. Since the latter is a pattern that is pretty widely used, it is not surprising to see it. The M65, however, is quite different in detail. I just grabbed mine to remind myself of the differences. I also forgot that mine is pictured in Santiago's book

We do know that the Spanish had a green Amoeba uniform made in this pattern, probably for recruiting/formal uses. Maybe they had yours commissioned at the same time for something similar? For sure the Amoeba one came with hood and swallow tail hat as well.

I grabbed my TAP56 Amoeba uniform and it looks the same as yours, including the details you noted with the trousers. Mine jacket also came with jump wings and blank name badge, though of course they could have been added by someone. In fact, looking at it now there are signs of previous two badges having been removed. Mine is used with military stamps, so removed badges isn't a surprise to see.

The light jacket, on the other hand, follows no pattern I can think of. My suspicion is it is commercial, perhaps made from leftover cloth from the above.

Steve

The grandfather of italian vegetato? Cool piece.

mylle wrote:The grandfather of italian vegetato?  Cool piece.

That would be the one on the right.. Thanks..



                                                                                                                                   

CollectinSteve wrote:Very interesting.  I agree it appears to be mimicking the M65, but using established TAP56 tailoring.  Since the latter is a pattern that is pretty widely used, it is not surprising to see it.  The M65, however, is quite different in detail.  I just grabbed mine to remind myself of the differences.  I also forgot that mine is pictured in Santiago's book

We do know that the Spanish had a green Amoeba uniform made in this pattern, probably for recruiting/formal uses.  Maybe they had yours commissioned at the same time for something similar?  For sure the Amoeba one came with hood and swallow tail hat as well.

I grabbed my TAP56 Amoeba uniform and it looks the same as yours, including the details you noted with the trousers.  Mine jacket also came with jump wings and blank name badge, though of course they could have been added by someone.  In fact, looking at it now there are signs of previous two badges having been removed.  Mine is used with military stamps, so removed badges isn't a surprise to see.

The light jacket, on the other hand, follows no pattern I can think of.  My suspicion is it is commercial, perhaps made from leftover cloth from the above.

Steve

Yes, our M65s are most likely a small unit purchase. Santiago 's research indicates that it may have been used by cadre of the commando mountaineering school.
The only in use photo I've ever seen of that particular cut and pattern is found in an old obscure Spanish Special Ops book, worn by an COE Captain. So we at least know it was associated with COE ( Special ops companies ).
Mine is slightly different than yours; it looks like it has been modified by removing the front buttons, but both came with that same patch which tells me they came from the same source...

We will probably never know what this and the lightweight uniforms really are, but it's cool that you have confirmed the cut is similar to your Lightweight TAP .. I traded my 2 Lightweights long ago and just do not remember all details.

The field jacket looks like a snazzy copy of US M65 . Probably a hunter's jacket made of surplus cloth.

Incredible... you never stop surprising with something that enters and then collapses all the schemes of the evolution of the species. And then we have to rewrite the history of spanish uniforms.

A photo provided to me by a friend, and should match the green camo suit shown. According to him, this should be the M-65 suit from the Mountain and Special Operations School.

*I correct, my memory fails me. Always according to him; his denomination should be model M-62*

Other reference pics in low quality, that we could attribute, never confirm, that they are of the suit shown in the thread:

Wow.. Great photos. Low quality means nothing when the images are so very rare, like these...

Thanks for posting them..

Lovely pattern.. It does resemble M62 somewhat. Another mystery..

Looking at these rare photos again, it seems to me that the uniforms portrayed are indeed M62s .

It appears that some of the smocks have been altered by removing the usually attached hoods while others retain the hoods.  These images are not the clearest, but seeing these uniforms in use is quite uncommon.


                                                                                         

The first photo is the clearest example of these uniforms with the attached hood still present.  Middle person seems to have a modified smock, while outer 2 individuals show their smocks in original configuration..

 The other 2 photos seem to show all the smocks with the hoods removed..



                                                                                                        






                                                                                                     





                                                                                                      

This helmet cover should be from the camouflage suit (M-65?) in the photos of the military event with the King and Queen of Spain in 1960s. I could be wrong, but I think the colors of the cover differ from the M-62 camouflage jump suit.
There is not much info or data about the M-65 suit and the origin of such a name. All I am basing this on is hearsay and comments I have exchanged with other collectors.

I'm pretty sure the photos are of the camo suit on the right. Could this be the mysterious M-65 of the Mountain and Special Operations Military School (EMMOE)?

ripcord wrote:

mylle wrote:The grandfather of italian vegetato?  Cool piece.

That would be the one on the right.. Thanks..



                                                                                                                                   

There is some confusion regarding whether  the suit on the right is called an M62, or an M65. Don't think it was made in large numbers. I've only seen 2 including mine, and Steve's smock, in private collections.

 It most likely is the EMMOE suit but apparently was also used by COE..  Fantastic helmet cover, BTW, I've only seen another one in such conditions .

ripcord wrote:Looking at these rare photos again, it seems to me that the uniforms portrayed are indeed M62s .

It appears that some of the smocks have been altered by removing the usually attached hoods while others retain the hoods.  These images are not the clearest, but seeing these uniforms in use is quite uncommon.


                                                                                         

The first photo is the clearest example of these uniforms with the attached hood still present.  Middle person seems to have a modified smock, while outer 2 individuals show their smocks in original configuration..

 The other 2 photos seem to show all the smocks with the hoods removed..



                                                                                                        






                                                                                                     





                                                                                                      

It could be possible that the hoods have not been removed, but that they have been tucked into their storage pouch at  rear top of smock similarly to US M65 field jackets .



While talking to another Spanish collector, he mentioned that my ' Mystery Uniform ' was briefly issued and used by a unit of the Guardia Civil called GAR.  GAR stands for Grupo de Accion Rapida, or Quick Reaction Force, an anti terror unit of the Guardia Civil, and used in the Basque region.  The uniform did indeed come with this GAR shoulder patch.