French Airborne uniform

An Overview of the French Army Airborne Uniform 1946-56

by Eric H. Larson

What follows is a general introduction to the subject of French airborne combat uniforms for the historian, collector and modeler. The author makes no claims to being an expert in this field, and suggests that those who desire a more exhaustive examination of this subject seek some of the more authoritative works (mostly in French) that have been published.

During the period of 1946 to 1956 the French Army experimented with a wide variety of khaki drab and camouflaged airborne combat uniforms, collectively referred to as the tenue de saut or “jump suits,” owing to their design for primary use by airborne combat personnel. As such, these uniforms are often collectively referenced by the prefix TAP (for troupes aeroportées, or airborne troops) along with the term modéle (usually abbreviated Mle) followed by the model number/year of issue (e.g. TAP Mle 1947/53). Contextually, the TAP is often dropped, leaving only the model & year, thus Mle 1947/51. Naturally there are variations of the above terminology, e.g. M1947/54, TAP Mle 47/53, etc.

Uniform Models

TAP Modéle Extreme-Orient

This was the French Army’s original airborne uniform design and was introduced for usage during the campaign in Indochina. A great many of the unusual features of this uniform were dropped in all later models. This uniform was only produced in khaki drab-colored fabric.

The Mle E-O jacket had shoulders reinforced with a double-layer of cloth, two bellowed chest pockets (with large double-snap flaps), two internal chest pockets (behind the external pockets, accessed by external vertical zippers), two internal waist pockets with diagonal zipper closures, a drawcord waist adjustment, and buttoning tabs at the sleeve cuffs.

The Mle E-O trousers featured a multitude of specialized pockets, including two large bellowed cargo pockets at the thighs (with large double-snap flaps), two smaller forward thigh field dressing pockets (with single snap flaps), one upper left waist field dressing pocket (same as others), two slash forward waist pockets, and two rear hip pockets with snap closures. Knees were reinforced with a double-layer of heavily stitched cloth, the waist featured standard belt loops, and the pant cuffs had a buttoning adjustment tab.

TAP Modéle 1947

The Mle 1947 saw the emergence of a basic airborne uniform design that remained largely unchanged for several years, and upon which subsequent models were based. It was produced in both khaki drab and camouflage versions, the latter of which are collectively referred to as la tenue leópard or tenue de leópard (leopard suit) although the pattern has also quite commonly been nicknamed “lizard” in much of the English-speaking world.

The Mle 1947 jacket lost the shoulder reinforcements and the right internal zippered pocket on the chest, but retained the remaining chest pocket configuration. The lower pockets retained their diagonal configuration, but pockets became external with double metal snap closing flaps. Two additional flapped pockets were added to the lower hips at the back side of the jacket (with single snap closures), along with shoulder straps, buttoning tab adjustments at the hips, and an adjustable crotch flap (beavertail) with snap closures for airborne operations (the latter probably influenced by the British Army Denison smock developed during the Second World War).

The Mle 1947 trousers saw a significant reduction in specialized features, retaining only the bellowed cargo pockets (with center pleat added), diagonal zipper forward waist pockets, and rear hip pockets with single snap closures. Drawstrings replaced the buttoning adjustment tab at the pant cuffs. Belt loops remained, but the knee section lost its reinforcement.

TAP Modéle 1947/51

This uniform incorporates some final major modifications to the basic airborne uniform, with only minor changes reflecting the upgrades on the subsequent three models. As with its predecessor, this uniform was produced in both khaki drab and camouflage versions.

The Mle 47/51 jacket saw only a few modifications of the previous design, although they are fairly distinctive ones. The chest pockets were enlarged, and featured three snap closures instead of the previous two. The small button tabs at the waist were reversed, buttoning now to the front (instead of to the rear as the previous model). Vertically zippered ventilation slits were also added to the middle of the back side.

The Mle 47/51 trousers saw some reversion to design features of the original airborne uniform, including a return to the three small field dressing pockets introduced on the Mle E-O. Additionally, a zipper was added to the right side slash pocket.

TAP Modéle 1947/52

One of the most notable distinctions of the Mle 47/52 uniform is that it was produced only in camouflaged material, vice both earlier and later airborne uniform models. Changes to the design were minor.

The Mle 47/52 jacket lost all the pockets on the back side of the jacket, as well as the ventilation slits. Buttoning tabs on the cuffs were replaced with a take-up tab using a metal buckle system and a small “belt” made of the same fabric as the jacket.

The Mle 47/52 trousers remain essentially the same, with the addition of external buttons at the top of the fly and metal buckle take-up tabs at the waist similar to those employed on the jacket cuffs. The trouser cuffs became elasticized, and the slash waist pockets lost their zippers.

TAP Modéle 1947/53

This uniform saw only two changes to the jacket, but several to the trousers. Once again the uniform was produced in both a khaki-drab version and a camouflage version.

The only change made to the Mle 47/53 jacket was a reversion to the button tab system at the sleeve cuffs, but a switch to the buckle system for the two short waist take-up tabs.

The Mle 47/53 trousers, on the other hand, lost the buttons at the top of the fly that were introduced on the previous model, as well as the three small field dressing pockets that were re-introduced on the 47/52. Although the design remained the same, the position of the waist take up tabs was reversed.

TAP Modéle 1947/54

This model was also produced in both a khaki-drab and a camouflage version.

The only significant change to the jacket was the loss of the airborne crotch flap. In all other ways the smock resembled the Mle 47/53.

The trousers saw only a single change as well, this being a single exposed button at the top of the fly.

TAP Modéle 1947/56

This model represented the final developments to the French Airborne uniform, and some significant changes to the previous design introduced with the Mle 1947. The uniform was initially produced in both a khaki-drab and a camouflage version, and later in an olive green variation designated the Mle 1947/63.

The Mle 47/56 jacket changed in several ways. The lower pockets were straightened out from their previously tilted position, were enlarged and also featured a triple metal snap closing flap. Take up tabs from both the cuffs and the waist were removed entirely. The cuffs became elasticized and the bottom hem now featured a drawcord.

The Mle 47/56 trousers remained essentially the same as previous models, although the slash waist pockets now featured a triple snap flap covering each.

Fabrics and Camouflage Patterns

It should be noted that there was quite a lot of variation to the fabric types, dye shades, and the camouflage patterns themselves on most of the above uniforms. The basic khaki drab color itself varied from a dark yellowish-tan to a light olive green. Fabric types included heavy and medium weight twills (on many of the early models), light poplin, and – by the end of the Algerian War – the fairly ubiquitous herringbone-twill (HBT) fabric.

With regards to the tenue de leópard or “lizard” camouflage patterns, some French collectors have created an alphanumeric system for classifying the various designs encountered over the years. The system is relatively unknown outside of the French collecting community and, although applicable, does create some confusion in that some of the designations have also been established for uniform designs. Thus, the term F1 can mean both a specific subset of “lizard” camouflage drawings, and also a type of French Army uniform issued from around 1964.

What is important to the collector & modeler is to establish that several different sub-types of “lizard” camouflage pattern were produced between 1946 and 1956 (as many as twelve different types are claimed by some sources). These sub-types differ in the size and shape of the specific brushstrokes, as well as in the combination of color dyes employed to overprint the design. The distinctions between some subtypes appear to be very subtle, and it is the belief of this author that a much more thorough examination of the subject is long overdue.

Some references can be found in Uniformes Hors Serie No 14 and No 17, and in issue #9 of Militaria magazine.