Many legends have been spun round the M51 and M65 Parkas. Most of them are descended from the empire of imagination and cannot be proved. Nevertheless, they are carried on and on. Reason enough for us to appeal to this.

1. Winter - or summer version of the M51 parka:

This legend originated, because there is a so-called thick or thin version of the M51 parka. The early, thick version was made out of a heavy material which has been used also for the US Army field jacket and other Parkas like the M48. In the same connection it is often spoken with the thick version of a "variation for officers". All this is not provable, so that one can safely speak of a legend. Rather the first, thick M51 parka (and Liner also) were a short-lived transitional variation which resembled in the execution still strongly the M48 parka. After a short time, presumably to few months (more precise has not been investigated up to now yet), became this thick Parka - and Liner variation succeeded by the thin version which was made in different variations (including to the successor M65) up to beginning of the 1990`s.

2. German-made US Army Parka:

This abstruse legend was found a few months ago on the Internet. Their origin is not cleared up to now, the spreading, nevertheless, extremely questionably. Contents of this legend are, that during the 1950`s Parkas and Liners have been for the US Army in Germany. Also, on this occasion, it concerns a legend which is based merely on phantasy, not reality. Why should the US Army let in an occupied enemy country produce it`s army equipment? Also on the background that army equipment was always also an economic factor for local companies in the 20-th century. Up to now the proof of this legend cannot be led. Rather there are countless counterexamples of Parkas and Liners which were made by US-American textile manufacturers. Reason for this legend could perhaps be the copying of the "Shellparka" in the GDR, because it was such incredible popular. We know from different customers who have lived in the former GDR that there was such a remanufacturing. A copy was offered some years ago on the Internet, so that we know about the existence of such a copy. Nevertheless, it differs from the original US Army Parka and can be identified relatively fast as acopy. We accept tips and further information with pleasure, simply get in touch with us!

3. Parka and Liner in divergent colour variations:

One of the oldest and strongest legends refers to coloured variations of the M51 Parka and Liner. To begin with: Only olive-green parka and 2-sided Liners (one side white or old-white, the other side olive green) have been found until now. The rumour still keeps alive for many years, that there have been, e.g., deep-blue M51 Parkas or completely green Liners. This can not be proved up to now by any findings or documents. It is to be supposed rather that it concerns with the different-coloured parka or scoffing afterwards privately dyed copies (e.g., former white M1950 Snow Camouflage Parkas). For this fact speaks among other things that the standard colour was OG-107, olive green for the Clothing of the US Army since end of the second world war up to the end of the 1980`s. Even the Navy-Version of the M51 Parka and Liner did not deviate from it. They had merely only a different label near the collar.