Poland

**Splinter**
Official Name	(?)
Years Used	1950s - Early 1960s
Used By	Paras
Known Items	Pull Over Smock, Trousers
Notes	In the 1950s the Polish Army started experimenting with camouflage. As is often the case, the first forces to receive camo uniforms were the "elite" forces, like paratroops. The above pattern is a four color yellow based Splinter pattern closely related to the various patterns used by the Third Reich. Like many items, the colors fresh from the factory could vary quite a bit. The pics above are from two seperate items, roughly same condition, where the colors are quite different (my smock is constructed from a mix of both). I've noted other items for sale having one or the other colorations, so there appears to be some basic consistency in the differences.
Extra Info	None at this time

Pine Needle (aka "Pine" or "Rain")

Official Name
(?)

Years Used
1960 (?) - 1965 (?)

Used By
Army

Known Items

Tunic, Jacket, Trousers, Winter Parka, Winter Trousers, Hat, Beret, Gas Mask Bag

Notes

In 1960 or 1961 Poland adopted the first of what collectors call Rain patterns.. The Polish and East German patterns might look the same, but this is not the case. Not only is the uniform construction completely different, but the Polish Pine pattern uses thinner, longer rain strokes. However, unless you are looking at them up close and in comparison they look nearly identical. It still is amazing to think that this was considered a good enough camouflage pattern to issue.
One issue of curiosity is what I call Blue Pine pattern (pictured in the middle). I have a set of Army trousers in this pattern and there is a picture of it in Peterson's "Wehrmacht Camouflage Uniforms & Post-War Derivatives". From other sources it appears this was a bridge between the original There is an ink stamp, but it is too faded to read.Moro.Pine and

The third variant I know of is pictured on the right (above). This is a slightly brighter variation with the strokes more squared off than the Army pattern. The pattern was used exclusively by police units in a cut of uniform very different than Army versions.

Extra Info
None at this time

**Moro (aka "Worm")**
Official Name	(?)
Years Used	1965 (?) - 1990s
Used By	Army, Marines (?)
Known Items	Jacket, 2 Pocket Shirt, Trousers, Winter Parka, Hat, Beret, Gas Mask Bag, Gloves, Rank Slipons
Notes	This odd, very ineffective pattern is known as Moro (Worm) and was issued during the mid 1960s, apparently to visually distance themselves from other Warsaw Pact patterns (which ironically were based on the Polish pattern being replaced!). This was the standard pattern until the late 1980s when it was replaced by a couple transitional patterns before settling on the Pantera pattern in the early 1990s.
Extra Info	None at this time

**Puma (aka "Crocodile")**
Official Name	(?)
Years Used	1980 - 1990s
Used By	Army, Marines
Known Items	Shirt, Trousers, Winter Parka, Hat, Backpack, Rank Slipons
Notes	This pattern is commonly called Puma, but is also more correctly thought of as Crocodile. It was first issued around 1980 and was largely phased out by the early 1990s. However, Polish Marines held onto the uniform for a little longer than other units, with one date of use cited as 1997. Although it might have been designed to replace the Moro pattern it never did.
Extra Info	None at this time

**Leopard**
Official Name	(?)
Years Used	1980s (?)
Used By	Airborne
Notes	A very rare experimental camouflage pattern appeared at a time when Poland appears to have been doing a lot of tests for new uniforms. The item I have is clearly commercial, but the material appears to be genuine surplus cloth. The reuse of surplus cloth is quite common in Poland.
Extra Info	None at this time

**Frogskin**
Official Name	(?)
Years Used	1980s (?) - 1990s
Used By	"Elite" Army units
Known Items	Arnorak, Trousers, Parachute
Notes	This is a highly unusual uniform more because of the cloth than its distinctive camouflage pattern. Commonly called Frogskin, this uniform is made out of parachute material with a brown cloth lining. I'm not sure what the thinking was behind this choice of cloth, but it is clear that operational use took a heavy toll on its condition. Perhaps this is why it was produced in small numbers and issued for only a short period of time.
Extra Info	None at this time

**Pantera (aka "Presidential" or "Petal")**
Official Name	(?)
Years Used	1990s - Current
Used By	Army, Marines
Known Items	Shirt, Trousers, Praka, Hat, Helmet Cover, Tanker Helmet, Rank Slipons, Assault Vest, Backpack
Notes	In the late 1990s the Poles developed the Pantera pattern as their standard camouflage pattern. It looks similar to an extremely rare Polish pattern originally produced in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Extra Info	None at this time

**Moro/Leopard**
Official Name	(?)
Years Used	(?)
Used By	Paramilitary Units (?)
Known Items	Trousers, (?)
Notes	I don't know too much about this unusual piece of Polish camo, other than it is not military issue. It basically is standard, off the shelf Moro material with an overprint of leopard spots in a color quite similar to the squiggles of Moro. I have only heard of one other item made in this pattern, specifically a hat. The most likely user of this uniform printing would be police or some other para military formation. One source states that the Poles allowed military fabric to be used for non military purposes ONLY if it was significantly altered. Ironic that the overprinting actually makes this a better camo than the original military issue. I am interested in acquiring any and all items in this pattern, but I think the chances of that are rather slim.
Extra Info	None at this time

**Vertical Stroke**
Official Name	(?)
Years Used	(?)
Used By	Firebrigades
Known Items	Shirt, Boonie, Backpack (?)
Notes	Uniform designed for urban Fire Brigades and possibly commercial uses more recently.
Extra Info	None at this time

**Black Moro**
Official Name	(?)
Years Used	(?)
Used By	Firebrigades
Known Items	(?)
Notes	Description Pending
Extra Info	None at this time