TommyGunner
Staff Sgt.
Hackjob Mauro
1st Marine Division, 1942
Posts: 2,265
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Post by TommyGunner on Feb 2, 2009 4:16:33 GMT -5
Alright my girlfriend has taken an interest in my reenacting hobby. She is really a trooper when it comes to putting up with me in general ;D and she is a lover of history (her particular area of study being ancient Greece) So for Reenactor Fest 09 Im heading to it as a USMC BAR Gunner in B/1/1, but she wanted a kit as well to walk around in so I made this. M37 wools WW1 dated canteen and cover 42 dated Pistol Belt 42 dated Musset bag and strap 42 dated 1st aid pouch with WW1 contents Leggings And here is the Helmet I made for it. I got the idea from a military historian named Shepard Paine who told me about a few women who in the various theaters of operations severed very near or almost on the front lines as Women combat nurses who would not actually be in combate but would assist the combat medic when a wounded would be brought in. They didnt work in field hospitals in the rear but in aid stations very close to or almost on the front. He told me that thier uniforms were the same ones the regular male troops wore as well as the rest of thier equipment becuase of how close to the front lines they operated. This position occupied by a woman was very very rare however and not very many actually did this. Now I know that there were specially made womens HBT, Wool and Khaki uniforms but in the situation the women combat nurses were operating virtually along side the male medics would they have wore a womans wool uniform or a mans? Also if anyone has any information on the Combate Nurse I would be very curious to hear what you know as I have done alot of reasearch on the subject but have turned up very little. Also what do you guys think of the impression I made for her, eventually I will buy her a womans set of wools, or an HBT set but thats at a latter date. TommyGunner
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azeeze
Private 1st Class
Posts: 622
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Post by azeeze on Feb 2, 2009 8:13:51 GMT -5
Looks good, just have her pin her hair up inside the helmet for RF.
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kalbs
Master sergeant
Posts: 1,142
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Post by kalbs on Feb 2, 2009 9:34:40 GMT -5
Great start! Tie the hair up and the pants up around the waist and you've got it. Note also the womans blouse only had mock chest pockets. get her a skirt... women look better in skirts...
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click
Sergeant
Company G, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division
Posts: 1,764
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Post by click on Feb 2, 2009 10:45:06 GMT -5
TG, I dont know much about Women in WW2, but I do know that that helmet looks ace! Nice work man, did you use an airbrush?
Click
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TommyGunner
Staff Sgt.
Hackjob Mauro
1st Marine Division, 1942
Posts: 2,265
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Post by TommyGunner on Feb 2, 2009 11:11:38 GMT -5
Thanks for the compliments on the Helmet, I actually did use an airbrush on it. It is one of those nasty Olive green Helmets from the 80s (good helmets to paint up and trash in the field) I used Tamiya OD for the entire OD finish. I free handed the circle and then blended and feathered in the edges of it and then the 3rd ID symbol and the cross were masked off. I made a special dark blend of red for the cross and a special blue for the 3rd ID symbol.
I then took the helmet after it was all nice and prity looking and threw it down my driveway, rubbed it in dirt, hit it against a tree and scrapped it with 40 grit sand paper and steel wool. I then gave it a quick rinse under some warm water and took the OD paint I sued to paint the helmet and sprayed the white, red and blue to tone it all down and give it that rubbed in gritty aged used look.
I think it came out very well and I am considering offering a painting service for helmets if people are interested.
TommyGunner
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Feb 3, 2009 18:06:18 GMT -5
Perhaps the most celebrated and valor awarded nurses in the war were the angels of Anzio in the MTO. They endured horrible conditions and severe shelling and several were killed and wounded. They received some of the few valor awards of the war for females.
There were specific WAC uniform items and they are rare and frankly fairly spendy when found. I had a pair of WACs double buckle boots that I found and sold on Ebay. Their trousers were similar to guys as the fabric and shades were the same but they didn't feature a fly but rather had zippers or buttons on the side. I'm not sure if the buttons on their blouses were reversed or not?
She looks great Tommy and seemed to be having fun in her get up. The only suggestion I would have has been made and that is for her to do something period with her hair or perhaps a fun wig would be neat with her actual hair tucked underneath.
My mother was a WAC officer during WW2 in fact that his how my father and her met. He had to get commissioned to marry her! She was never in the field to my knowledge as she was the Red Cross Liason Officer for the Red Cross Clubs in London. (Mosens Club) All of the pictures of her in uniform show her in a skirt and jacket with an overseas cap rackishly tilted as was the style of the time. Her shoes were suitably practical with a slight heel. Her fondest memory of the war (aside from her marriage to my dad at St James Cathedral in London) was going over to England on the Queen Mary and playing piano while 5500+ enlisted men listened in out on deck and sang along in the darkness. (There were 11 women on the trip!) Her worst memory was being wounded by a V2 from shattered glass for which she received a Purple Heart. (I always thought my dad was kidding when ever I would ask when he got a purple heart and he said it was moms.)
She had a wonderful photo album and would always tear up pointing to all the men she met who didn't come back or were wounded horribly. She said the bomber crews were the most likely to simply stop coming into the club. She would find out later they were lost over Europe.
Both Mom and Dada are gone now. As a kid a chidding remark we used to hear was the expression "Your mother wears Army boots" I have no idea why it was a common phrase or how it was meant to be insulting. My response was always "That's true, so what?"
Very proud of my father and mother. I miss them alot.
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Post by 5thrangerbat on Feb 3, 2009 18:17:08 GMT -5
WWIIimpressions have womens uniforms.
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TommyGunner
Staff Sgt.
Hackjob Mauro
1st Marine Division, 1942
Posts: 2,265
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Post by TommyGunner on Feb 3, 2009 18:52:21 GMT -5
Perhaps the most celebrated and valor awarded nurses in the war were the angels of Anzio in the MTO. They endured horrible conditions and severe shelling and several were killed and wounded. They received some of the few valor awards of the war for females. There were specific WAC uniform items and they are rare and frankly fairly spendy when found. I had a pair of WACs double buckle boots that I found and sold on Ebay. Their trousers were similar to guys as the fabric and shades were the same but they didn't feature a fly but rather had zippers or buttons on the side. I'm not sure if the buttons on their blouses were reversed or not? She looks great Tommy and seemed to be having fun in her get up. The only suggestion I would have has been made and that is for her to do something period with her hair or perhaps a fun wig would be neat with her actual hair tucked underneath. My mother was a WAC officer during WW2 in fact that his how my father and her met. He had to get commissioned to marry her! She was never in the field to my knowledge as she was the Red Cross Liason Officer for the Red Cross Clubs in London. (Mosens Club) All of the pictures of her in uniform show her in a skirt and jacket with an overseas cap rackishly tilted as was the style of the time. Her shoes were suitably practical with a slight heel. Her fondest memory of the war (aside from her marriage to my dad at St James Cathedral in London) was going over to England on the Queen Mary and playing piano while 5500+ enlisted men listened in out on deck and sang along in the darkness. (There were 11 women on the trip!) Her worst memory was being wounded by a V2 from shattered glass for which she received a Purple Heart. (I always thought my dad was kidding when ever I would ask when he got a purple heart and he said it was moms.) She had a wonderful photo album and would always tear up pointing to all the men she met who didn't come back or were wounded horribly. She said the bomber crews were the most likely to simply stop coming into the club. She would find out later they were lost over Europe. Both Mom and Dada are gone now. As a kid a chidding remark we used to hear was the expression "Your mother wears Army boots" I have no idea why it was a common phrase or how it was meant to be insulting. My response was always "That's true, so what?" Very proud of my father and mother. I miss them alot. Great Information and story! This is the type of information I have been looking for, first hand accounts liek those of your mother and also confromation on the combat nurse in a situation liek the MTO. I think I will have my GF say that she is with the 3rd ID in the MTO. Also she was having fun, she likes the impression and is happy to attend Reenactor Fest with me. Also the funny thing is that it is our 9 month aniversary on the 7th, they day of Reanactor fest lol TommyGunner
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Post by hairy apple on Feb 3, 2009 19:15:29 GMT -5
Very cool. My girlfriend also does ww2 airsoft with our group, however she just tucks her hair in and plays as a guy. She enjoys shooting people with plastic too much for a non combat role... ha ha. 502nd Impression USMC impression
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