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Post by soldatjakob on Mar 22, 2013 9:31:16 GMT -5
My cousin is putting together a 101st airborne impression. He has the M43 uniform because he is only 16 and he figured that it would make more sense to look like a "replacement" if he went to an event until he got older and got the M42 uniform. He pretty much has the basic gear rounded out but he was wondering what kind of equipment the older guys would have told him to get rid of or add to his kit before a jump or when he hit the ground and what kind of little personal doo-dad stuff they would have carried. My main impression is Germanso i offered him a little advice but he really a stickler for detail. Any help would be appreciated.
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Post by brownien on Mar 22, 2013 11:08:26 GMT -5
I would say, as long as he had the correct ammo pouches for his preferred weapon, and the proper webbing for them, then he should be all set. For a Thompson user it would be either 1 or 2 5cell mag pouches, or a GP bag for his mags, or a SMG rigger pouch for his mags. With this kind of setup, he would also need the pistol belt with m36 suspenders. For a rifleman, he would need a cartriage belt in place of the pistol belt, and a GP bag or something to put empty clips and other ammo in. BAR gunner would replace both belts with the BAR mag belt, and keep the GP bag for the same reason. Along with the proper webbing and pouches above, he will need a canteen! A must in hot weather. I wold reccomend an e-tool and cover, but most players prefer to remove the e-tool from their kit and just wear the cover on their belt, I prefer to play with the e-tool on me, although it won't really be needed. A Carlisle bandage would also be worn on the web belt, and an airborne first aide packet would also be a great addition. I would grab any old M1 looking helmet, domestic or foriegn production, ww2 or vietnam era, as long as its an M1 and looks right on the outside, it will help your impression greatly! Another must would be a M36 Musette Pack. It helps round out your impression and is very useful to carry any and all equipment you may need in the field. Make sure you always have an unjamming rod on your person in the field! It can literally get you out of a "jam" when you weapon stops firing, and you have Jerry coming at you! I have had this happen, and slinging my Thompson over my shoulder and relying on my springer 1911 is not always the greatest feeling when holding an objective. Lat thing would be that whenever you aquire new web items, strive to get either the early OD-3 (lighter color) items or the transitional web items. Transitional referrs to an item having mostly OD-3 construction with darker OD-7 trimmings. This way when you do get the M42's you won't have to go out and get duplicates of the gear you already have, in OD-3. My adivce would be get early war kit, as it can always be used for later impressions but M43 and OD-7 web gear are never "correct" for early war, like D-Day. It can still be used but you may end up sticking out like a sore thumb. Goodluck with the impression building!
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shiftysgarand
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Post by shiftysgarand on Mar 23, 2013 12:09:41 GMT -5
The veterans would tell him to stuff as much ammo as his pockets would let him... Brownien has got the rest.
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Post by brownien on Mar 23, 2013 14:05:29 GMT -5
Absolutely, but you dont want to overdo it though. A good reference is for every 1 RS round carried, carry 3 rounds of BB's. Remember that 30.06 and .45 ammo was quite heavy, and carrying alot would wear you down. Personally for my garand loadout, I use 12rnd shotgun mags for my 2ndBat conversion rifle, with 10 in the belt (one in each pocket), 6 more in a cotton bandoleer, and one in the gun. For my Thompson loadout, its one 30rnd length mag in the gun, and 6 more in 2 3cell pouches. Sometimes I also carry a 50rnd drum in my pack also. For my BAR loadout its 2 in each BAR belt pocket, totalling at 12 in the belt and one in the gun.
I use all midcaps btw, except for the Thompson drum, and all my BAR mags (which I am converting to all midcaps).
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Post by soldatjakob on Mar 23, 2013 16:00:09 GMT -5
Well so far he only has 3 Hi-caps for his M1 thompson, he has one in a mag bag he carries (its dated 1944 and he got is at a yardsale for a dollar!...lucky bastard) and the other 2 he has taped together in the weapon. Thanks for all the input so far!
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 23, 2013 16:06:44 GMT -5
Brownian, you are my airsoft hero! it's so refreshing to hear someone sees value in ammo limits and the authenticity that is created from having to change mags. You get it! It's not about competitive winning, it's about emmersion and the time warp that is living history. Obviously a compromise to facilitate the clear limitations of 6mm round pellets makes sense but the 3 to 1 (maybe 4 to 1) really should become a WW2 airsoft standard.
Next we tackle depicting pistol ammunition limitations in sub machine guns! Probably not going to happen but it should!
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Post by brownien on Mar 23, 2013 21:29:51 GMT -5
Aw shucks! Yea I agree, having rifles and pistol caliber SMG's with close to the same ranges is kind of tough. Possibly in the future, when most people are armed with rifles, they may have their hop ups adjusted as they please, but SMG guys would need to have their hops adjusted to limit their range to a preset distance. I have always seen that the Thompson/Grease Gun should be used by those Squad Sgts, and Corporals, with everyone else using rifles! Possibly, that way our engagement distances will get longer and more realistic!
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shiftysgarand
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Post by shiftysgarand on Mar 24, 2013 9:47:50 GMT -5
Off of Mark Bando's website... Major H.W. Hannah, the Regimental S-3 officer of the 506th PIR during Normandy, dug-up an old document with the following orders. Although the loads almost certainly changed on the Market-Garden drop, this is of interest to Normandy fans.
Tentative Plan of Basic Ammunition Loads MI- 30-06 rifle: Rounds per weapon: 136, jumped on individual. (128 in Air Corps pockets, 4 clips per pocket), 1-8 rnd. clip in rifle, hand, or jumpsuit pocket (55% ball, 40% AP, 5% tracer. Rifle belt and one bandolier may be used in lieu of the above. 60 Riflemen per company will jump with 1 belt of LMG ammunition (250 rounds); this may be used in M-1 rifles if the situation warrants. note from webmaster:-the "Air Corps pockets" were rectangular belt pouches, with a pointed flap secured by a press-a-dot snap. These were discontinued in the 101st after Normandy. The military term "ball" ammo means a lead projectile, completely covered with a copper jacket.
Carbine: Rounds per weapon: 175, jumped on individual. 160 in 2 Air Corps pockets (2 clips and one box per pocket), 15 in hand (1 clip) or jumpsuit pocket (100% ball).
Thompson SMG: Rounds per weapon:300, Jumped on individual. 14 (20 rnd) clips in jump suit pockets or M6 carrying bag, 1 clip in gun, hand, or jumpsuit pocket.
Pistol M1911A1: Rounds per weapon: 21, jumped on individual. 2 clips in pouch, one clip in pistol (100% ball, for pistol and TSMG).
'03 Rifle: Rounds per weapon: 145, jumped on individual. 140 in four Air Corps pockets (7 clips per pocket), 1 5 rnd. clip in rifle, hand, or jumpsuit pocket. The '03 rifle may not be used if launcher for M-1 rifle is issued. It is now a superimposed weapon and if jumped will have to supplant the primary weapon of the man jumping it.
'03 Grenades: 10, jumped on individual 5 in each of 2 M6 carrying bags (6 fragmentation, 4 A.T.)
Hand Grenades: 4, Jumped on individual. 4 Grenades in jumpsuit pockets (if M6 carrying bag is used, 6 can be carried.)
Rocket Launcher: Rounds per weapon: 12, to be jumped on individual. l round per man; collected and carried, 6 in each of 2 Infantry packs collected by crew after jump. The folding launcher may be issued, and can be jumped. Launchers may be dropped in bundles: if so, ammunition will be dropped in bundle.
60mm mortar: Rounds per weapon: 80, each mortar jumped on 3 men. 14 riflemen jump with 1 round each. 3 mortar squad members jump with 4 each in M6 bag; 54 dropped in bundles and carried in cart (4 carts per company).
81mm mortar: Rounds per weapon: 54, dropped in bundle;carried by 3 men. 30 rounds in cart, plus 6 rounds on each of 4 men, or 5 rounds on 4 men and 4 rounds on 1. (cart and all rounds dropped in bundle). 80% H.E. light, 20% White Phosphorus.
LMG Browning M1919-A4: rounds per weapon: 3250, jumped on 2 individuals. In LMG platoon, 2,000 rounds dropped in bundle and carried on 81mm mortar cart, or by S-4. 1,250 rounds jumped on men. (80% A.P. and 20% tracer). A.P.=Armor-Piercing (steel cored projectile with copper jacket). 60 riflemen in each company jump with 1 belt of LMG ammunition, as indicated in M-1 rifle listing.
Reserve LMG: rounds per weapon: 6,250, dropped in bundle
The memo concludes;"These ammunition loads are considered to be all that can be carried away from field, regardless of whether machine-guns, 60mm mortars, rocket launchers, or '03 rifles are jumped on the individual or dropped in equipment bundles."
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2nd Bat
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 27, 2013 10:33:47 GMT -5
Excellent resource. 30 cal ammo was heavy and took up alot of space. The above really is maxing out what a guy could resonably expect to function with. Burdened with grenades, spare rounds for the MGs and mortars along with personal items it was hard to move, let alone fight.
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