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Post by theshadow on Apr 3, 2006 15:26:51 GMT -5
Here is my labor of love: M1 D bail steel pot with camo net and a repro first aid pouch, marked 2nd Bn, 506th PIR. M1C Paratrooper liner M42 jacket with 101st Abn Patch and tech sergeant stripes (what we would call a Sergeant First Class nowdays - the rank I retired from the 101st back in'96) 48 star invasion flag is a quick sew on - something a GI in the field might do - that's why it covers the stripes on the right sleeve slightly (couldn't find one of the ones on the white sleeve brassard at the time) 1936 suspenders and belt with felt shoulder pads M2 frag grenade and M18 Red Smoke (got the painting and marking details from Picatinney Arsenal Museum in NJ) Tanker shoulder holster with Marushin Colt 1911 Non-gun Around my waist from my right to my left: carlyse (spelling?) bandage; 1910 T Handle shovel cover and shovel cut down in length; 1942 stainless steel canteen, cup, and cover; 5 cell thompson pouch, 1943 insulated wire cutters and pouch, 2 cell .45 pouch. Left leg has an M1A1 Training Gas Mask and bag Left ankle has the M3 Fighting knife Right calf has a dummy Hawkins mine Early war years paratrooper gloves with the strap Wrist compass The pants are 1943 Field pants, rigger modified with the leg pouches and dark green straps as used by the 101st (had the incorrect style light greenish/yellow straps at the time of this photo) Brown Cochran jump boots. M1A1 Thompson is the Hudson Plug Fire Cartridge Non-gun model You can sort of see my wool shirt. NOT SHOWN are my camofalged silk scarf, two tone burlap scrim on the helmet, regular brown flap holster, 1943 folding shovel and cover, over the shoulder ammo bag, M1 carbine rigger pouches, 1943 Field Jacket, or the wool pants, as well as a host of little nick-nacks I've picked up. Still need to get a 1936 musette bag one of these days... theshadow
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Post by mauser98k on Apr 3, 2006 15:31:44 GMT -5
Wow that is truly amazing! Only things i reccomend is getting a matching uniform. There is no photographic evidence that paratroopers mixed m43s and m42s. And also for the 101st, I believe they didn't have the sew-on armflag, but the arm-band type.
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Post by Gordak on Apr 3, 2006 15:44:34 GMT -5
yeah Mauser is right, good job on the research!
the arm flag on the m42 uniform was 82nd only. The way the uniforms were issued, you would never see 43 pants with 42 jacket.
Youve got a really nice very complete kit going there congrats!
-Gordak
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29ththerealpimps
Private 1st Class
3rd Armored Division 32nd Armored Regiment 83rd Recon Battalion
Posts: 706
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Post by 29ththerealpimps on Apr 3, 2006 21:30:39 GMT -5
very nice you look just as good as the guys in the movie very nice impression one thing i would suggest is getting a m5 gas mak bag but besides that you are good to go
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Post by Guinness on Apr 3, 2006 21:48:03 GMT -5
what double post? and he has a gas mask bag there ;D -G
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Apr 3, 2006 21:57:51 GMT -5
Wow, I like all the little details like the ankle bayonet and Hawkins mine,the proper gloves and shoulder harness felt pads. The smoke greande is a super accessory. I thought the marking were different in WW2 then in Vietnam but it sounds like you've done your research on that. (They look the same as the smoke markings from the Vietnam era) Way more to compliment then critisize with your impression which looks terrific. I like the way you front and side posed them just as the army would do in the time.
Any detail comments really fall in the category of nitpicking. The flag (mentioned earlier) is a common mistake for 101st. It'd be a nice touch to add leather lacing to your boots which was a distinctive touch to the corcorans. The rubberized black gas mask bag was common to the airborne and Ranger assault elements during the landing and jump. looking at you further I see the wrist compass, very cool! and the wire cutter pouch (it may be a garand bolt pouch but frankly it's a great pouch for spare AEG batteries!) Your shortened airborne intrenching tool looks great as does the .45 and holster and the fact that your pouches are holding things.
Thanks for posting you've done a great job. Keep at it and let us know about any refinements.
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29ththerealpimps
Private 1st Class
3rd Armored Division 32nd Armored Regiment 83rd Recon Battalion
Posts: 706
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Post by 29ththerealpimps on Apr 3, 2006 22:02:07 GMT -5
i am sayin he needs the m5 assault gas mask bag
if i am not mistaken i think every paratrooper had two they had a jump first aid pouch and a normal one please correct me if I am wrong
by the way shadow is that an airsoft gun or a model gun ?
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silencer
Private 1st Class
Spartan by blood
Posts: 407
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Post by silencer on Apr 3, 2006 22:06:30 GMT -5
As 2nd bat said he doesn't really need anything. I wont tell him what to get since he is so much farther along than I it isn't even funny. I personally love how you have the thompson mag pouch on the back and I love the 'nades/hawkins mine. You have 2 first aid packages! Now thats a real soldier. I think he does, one on his helmet and one on his belt right side.
Very awesome.
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Nimlas
Master sergeant
grumpy
Posts: 1,594
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Post by Nimlas on Apr 4, 2006 15:22:44 GMT -5
If I may say you should take the first aid packet off your helmet and put it onto your suspenders, unless you are doing Market Garden, then you can leave it on. It was rarely, if ever put on the helmet PRIOR to MG. Other than that it looks really sweet.
Jack~
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Post by mauser98k on Apr 4, 2006 15:24:40 GMT -5
Are those original m43 pants by the way? I have never seen them with khaki pockets before. Or are they just extra pockets from the m42 jacket?
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Post by Guinness on Apr 4, 2006 15:27:54 GMT -5
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Post by mauser98k on Apr 4, 2006 15:29:18 GMT -5
ahh sweet thank you. thats interesting to know. Karma for guinness P.S. Love the new sig pic.
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Post by theshadow on Apr 4, 2006 17:14:57 GMT -5
I pulled the 48 star flag off. As was noted, a common mistake. The 82nd was the only ones to have them sewn on, and even a fair amount of them also used the arm brassard like the 101st.
The pants ARE indeed origional rigger modified '43 field pants. The only thing I had to do was change out the yellowish green leg straps to the heavier duty, dark green straps (done after this picture as taken.
As far as the mixed uniform, although not common, there were instances of mixed uniforms being used, most likely for the very reason I'm doing it. I need a replacement set of '42 jump pants and haven't had the opportunity to get them yet. AND I really don't think you guys want to see me running around in my skivvies... Not a pretty sight!
As I said earlier, the M1A1 Training Mask was also used by Paratroopers because of its smaller size and lighter weight (more room to carry extra ammo!!!)
The grenades are actually Vietnam era dummies. The WWII M2 frag's spoon actually goes completely over, then bends around under the top of the fuse. The one I have has the split prongs that bend under two pins just before the forward lip of the fuse. The M18 developed in 1943 by Redstone Arsenal is smaller then the Vietnam and current models, both slightly in height and definately in diameter. However I did copy the markings as shown at the Ordinance Museum at Picatinny for the WWII era. Most notable about the M18 is the way the lot numbers were displayed. the first four digits are the month and date of manufacture, separated from the middle two by a dash, which are the year. Another dash follows, with a three digit marking for that particular batch. I marked mine 1022-43-159, using the example that they had on display. Also the 7/8" wide gray band that encircles the grenade has an area of olive drab 4" long and 3/8" wide, forming a box where the lot number is displayed. There is a gray stripe 3/8" both top and bottom of this area. Modern M18's (at least the last ones I got to look at before I retired in "96) do not form a box where the lot number is displayed. Instead the gray band has a cut out about 4" long with only one gray stripe beneath the lot number. Hope this description is clear eniugh. If not, I'll try to post some pics later.
Besides the usual sources of info that I'm sure you have all used, I checked in today with Pratt Museum (270) 798-3215, the official 101st Abn Div Museum, located at Fort Campbell, and spoke with Ben Peterson, one of the Historians there. A very useful source for all things 101st related. I hope others will find this helpful as well.
theshadow
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Post by Gordak on Apr 4, 2006 18:29:14 GMT -5
WOW -Gordak
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29ththerealpimps
Private 1st Class
3rd Armored Division 32nd Armored Regiment 83rd Recon Battalion
Posts: 706
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Post by 29ththerealpimps on Apr 4, 2006 18:57:44 GMT -5
hey shadow are you located down here in TN
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Post by theshadow on Apr 4, 2006 22:26:15 GMT -5
Actually, I'm now residing in Central VA, in the city of Midlothian. It is just outside of Richmond.
I was with C/7/101st Avn Regt, 101st Abn Div (AAslt) from Oct '92 to Apr '96, when I retired. I was living in Hopkinsville, on the KY side of post for most of the tour, but briefly lived in Clarksville, TN just before the end. I still have some friends down that way though.
29therealpimps, are you at Campbell now? I sometimes miss the old stomping grounds. I imagine I wouldn't recognize have the post anymore though. Popped in over at Ft. Eustis here in VA. Although the schools are pretty much the same, seems all the old barracks and a lot of other facilities have been torn down and replaced. I figure the same has probably happened to Campbell, and any other place I served by now.
Also to answer your question about the Thompson. No, it is not an Airsoft gun. It is a high end replica designed to shoot special blank cartridges. Caps are inserted into machined bass dummy rounds, which when triggered cause the model to simulate both semi and full auto fire. The term for this type of model is a PFC or Plug Fire Cartridge. I also own a Sten Mark II and MP-40 PFC type models.
theshadow
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29ththerealpimps
Private 1st Class
3rd Armored Division 32nd Armored Regiment 83rd Recon Battalion
Posts: 706
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Post by 29ththerealpimps on Apr 5, 2006 17:01:27 GMT -5
no but I go there sometimes my dad was in the 101st so we gan go into the base
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