gadge
Corporal
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Post by gadge on Mar 25, 2012 19:00:15 GMT -5
Post war bundewher boots are actually a much better option and cost about the same (mine u were 35 gbp in the UK). DDR jackboots have rubber soles like wellies and a pebbled leather whereas the west german ones are leather soled, can be be hobbed and look pretty much exactly like wwii ones.
If its just for skirmishing then you can get away with most leather classis style ankle boots and anklets/gaiters as the low boots were either dubbed/polished any colour from a tan to black.
A few guys in the UK wear US roughouts with gaiters and it doenst look that bad.
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Post by tommygunner9 on Mar 25, 2012 21:13:28 GMT -5
Ok, let me clear this up. My dad gave me the task to find every last piece of an SS impression. He told me exactly what he wants. My mission is to find everything for him. He wants:
1.) a Grey SS uniform (he doesn't care if its m40,43,or 42)
2.) an Mp40 and and mp40 gunner's webgear
3.) A helmet and cap
4.) The jack boots
5.) a luger and a holster
He does not care what period he is portraying he just wants the impression to airsoft with me. If this were me, I'd be taking every last piece of advice from you guys. I have to follow what he wants though. Honestly, I don't see what he wants as a problem. I bet there were some SS soldiers who did fight in Belgium in 1944 who are just as I described them. I see no problem putting SS collar patches on the uniform, that's what they had. AND that's what he wants.
I'm sorry if I sound terse, it's really not my intention. I'm just trying to prove a point. I don't want you to think that he's a dumb*** for wanting the impression as stated. I'm doing my best to build it and you guys have offered boatloads of help which I am greatly appreciative towards. And by all means keep making suggestions. He will not read this thread haha, that's why he left me to do his homework lol.
I don't think the above stated impression would look too bad, what do yhou think of it in terms of looks and accuracy?
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Post by aj czarkowski on Mar 25, 2012 22:04:08 GMT -5
For the uniform, M43 from either Hessen or At the Front (too expensive for me though) For the helmet and cap I'd go with an M42 from IMA, my buddy bought both from them and they are cheap and really good quality For the boots I agree with Gadge about the Bundeswher boots, they are alot better looking than the east german's jackboots. I think Hessen has some surplus ones. I'd go with Hessen or IMA for the webgear, they are the cheapest but still great quality. It sounds like a great start. I remember being told by a 30~ year old SS reenactor dressed up with his "Perfect" uniform at a WWII reenactment in Pennsylvania my uniform was crap. Completely insane! I remember him saying to me "that is a poor excuse, either do it right or don't do it at all". I was fourteen! And nobody is going to say your uniform is crappy, it's much better then alot of people. And if they do, say "up yours  " |
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Post by tommygunner9 on Mar 25, 2012 22:18:59 GMT -5
Haha wow that is really messed up from that guy. I know the impression I'm building for my dad isn't perfect, but I think that it'll still look nice. I just hope I didn't offend or irk someone with my last post. I really appreciate the help and by all means keep it coming! I would never disregard such helpful abd professional insight. They know what they are talking about! I dont know squat! Haha!
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gadge
Corporal
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Post by gadge on Mar 26, 2012 5:45:19 GMT -5
If i'm honest i have to say the impression wont look like a late war Belgian SS soldier. It will look like a bad guy from 'where eagles dare' but this is obviously the look you want. Thats totally cool but you have to just be aware that you're picking up stuff becuase you like the look of it and clearly dont care if its wrong or unlikely. essentially the conversation has gone like this. "Hey i want an impression for my dad with a, b &c . Is it right?" "no not really. x, y & z is what you really need" "oh well i'll buy a, b and c anyway"  Good luck, your cash you're wasting.... |
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Post by tommygunner9 on Mar 26, 2012 6:35:07 GMT -5
Hmmm, you made a good point gadge. Thank you. I didn't look at it from that point of view. I will revise the list of things and post a new one. But not now, I'm in class right now  |
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Sgt_Tom
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Post by Sgt_Tom on Mar 26, 2012 13:57:00 GMT -5
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gadge
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Post by gadge on Mar 26, 2012 14:16:20 GMT -5
Whereas you cant find east german boots in the UK easily at all anymore...  (i actually want a pair for my NVA motor rifles kit) |
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Sgt_Tom
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Post by Sgt_Tom on Mar 26, 2012 14:21:42 GMT -5
Interesting how that works. I remember there being a bunch of them for around $10 a piece at a reenactment I went to last summer.
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gadge
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Post by gadge on Mar 26, 2012 14:26:22 GMT -5
Yup, after the wall came down you couldnt *give* east german stuff away in the UK.
Jackets and trouses were about a dollar each, brand new boots about 20 dollars. Field gea you bought in lots of 10 (like 10 water bottles for 10 dollars) and i bought an entire border guards uniform (cap, tunic, trousers, shirt, tie) for 20 dollars. (obviously it was GBP but i'm trying to give an easy to reference price there).
Then most the European surplus stocks went to yugoslavia and the balkans during all the mid 90s trouble and it quite hard to find in the UK now in surplus stores. Still crops up at militria firs but the days of stores being full ofDDR kit at silly prices are over now.
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Sgt_Tom
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Post by Sgt_Tom on Mar 26, 2012 14:34:19 GMT -5
Yup, after the wall came down you couldnt *give* east german stuff away in the UK. Jackets and trouses were about a dollar each, brand new boots about 20 dollars. Field gea you bought in lots of 10 (like 10 water bottles for 10 dollars) and i bought an entire border guards uniform (cap, tunic, trousers, shirt, tie) for 20 dollars. (obviously it was GBP but i'm trying to give an easy to reference price there). Then most the European surplus stocks went to yugoslavia and the balkans during all the mid 90s trouble and it quite hard to find in the UK now in surplus stores. Still crops up at militria firs but the days of stores being full ofDDR kit at silly prices are over now. I've seen those canteens for $1 over here. I am sure they'll go up in time too though. My uncle who likes buying East-German stuff has told me they uniforms are becoming harder to find. |
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Post by aj czarkowski on Mar 26, 2012 16:57:22 GMT -5
Yes but the modern day bundewhre surplus flecktarn stuff is really cheap now. I got the uniform for less than $20. The canteen I bought for $1.50 lol
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Post by tommygunner9 on Mar 26, 2012 18:54:14 GMT -5
Damn, those are great prices! You guys were lucky! Haha. And sgttom, thank you for the list, thank you so much! Very helpful indeed. I will definitely use it! And gadge, thank you as well like always! |
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gadge
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Post by gadge on Mar 27, 2012 8:59:34 GMT -5
You can still get original WWII german kit for ok prices in the UK if you are lucky.
In my kit the belt and buckle are original (30 gbp), the gas mask cannister and mask (1942 dated and only 15GBP) , the canteen (15gbp) and my k98 bayonet (60 GBP and also 43 dated with matching numbers!) . None of my uniform is original as that goes for stupid money but field gear is still out there.
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Sgt_Tom
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Post by Sgt_Tom on Mar 27, 2012 10:37:26 GMT -5
Original belt and buckles usually go for over $100 over here which is about 60 gbp. I have a original gas mask canister which I got for $80 and an original canteen which I got for $50. Original canteens usually go for $80-$100 though. K98 bayonets are still pretty easy to come by from about $30-$100 depending on condition and date.
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Post by tommygunner9 on Apr 1, 2012 21:12:07 GMT -5
Thank you guys so much for the help! The list has been mailed to my dad. Every word has been taken. Again, thank you so much for your time!
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Post by iamthedevil on Apr 5, 2012 20:15:36 GMT -5
i have an SS impression, set up for a sturmghewer44, also a kar98k. i was wondering i rencently aquired a crusher cap and luger/holster. i was wondering if nco's wore crusher caps. i wana do a sergeant equivlence for my impression, there fore i can have the officers "look", and still have the soldier "look". im trying to get around buying another tunic. also i wana use a normal belt instead of another officer's belt.
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Post by aj czarkowski on Apr 5, 2012 20:52:34 GMT -5
This might help. Normally ranks in the German army were harder to achieve, alot of times a corporal or even an experienced private would be become squad leader. I'm 85% sure though they wouldn't wear crusher caps, but I might be wrong Attachments:
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Post by iamthedevil on Apr 5, 2012 21:09:17 GMT -5
i looked up the translation for whatever sergeant was in german for the ss ranks and a nco with a crusher cap came up
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gadge
Corporal
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Post by gadge on Apr 6, 2012 11:58:13 GMT -5
Crusher caps were very very rarely worn in combat. Most the time all ranks, senior ncos and officers too wore steel helmets.
Crusher caps and visor caps are really for everyday duties, not fighting in.
As garnett says the german army had a crippling shortage of NCos, sgts in the german army were not squad leader like they are in the US army, they were adminsitrative soldiers. They kept the supplies running up the line to the platoons.
An unterofficer was the default squad leader rank but as said earlier its not uncommon for gefreitors (like a PFC to be a squad leader)
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Post by tommygunner9 on Apr 11, 2012 7:35:36 GMT -5
Ok guys, the stuff has been ordered! But now I have a new task. My friend wants me to help him build a Fallschrimjager uniform. I will post a new thread about it.
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