Kampfgruppe Peiper

[DRK]

back in 2007 i got my first taste of ww2 airsoft when i purchased a shoei mp44 from your very own Gordak. it changed a lot of things in my airsoft perspective. #1 it made me aroused for blowback external air guns made by shoei that are still going unmatched today. moreover ww2 airsoft always intrigued me. my mentality was, do the hard part first. which was sourcing these hard to find guns. well that time has since been completed.

what i currently posses are:

allied:
1 JAC thompson (brass slug) with 8 magazines that are 18 year old original packaging
1 marushin M1 garand with 15 clips

axis:
1 shoei mg-42 upgraded to 300 yards
4 shoei mp44's
1 tanaka k98 sniper rifle with tower mounts
1 tanaka 33/40
2 tanaka hi powers
1 tanaka type 38
1 caw japanese type 89 knee discharger

i was considering the marushin mp40 thats gas 8mm. but i haven't seen a review for it outside of redwolf that didn't give any important details such as groupings and max range. perhaps the very rare escort mp40 since mags are easier for that one over the asahi mp40.

so as for my topic title. i was interested in Kampfgruppe Peiper, after reading and viewing on military history about it. i was intrigued. i didnt want to do an FJ set up (no offense) or any other specialty unit. for a reason. but i do want a unit that complies with the current armory i have. especially since i want to convert some of my members from my modern Russian airsoft team to ww2 airsoft. therefore a unit that were issued these would suffice.

now, any other historians here? was Kampfgruppe Peiper issued mp44's? even though it was more on the eastern front. i am curious if there is a way to find out if that Kampfgruppe received it. i believe the volksgren had it in the ardennes.

where would i go about acquiring the equipment for Kampfgruppe Peiper for example? besides at the front, et al.

i await any replies or flames or praise. a funny side story, i didn't know i had 4 mp44's until i was in socal in may for a lion claw game. one of my mp44's has been max upgraded. when i was looking it over in southern california, my friend who upgraded it shows me:

"ok here is the hooked up one, and here is the other one that will get v2 upgrades" that's that stereotypical moment you see on TV where they freeze frame the expression on someones face with their hand up partially pointing and mouth open partially. my biggest problem is finding spare mags since tomio. the owner of shoei does mags in batches once a year.

anyway, enjoy the read.

[LϟϟAH1944]

KG peiper was a western front unit taking part in the Ardennes offensive, not Ostfront. In the ost, peiper lead the Blowtorch battalion. The KG peiper formed up Dec.16 about 1 mile from the Belgian border in Germany, and abandoned al their equiptment in La Gleize, belgium, very early morning, about 3am, on the 24th of December. The would have had MP44s, as most of their soldiers were from the LAH. They would have had basically anything other SS units would have. However, to accurately do KGP, you'd need some mechanization The Kampfgruppe only had 1 Panzergrenadier Battalion, and that was mechanized with 251s, motorcycles, etc, so without armor, you really can't do KGP. The unit composed of:
1 mixed SS pzr BN
1 heavy Pzr Bn
1 Artillery batallion
1 SPW Panzergrenadier battalion.
1 Flak Battalion
Two Panzer Pioneer companies
1 Flak company
And one Infantry gun company


Credits to Axis History Forum for the list of units.

[DRK]

ok thank you for that.

whom else would be issued the mp44 in the western front?

[LϟϟAH1944]

well...most anyone...

[labrador]

For a typical uniform for KG peiper, pics show lots of mix and match equipment and clothing. figuring prominently are type 2 camouflage smocks (choose your pattern), camouflage helmet covers, though some didn't have them, Dot 44 tunics and pants, some mixes of smocks and loose italian pattern pants plus some captured american winter clothing such as overboots, ponchos even some HBT pants. One common error is that KG peiper's troops wore the reversible winter camouflage jackets and pants. Priority for these was eastern front and there are few photos showing them issued in the west at the time. Some soldiers wore feldgrau overcoats. Web equipment would be any standard german gear thogu i haven't seen any photos showing the early single flap MP 44 pouches. Hope this helps! BTW that's quite a collection you have. Any photos?

[DRK]

thank to the both of you. i just figured start with who uses the mp44 since not enough were issued. then i remembered about KG peiper. but after realizing what i am reading i think i would be better off keeping it more simple. my 2 tanaka hi powers need to be rebuilt and a part fixed. but if they cannot be fixed. i am out 2 side arms, but moreover it doesn't tether me to modeling after something that fell within the SS. merely a unit that had the mp44.

as for photo's i have just older photo's. my mg-42 went out in the mail today.


i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb298/drkiplayairsoft/Shoei%20STG/Shoei.jpg
i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb298/drkiplayairsoft/Mortar/mort.jpg

this collection is but a dwarf compared to my more modern guns.

i do have one team member most likely to join me in modeling after a certain unit.

any websites i could shop for all that equipment? would trident military be a mistake?

[labrador]

You can probably afford the best. so the best would be SM wholesale and At the Front. Trident would be a mistake if you could buy from these guys.

[DRK]

hey! maybe i cant afford the best! it took me years to assemble that arsenal. 5 in fact. the one team member of mine interested to join can't afford AtF prices. but thank you though. any more help is greatly appreciated.

[labrador]

Here in Asia, we get our stuff from hikishop and youchunhe. Youchunhe is oftened dissed by the reenactor community in europe and the US. I think the stores that can be considered "second tier" would be Panther Store, Gavin Militaria, Spearhead/barry lindon (only for certain items) and hiki. Panther store camouflage always seems to receive glowing reviews. If you are looking for Dot 44's i'd check back often with ATF as they are sometimes offered at a very good discounted price.