WW2 US Army kit

[Peter Graham]

For quite a few years now I've been slowly building up a small collection of WW2 US Army equipment. I picked up a mannequin at the weekend so I can display some of it now. I've put together a representation of a US Army infantry officer at the time of the Normandy campaign. Everything is pre 1944 dated. It's taken me quite a while to source all decent early kit and I've some items that I still need to acquire. UK laws prevent me from having live weapons. I could have gone down the de-act route but to me that's like buying a motorbike with no engine so I sourced an airsoft 1911 Colt and M1A1 Thompson. These are full metal replicas that fire 6mm balls. I particularly like the Colt. It runs off CO2 cylinders, has a real kick and could take the eye out of a sparrow at 100 yds ! Mere peashooters to you yanks but the best I can do. The M-1 helmet is a postwar stop gap till I get a real one. I've just looked at these photos after posting them and I don't know why they are so blurred. My camera is usually pretty good. Sorry about that.

I love the patina on this 1940 dated holster.

I'm waiting for a Thompson mag bag in the post any day now.

Nice QM label on the blanket

The TL122A torch was the first item in my collection. I dug it up from my own back garden when I was a young kid. The knife is a Cattaragus 225Q quartermasters knife.

 

[watchmanjimg]

Peter, that display looks great! Can you provide more details about the shirt underneath the field jacket? Your camera picked up what appears to be an unusual herringbone weave, but the garment looks like wool rather than HBT. I'm curious as it appears atypical.

 

[Dr H]

Peter, that display looks great! Can you provide more details about the shirt underneath the field jacket? Your camera picked up what appears to be an unusual herringbone weave, but the garment looks like wool rather than HBT. I'm curious as it appears atypical.

Looks like a Donegal tweed to me...
Waistcoat?

 

[Peter Graham]

Ha ha, there's not much gets by you Jim. I haven't got a WW2 wool service shirt yet so I used my own wool HBT shirt as a stop gap. Caught on !

 

[dmar836]

Looks great! What brand of 1911 is that? I have a Thompson airsoft and I think they are great fun. Thought about a 1911 for display purposes but want to play with it as well!
Dave

 

[Peter Graham]

Looks great! What brand of 1911 is that? I have a Thompson airsoft and I think they are great fun. Thought about a 1911 for display purposes but want to play with it as well!
Dave

It's a KWC 100th anniversary model. Weighs the same as the real thing and strips down the same way. A set of wood grips is on my shopping list. Here's a few shots. The CO2 capsule fits in the mag.

 

[watchmanjimg]

Peter, that's a nice-looking piece but wood grips are incorrect for the M1911A1. The ones you have on it now are fine. Here's my beloved 1943 Remington Rand with what must be one of the mintiest original holsters around:

 

[a2jacketpatches]

Just tore through a couple of totes in search of a wool Army O shirt, unfortunately it was a USMC O shirt I was thinking of with the scalloped pocket flaps, sorry was gonna send it to you for the shipping.

 

[Peter Graham]

Just tore through a couple of totes in search of a wool Army O shirt, unfortunately it was a USMC O shirt I was thinking of with the scalloped pocket flaps, sorry was gonna send it to you for the shipping.

Hey, many thanks. Appreciate the thought. Jim, lovely pistol and you're right about that holster. It's a beauty.

 

[dujardin]

good start with US Army....

you can match both US Army and USAAF....simply by making a nice manniquin of the IX engineers, or MP on airbase

if a day i decide to abandon a little the USAAF, i will be interested by USN units who land on the beach.
beachmasters - NCDU - NBB - aso aso..... some cool mix of uniform are possible.

and could make a nice display like this in my ''bunker'' cellar

don't forget, i was into Navy as petty-officer signalman

and also a day, i will maybe honor the british commando.

but for the moment, i remain on USAAF and only USAAF :?

marcel

 

[ausreenactor]

INSANELY jealous. Airsoft is like the spawn of Satan here in Oz. I WISH I could have a rad M1911 and an M1A1! Even the PFC Hudson ones in Japan that fire caps are deemed blank firers by our Customs. Easier getting a pump Remington 7615 and morphing it into a pseudo M4 with a 30 round magazine(also illegal?).

Great display....jacket nees a patch. Cotton thread, not nylon!!

Couchy

 

[Peter Graham]

INSANELY jealous. Airsoft is like the spawn of Satan here in Oz. I WISH I could have a rad M1911 and an M1A1! Even the PFC Hudson ones in Japan that fire caps are deemed blank firers by our Customs. Easier getting a pump Remington 7615 and morphing it into a pseudo M4 with a 30 round magazine(also illegal?).

Great display....jacket nees a patch. Cotton thread, not nylon!!

Couchy

I'm really surprised to hear that. I assumed, for some reason, that Australia would have similar firearms laws to the US. Re the jacket. I agree with you but it's a really nice original and I can't bring myself to patch it. I'm sure you know where I'm coming from.

 

[wop54]

The link below brings to a video that my son Lorenzo posted on Youtube five years ago, presenting all its collection of ww2 gear. We both were in a reenacting and historical vehicols collector group, at that time.
In the last years Lorenzo lost his interest in collecting stuff, but not in history itself. Actually, he will be attending, from september on, a 3 years full time course in History in one of the London Universities. He sold part of the gear and keeps what remain in a trunk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhdcM1kXiiQ

 

[Peter Graham]

Carlo, that's a great looking set of gear your son put together. I think my boy is heading in the same direction.

 

[dmar836]

How about video of foam plate destruction? Great fun...... I think I'll go charge my Thompson's battery right now!
Dave

 

[wop54]

How about video of foam plate destruction? Great fun...... I think I'll go charge my Thompson's battery right now!
Dave

I always wanted to shoot one of those big inflatable Santa Klaus that you see around for Xmas!

but never did it....

 

[ausreenactor]

How about video of foam plate destruction? Great fun...... I think I'll go charge my Thompson's battery right now!
Dave

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Couchy

 

[Peter Graham]

Hey Couchy, just to really wind you up I've also got this. Of course I've bought these for my son. I have no interest at all.

 

[wop54]

Carlo, that's a great looking set of gear your son put together. I think my boy is heading in the same direction.

Sharing your time and interests with your kids is great ...
In this photo (2008) we were attending a historical vehicols reunion in Cuneo (near Torino). My uniform was from WPG and the A2 was a Cockpit A2 (yes, before knowing the existence of this forum I thought that Cockpit was the state-of-the -art of the A2 replicas )