This thread is for posting up pictures of individual kit and any pertinent notes.
Try and stay on topic, where possible list dates of use, theatre units etc.
While PBI strive for inclusiveness this thread is really for examples of original and correct kit whenever possible. When publishing a picture of reproduction item please try and find an archive library pic of the original (pref in colour) for comparison, in this way new players can learn which repros are the most accurate first hand.
I'll start off.
STEEL HELMET
1938 MKII steel helmet. IN use by line inf, commandos and civil agencies like the air raid wardens.
Begins to be replaced in early 44 with the MKIII turtleback helmet but still in some units until well after 1945.
1937 PATTERN WEBBING
Basic set of 1937 pattern webbing with belt, cross braces, water bottle, entrenching tool cover and No4 rifle spike bayonet in frog. All webbing has been covered with 'blanco' to preserve and camouflage it.
Issued to all infantry, some RAF soldiers (in blue/grey web material),airborne and in service until the early 1960s in some theaters. For arid climates the webbing would not be blancoed green.
Basic pouches are a MKII and an MKIII (one is marginally bigger than the other), anyone expected to work with Bren, 2 inch mortar or other crewed weapons would use basic pouches, troops armed only with rifles had smaller ammunition pouches reminiscent of WWI pouches.
2ND PATTERN ROYAL ARMOURED CORP HOLSTER
Open top tank crew holster, the 1st pattern had a long drop leg thigh strap, this was found to catch on vehicle interiors and so was omitted. Issued to tank crew throughout the war and occasionally privately acquired by officers and NCOs.
(also pictured is an airsoft M10 Smith and Wesson revolver - a common private purchase)
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Just to point out that the liner in Gadges helmet isnt complete incase people are wondering why theirs dont look like the one in the picture.
Note early oval top pad as well
Yup mines been cut down by someone. the liner is 1938 and the lid itself 1938, its a *very* early mkii.
It is actually much comfier cut down.
This one cost me a tenner.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Gadge, is the smaller rifle pouches refered to above the tri pouches?
Would PBI use them or is that too much realism for airsoft?
I am assuming airborne, airlanding and commando all had the big ones so they could carry as much ammo as possible regardless of weapon (handy as I really like the webbing compared to my German - nothing fits in- pouches)?
Peter Rabbit - Tank Killer
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hawk914/2159973655/
Thats right we play part of an infantry battalion in all our guises so MKII or MKIII (popper fastneing only) pouches are right for PBI.
WWII pouches for others armed with rifles (called 'carriers cartridge') were double not triple. They stop being issued around 1942 anyway.
The only other option is the 'pouch MT' which is a MKII pouch on a web loop so you can belt mount it and slide it about, issued to drivers.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
1937 PATTERN WEBBING
Also to note; is the 1908patt SMLE bayonet frog being used to holster the No.4 LE spike bayonet with slight modification, which is a common thing to be done, rather than the specifically produced Spike Bayonet frog, which was also commonly available and used.
A Proud Member Of 'Team Spleen!' who play mainly at Gunman Airsoft, Tuddenham, Suffolk.
Was the specific Spike frog a late/post war thing?
Also there is available a leather spike retaining strap for use with the std SMLE frogs.
Was the specific Spike frog a late/post war thing?
They were definitely in use 'in-the-field' by 1942, perhaps even as early as '41 along with the introduction of the No.4? Haven't seen any '41 photos of them though.
A Proud Member Of 'Team Spleen!' who play mainly at Gunman Airsoft, Tuddenham, Suffolk.
Okay a few from me as well.
First up is a MkIII Turtle helmet. See Gadges post above for dates. Its different from the MkIV in that the liner is attached in the same way as in a MkII Tommy helmet, rather than lift-the-dot and the chip strap bolts are a bit higher up.
The liner in this one is a repro SoF one.
Next gasmasks.
First is the early war style gas mask. Though the gask mask is actually 1970s dated. Wartime military ones have a red filter. The Bag can be carried slung over the shoulder or strapped to the chest. This is a MkVI bag, there are also MkV and MkVII in general use during the war, I'm not sure about the earlier Mk's.
Second is the lightweight one, issued late war. It can again be slung over the shoulder, but can also be attached to the 37 pattern webbing belt by some clips on the back.
Now a few bayonets...
At the top an Indian made shortened 1907 pattern bayonet for the SMLE. Issued to troops in India and Burma.
Below that a full length 1907 pattern bayonet. This type is as was used in WWI and was issued to all troops with SMLEs outside India/Burma.
Below that we have two No4 spike bayonet sheaths. The one on the left shows an alternate method of fitting the sheath to a 1907 pattern frog, using a leather tab with a brass clip.
Below that we have a Sten MkII bayonet on the left, this attaches with a spring clip that locates in one of the holes in the barrel nut of the gun (its a repro of unknown manufacture). Then on the right are two No4 bayonets. The top one is a common MkII version. The one below is the much rarer MkI or cruciform bayonet.
There is another No4 bayonet frog and sheath and then at the bottom is a clasp knife and lanyard. Worn round the waist and on the right pocket or looped over the arm when wearing a denison smock. This one is 1940 dated and made in sheffield. Its the early version which doesn't have a "marlin spike".
In the next picture we have some war department 1943 dated binoculars with reticules and 37 pattern case, which will attach to a cross strap for slinging over the shoulder or on to a 37 pattern belt.
On the left is a 37 pattern pistol ammo pouch along with the sort of boxes used with the pouch. In this case the boxes contain 12 .38 rounds each for use with a webley or enfield revolver. Note that the ammo pouch is very similar to a compass pouch, but doesn't have the lining that the latter has.
Knives and machetes...
At the top is an Indian army kukri. This is quite a bit larger than the Ghurka ones you see around a lot and doesn't have the pair of "skinning" knives. I'm not sure, but I think this is the correct type issued to British troops in the far east during WWII, the smaller ones being souvenirs. This one is dated just post WWI.
Below that is a British made machete as issued to troops everywhere. In North West Europe they would be issued one to ten man section. In jungle everyone might have one, but they might instead have a Kukri or an Indian made machete (which I forgot to take a pic of!).
Below that is a Fairbairn Sykes fighting knife as used by commandos. This is a modern repro.
Here we have a 37 pattern webbing map case. This is the economy version with bakelite back. The other version has webbing all over it.
Also there is a Soldier's service and Pay book. This is one of the many repros available.
Two whistles, both wartime dated, on two different types of lanyard. The leather one attaches to the button on a BD jacket and the whistle goes in the pocket. The other goes around the arm, again with the whistle in the pocket. I think the second type should in fact have a brass clip to attach the whistle to the lanyard, but I don't have on.
Also there are a pair of (repro) British ID tags made of fibre.... they're not dog tags, yanks are dogs, brits aren't 
Note that most repros have a black or grey tag for the octagonal one, which is wrong. It should be green as shown.
A 1911 or browning, 37 pattern pistol mag pouch. This is an SoF repro. I think these might have been canadian manufacture originally, but I'm not sure. They're very useful though. 
A sten bandolier, used by airborne troops late in the war. This is a repro.
Okay... enough from me... please comment and correct me!
But even better post your own pics!
A sten bandolier, used by airborne troops late in the war. This is a repro.
Okay... enough from me... please comment and correct me!
But even better post your own pics!
As an aside/extra; the Sten bandollier shown by Yith (^above^) is the common second pattern type. There was a type that came before this, the first pattern, which was better designed, but more costly/wasteful and time consuming to manufacture. Very rare BTW, like the original patten para helmets with the rim:
MODS: Could we sticky this thread?
A Proud Member Of 'Team Spleen!' who play mainly at Gunman Airsoft, Tuddenham, Suffolk.