FJR2 look.

cheers guys.
will get the holster swapped around.as for the mess tin i put it on for the pics but would leave it off for skirmishing as the damn thing is too noisy,but i have seen a fair few pics of fj with them.

jay

have to agree i have a training film from 1940s showing guys ditchin there kit befor going in to battle. and then wearing full kit whilst fighting so ether way is right realy.

Bringing a mess kin wouldnt make sense on a "subsistence" trip then. AFAIK, meals were put into mess tin and then troops traveled with the meal inside (usually like soup or stew) OR they had one of the traveling mess kitchens with them.

Unless you are reenacting a "subsistence trip" - then why carry it? Its added weight, and bounces against raising the annoyance factor.

So you`ve never used your messtin to cook anything when in the field BP?
Lets face it, Jay is showing off his gear in the photo, he`s in his kitchen, he isn`t going to stand there in just a jump smock and add a footnote stating the other kit he`s got is out of shot but he won`t wear it in case some stitch counter says its wrong for his impression...this is WW2 airsoft not historical reenactment

So you`ve never used your messtin to cook anything when in the field BP?
Lets face it, Jay is showing off his gear in the photo, he`s in his kitchen, he isn`t going to stand there in just a jump smock and add a footnote stating the other kit he`s got is out of shot but he won`t wear it in case some stitch counter says its wrong for his impression...this is WW2 airsoft not historical reenactment

I have cooked in the field using my mess tin...its a great little item.

I am asking why would anyone want to carry *anything* into combat that they would not need. Whether it be airsoft, reenactment, or leadsoft.
If I do a modern Ranger/SF impression and the photos are taken during the day just because I have a swing arm or NODS doesnt mean I should put them on. If I dont need them, why should I wear them?

Are you going to use your mess tin at an average day of airsoft skirmishing? I doubt it. If you arent, dont put it on you.

Going to talk farb about it, in comparison to reenactment, I've just gone through 4 websites for guys that I know that do FJ in the uk and 1 for a group that do FJ in Germany, weirdly some of those have mess tins on their uniforms with their webbing so who is and who isn't the farb ?

In respect to real situations, in the game play of things, the fallshy players will at some point be dropped (though not from a plane ) into a game. They would of have their mess tins most likely in a container to pick up with the rest of their guff and would then carry it, as they would I'm pretty sure need to eat at some point on a mission. Its part of personal kit, they were issued them, wear them or not is for airsoft the individuals choice.

I don't wear mine, but then I've not needed to as we've always had a base camp and they've been left behind much for the reason given, they make noise

Can we end this now please Gentlemen ?

Oh and I've used mine for feeding purposes at both airsoft and reenactment events, they are I shall agree a useful piece of kit.

right i thought i would get this going with a couple of pics of my gear,still need to sort out my insignia and belt buckle and still waiting on my fliegebluse but almost there.please feel free to comment (or take the p%*s ),and sorry that the pics are not totally clear,this is due to the missus being in an uncontrollable fit of laughter while singing the 'umpa lumpa' song.
jay

My wife was looking over my shoulder - her comment? "Ooh that's a nice kitchen!"

My wife was looking over my shoulder - her comment? "Ooh that's a nice kitchen!"

oh well, at least there was no comment on the 'FJ umpa lumpa' then

jay

I'll be an umpa lumpa with you

I am asking why would anyone want to carry *anything* into combat that they would not need. Whether it be airsoft, reenactment, or leadsoft.
If I do a modern Ranger/SF impression and the photos are taken during the day just because I have a swing arm or NODS doesnt mean I should put them on. If I dont need them, why should I wear them?

Are you going to use your mess tin at an average day of airsoft skirmishing? I doubt it. If you arent, dont put it on you.

Hmm black hawk down is perfect example of why you take stuff even if you dont think you need it.

Those 'elite' ranger patrols went out without the most elementary things that even a UK territorial unit would not leave base without (water and NV).

Look at UK Inf in wwii who carried full size *spades* nearly all the time and even when fighting as the issue entrenching tool wasn't adequate enough to dig shell scrapes quickly and mortars then as now are the killer.

To bring it up to date i used to carry my e-tool in my bergan spade pocket when i was soldier, my mate Jay always kept his on his webbing, i asked him why and he said when he was being mortared in Iraq (by American allies as well no doubt) it saved his life... when you're under fire a few extra inches of cover make a massive difference.

As said i think its swings and roundabouts, if you dont know how long you'll be in the field for or you're on a retreat with the enemy at your heels you might not have the luxury of ditching 'non combat' kit in unit transport. If you're contacted on the march you'd fight wearing whatever you have on, if you're lucky you have time to ditch your bergan or ruck sack.

Imagine you're FJ inthe bocage, you've been fighting for 3 days solid on the move trying to stop the allied advance, holding every hedgerow then bugging out.
... you finally get respite form the battle and find some suppllies, you'd feel a right twonk if you had nothing to cook it with or eat it off....

I'll be an umpa lumpa with you

helga.......your scaring me now

Going to talk farb about it, in comparison to reenactment, I've just gone through 4 websites for guys that I know that do FJ in the uk and 1 for a group that do FJ in Germany, weirdly some of those have mess tins on their uniforms with their webbing so who is and who isn't the farb ?

In respect to real situations, in the game play of things, the fallshy players will at some point be dropped (though not from a plane ) into a game. They would of have their mess tins most likely in a container to pick up with the rest of their guff and would then carry it, as they would I'm pretty sure need to eat at some point on a mission. Its part of personal kit, they were issued them, wear them or not is for airsoft the individuals choice.

I don't wear mine, but then I've not needed to as we've always had a base camp and they've been left behind much for the reason given, they make noise

Can we end this now please Gentlemen ?

AFAIK, they were not part of the drop cannisters, and even late war they werent really used as widely.

I am asking why would anyone want to carry *anything* into combat that they would not need. Whether it be airsoft, reenactment, or leadsoft.
If I do a modern Ranger/SF impression and the photos are taken during the day just because I have a swing arm or NODS doesnt mean I should put them on. If I dont need them, why should I wear them?

Are you going to use your mess tin at an average day of airsoft skirmishing? I doubt it. If you arent, dont put it on you.

Hmm black hawk down is perfect example of why you take stuff even if you dont think you need it.

Those 'elite' ranger patrols went out without the most elementary things that even a UK territorial unit would not leave base without (water and NV).

Look at UK Inf in wwii who carried full size *spades* nearly all the time and even when fighting as the issue entrenching tool wasn't adequate enough to dig shell scrapes quickly and mortars then as now are the killer.

To bring it up to date i used to carry my e-tool in my bergan spade pocket when i was soldier, my mate Jay always kept his on his webbing, i asked him why and he said when he was being mortared in Iraq (by American allies as well no doubt) it saved his life... when you're under fire a few extra inches of cover make a massive difference.

As said i think its swings and roundabouts, if you dont know how long you'll be in the field for or you're on a retreat with the enemy at your heels you might not have the luxury of ditching 'non combat' kit in unit transport. If you're contacted on the march you'd fight wearing whatever you have on, if you're lucky you have time to ditch your bergan or ruck sack.

Imagine you're FJ inthe bocage, you've been fighting for 3 days solid on the move trying to stop the allied advance, holding every hedgerow then bugging out.
... you finally get respite form the battle and find some suppllies, you'd feel a right twonk if you had nothing to cook it with or eat it off....

I knew someone was going to bring up the Black Hawk Down analogy.

The UK infantry, and American infantry is completely different from the FJ - FJ were not infantry. They were paratroopers, and even then they were different from their Allied Airborne counterparts.

Theres nothing "farby" (god, I hate that word) about wearing a mess tin. You should portray the rule, not the exception. The exception is carrying a mess tin.
If you want to portray the average fallschirm, just carry weapons and ammo.

I'm not sure what the norm was for wearing mess tins in the kitchen, but I would have thought it was an appropriate place to have a tin - either filling up with a tasty meal to eat at leisure later or more hopefully the water bottle toped up with gin and the mess tin stuffed with crushed ice from the swanky fridge. You flash git Jay!

OK, OK, enough already! Mess tin discussion done to death now - lets move along now please.

thats it.....my wife can never see this thread.if she finds out that her kitchen has had more comments than my kit i'm done for. you lot are mean and i'm going off to sulk

jay

On a subject change, whats the toy in the bottom left of the first pic?

ahh major, i was wondering when you was going to step in and say something sensible and on topic

regarding the toy, i'm not telling

jay

I'll be an umpa lumpa with you

well heights not gonna be a problem

I'll get me coat haha

I knew someone was going to bring up the Black Hawk Down analogy.

The UK infantry, and American infantry is completely different from the FJ - FJ were not infantry. They were paratroopers, and even then they were different from their Allied Airborne counterparts.

Bobbins - they were used almost exclusively in an infantry role after Crete, thats the majority of the war!

In fact a lot of late war FJ never made a jump* making them more akin to elite light inf than their British or American counterparts who *always* had jump training and *rarely* were thrown in as line troops.

*in mid 44 the luftwaffe had 419 serviceable aircraft in the west against 10,000 allied planes used for Normandy, dropping paras wasn't a priority, shooting down bombers was.

On a subject change, whats the toy in the bottom left of the first pic?

hot wheels (beat that ) bet every one with young kids gets that