Looks pretty good.
Try and avoid the bright yellow gloves. The originals were not that colour. It's a re-enactorism that they were yellow. Cheap repros came in that colour and now everyone wants yellow as thats what the guys in their group have.
The originals were a buff colour. When you move on from Dads gloves try and get some that colour.
The M42 suit again suggests you should try and find an M2 helmet rather than an M1c.
An M1c will do you but the M2 is more correct. Depends if you want to be super accurate or just good enough?
aka Stigroadie
AFRA
better by design
"Truth is a shining goddess, always veiled, always distant, never wholly approachable, but worthy of all the devotion of which the human spirit is capable. "
In D-Day, the 101st only used Tan Webbing etc.
And a shed pile of transitional stuff.
But if you are using a Garand. You’ll want a Garand belt
Really? He could also have a pistol belt with rigger pouches could be not?
Also with the 1st aid pouch, bring that over to the right, next to the Buckle
What about the guys who wore them in the middle of their backs? The 'medic won't have to flip you over is dross. What happens if you fall on your front and your pouch is next to the buckle? It's a lottery. They wore it where it fitted with the rest of their kit and where it was comfortable.
aka Stigroadie
AFRA
better by design
"Truth is a shining goddess, always veiled, always distant, never wholly approachable, but worthy of all the devotion of which the human spirit is capable. "
Your friends membership of anything does not affect the quality of his information. That is a logical fallacy known as an 'appeal to authority'. I dont recognise that authority unless I know more about the group and him.
What are you doing offering advice based on anecdote? Do the research yourself and KNOW what you are talking about, dont rely on others, they might be wrong. It seems in this case they are.
Garands used with pistol belts and rigger pouches is D-Day Airborne basics. They did use Garand belts but pistol belts and rigger pouches were very common. They offered greater flexibility.
The belts [any belt]were not issued with pouches attached, is that what you are implying when you say;
Garand users were issued with Garand belts. And with the 1st aid pouch on the front
It's not very clear.
There was a standard list of gear that US Airborne were issued for operations, it varied with role and rank, once issued how you wore it was pretty much down to you. They had been training for combat in kit for months, the little details of where stuff went on the belt they had down pat.
With a pistol belt it soon runs out of grommets to hang stuff off. You want your ammo around the front where you need it. When those grommets are full or covered the 1st aid pouch has to move. There is almost always space between the shoulder strap attachments on the back.
Here is a very famous photo of Easy 506th, all with pistol belts and rigger pouches and no visible aid pouches [as far as I can see] There are plenty more on the web.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bu4x13cLJlo/S ... WW2_01.jpg
Some good basic info can be found here http://www.wwiireenacting.co.uk/forum/v ... f=5&t=4008 and in the rest of that section of the forum.
Nothing wrong with cloth laces either, or chute line laces, or a bit of string.
I think your buddy needs to brush up.
I've done some more reading myself, it seems that Garand belts were not much used until Market Garden by either 82nd or 101st. When they did come into use rigger pouches almost disappeared from use.
No need to worry about 101st paratroopers wearing BAR belts in Normandy, they were not issued the BAR. Some seem to have crept into use, possibly from Glider troops? It's not on the TO&E for that period. The 82nd did seem to have some BARs in the rifle squads. Still not on the TO&E, these seem to lag behind the operational adoption of equipment.
aka Stigroadie
AFRA
better by design
"Truth is a shining goddess, always veiled, always distant, never wholly approachable, but worthy of all the devotion of which the human spirit is capable. "
