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US Infantry uniform inaccuracies


Nealius

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As a 101st Airborne 'reenactor' of sorts, I've done a lot of research on historical accuracy regarding US airborne units during WW2 when building my own costume. I noticed quite a few issues with the current model and wanted to point them out:

 

Helmet

 

1. No netting or scrimmage -- perhaps difficult to model

 

2. Captain rank is indicated on the front of the helmet, but the rear of the helmet is blank. All officers had a vertical white stripe on the back of their helmets, commonly known as "follow me bars."

 

3. The spade mark with a tick at the 6 o'clock position indicates 101st Airborne, 506th PIR, 2nd Battalion. This is correct, however it should be on both sides of the helmet, not only on the right side as is currently in the game. Different infantry regiments in the 101st used different card suites (hearts, diamonds, and clubs), and the position of the tick indicates which battalion: 12 o'clock position indicates HQ, 3 o'clock indicates 1st Battalion, 6 o'clock indicates 2nd Battalion, 9 o'clock indicates 3rd Battalion.

 

Jacket

 

US Airborne units in Normandy wore a very unique uniform, the M42 jump suit. The current model of the jacket is incorrect in every aspect except for the fact of having four pockets. Reference picture of jacket.

 

1. The currently modeled collar is closer in style to the M43 jacket, which wasn't issued until between Operation Overlord and Operation Market Garden.

2. The breast pockets should have a very distinct angle to them.

3. The belly band is missing.

4. The cuffs do not have an adjustment band.

5. The DCS infantry shows Sgt. rank on the sleeves, but Cpt. rank on the helmet. If he's an NCO, remove the Cpt. bars from the front of the helmet, and add a horizontal white "follow me bar" on the back of the helmet.

6. The 101st Airborne never wore a flag patch during the Normandy jumps.

 

Trousers

 

Again, a unique part of the M42 jump suit. I could only see one glaring issue:

 

1. If compression straps are attached, they should be on both legs, not just the left.

 

A note on the elbow and knee reinforcements (the dark patches) and the compression straps: These were not original parts of the M42 jumpsuit. These were field modifications done by the troops themselves, using whatever scrap OD canvas they could scrounge up. Not every airborne trooper had these reinforcements. The shoulder pockets seen in many movies or TV shows like Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers are also individual field modifications to the uniform.


Edited by Nealius
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