Complete FJ wrongness

[HGKanonier]

FJ wearing kneepads on the ground: I've seen some pics of an FJ MG34 team at a bridge in Holland wearing them. What was old is new again, look at the US Military in the Sandbox, kneepads and elbow pads are useful during MOUT. They are listed in the clothing issue inventory in the SOldbuch. I don't know if FJ tended to drop them with their chute and harness, continued to wear even though they could cut off circulation, or tossed in bread bag, smock pocket or over the belt.

Mess Tins: Pre-War, Feldgrau, various shades; North Africa/Italia, Mustard Yellow and Ord Tan later; Late-war, Feldgrau various shades, Olive green. Depends on what you are depicting. As the units rotated out, received replacements, went through refit, equipment was repaired, replaced, etc. Would be common to see tins and canteen cups repainted with whatever paint was available to cut down on the shine and provide camo.

M38 Gas Mask Cans: Infantry units, most likely, would still have Gas Mask Bags. Support units would have a portion issued cans instead of bags. I used to have a bunch of pics of an FJ Flak Abt around Normandie, wearing FJ Helms but carrying M38 gas mask cans, crewing Flak-Vierling and Flak 37's.

Squad Uniformity: Should an FJ squad be almost cookie-cutter in kit? Or should there be some or much variation within the squad? Depends on the year.

Up until Kreta, probably 99%, then reduced as Splinter B smocks and helmet covers were integrated. Same with camo and green FJ Bandos replacing those God-awful blue ones. Nothing like the blue bando and brown belt contrasting with the green smock, giving the enemy a nice crosshair to aim at.

Normadie, maybe 75%, Holland 60%, Ardennes 50%, Feb 45 until the end, 30%.

[Hans Gowert]

another one that seems to crop up are the Tan and Water FJ helmet covers and K98 bandoliers.

There has been a helmet cover seen on the WAF forums but its originality was questionable , but is yet to be proven that they never existed. A few well known collectors have said that if found, they were a custom made item and not a factory made item.

anyone else shed any light on this ? for , well i believe that they are a Farb item, along with FJ T/W bandos.

Tom

[Hans Gowert]

thought i would raise this thread from the ashes,

I was browsing some reenactor photos last night and noticed that there seems to be an influx of Tan coloured FJ Gasmask bags ?

to my knowledge, this item was only issued in the dark green colour and never deviated from its original dye, has anyone else seen this type of FJ bag before ? i should note that most of the pictures seem to be stateside .

Hope someone could shed some light on this

[GRFJ]

Fj Gasmask bags were made in green, olive and blue.
No Tan, no camo material.

Regarding you post before last, Hans, the existence of drawstring Sumfmuster (Tan & Water is really just a collector's term) helmets covers is still being debated.
However, some of the big names are starting to believe because some covers that did surface (a box of mint ones was sold through ebay some few years ago, if I recall correctly) were studied very carefully (I was there one one such occasion with 2 of the most well known collectors) and the construction, details.. everything was as it should have been when compared to Splinter ones.
Logic says if they made Green smocks and covers, Splinter smocks and covers why Sumf smocks and not covers? Of course, until today there is no known photo supporting this logic but, as I said, some are starting to "believe".
Not so about K98 bandoleers though.

[Hans Gowert]

Fj Gasmask bags were made in green, olive and blue.
No Tan, no camo material.

thanks for that, i was under the impression that they were made in green only .

[Ardennes]

I'm a big advocate for uniformity, and in accordance, following the norm and not the exception........at least in reenacting!

So anything that jumps out, and yes, I think scenario should dictate. For example, at a "June '44 Normandy battle", I would expect my unit to be fairly uniform (6./FJR6) having just come off of a re-fit and divisional war games. However, come St.Lo or Mass salient time frame, I would expect some diversity among the kit.

aside from that has been listed, I've encountered the following:

Blue Helmets
Baby blue bandoleers - HATE 'EM! gee thanks Lost Battalions
"Loud" or high gloss paint jobs
M1 Carbine Use

I find it depressing that in a given group of ten FJ reenactors you can have so much diversity of kit. I know in my area and with my unit, we've improved. But I hate going to a National battle and having a crappy smock thrown in with us....ruins it all for me! for example, having a HK Keith splinter A on white twill show up

[schultze]

First pattern boots being worn at late war events. Just look at some of the pictures from "Kreta - Sieg der kuhnsten". The boots are often in a really shoddy state after quite a short time in the field. Sure they would be resoled but by 1945 those boots will be sh*gged. "Well they were old stock...I've just been issued them" to my mind translates as "Well they are cool and and want to have special kit...look at me everyone".

Too many older and fatter FJ living historians - and ego. I realise that this is a hobby but really - the average age of an FJ ranker/JNCO was what? 17-20 something.
There are very few photos of overweight FJ. The civvy rations at the time were insufficient - would things really be different on the frontlines? I am 34 and typically a junior officer (Lt). I am fairly lean and weigh 70 kg. And yet I look in the mirror and ask myself - "How long can you do this and remain credible?" For a FJ Lt 34 is pushing it a bit. Does anyone else ask hard questions or do you just follow the "folk wisdom" that we look younger in kit? (if its true that we really do look younger in kit I'm going to get in touch with one of these cosmetics firms and patent the idea of getting suited and booted in FJ as a better wayto look younger than some cream or lotion worn by Nicole Kidman or George Clooney ).

Its a hobby and most of us hold the vets in very high regard...do we honour them by being very obviously too old and too rotund? Or is the answer "f*ck you, who are you to judge?"

[poteau rottenfurer]

wrongness???:

instant use by FJ of winter reversibles in NWE / bulge scenario when snow comes.
seen this year- tropical wear & herman meyer cap in rest area around carentan scenario!! -because the sun came out!

and- use of multiple pouche for SMG as sold by SOF-rarely seen in pics???

regards
dave g
TFH

[schultze]

wrongness???:

seen this year- tropical wear & herman meyer cap in rest area around carentan scenario!! -because the sun came out!

and- use of multiple pouche for SMG as sold by SOF-rarely seen in pics???

TFH

But they make the wearer look so cool......Springerhose and Schiffchen are soooooo 1944...get with the programme...its not about being authentic but about being a kit slut

[Hans Gowert]

glad to see this thread come back to life

[Ardennes]

"kit slut"

I too worry about the age/weight thing...our unit's highest rank is an oberjager at local events, when we have suffeceint numbers, we pull in a senior sergeant and an LT...but yes, we have a number of over 25 yo's at jager and gefreiter!

regarding the weight, there is open mocking of any pounds added...I guess we could go low-carb with our rations and drink light German beer, but that ain't gonna happen, so it's back to the treadmill!

[Hans Gowert]

thing is, losing weight is a bitch because u have to buy more kit

[Ardennes]

thing is, losing weight is a bitch because u have to buy more kit

and that sucks because?

[Hans Gowert]

i really dont want to fork out another £800 on smocks thanks

[Ropes]

thing is, losing weight is a bitch because u have to buy more kit

can you afford to loose anymore weight tom?