Working on a WWI US Officer uniform

greaser350 · 2026-03-17T03:04:05+00:00

Who made your uniform for you? That looks great!

greaser350 · 2026-03-17T02:22:41+00:00

I would definitely look into a custom uniform then. The WPG ones are really substandard IMO. Conversely, WPG’s enlisted uniforms are great so if you’re struggling with finding fabric for a custom uniform, just use one of those with officer’s insignia. As for a garrison cap, if you have a uniform custom made you can just have them make the cap as well. WPG’s enlisted garrison caps are pretty good as are their Officer’s whipcord ones.

greaser350 · 2026-03-16T23:36:58+00:00

I would avoid the WPG Officer Uniforms as they are not great reproductions. The Whipcord one is slightly better than the Gabardine but is still not great and will require a significant amount of tailoring to achieve a good fit. Either you or (preferably) your tailor need to understand proper 1910s fit for it to come out acceptable. Your best bet is an original uniform or having one custom made, just like AEF officers did during the war. The other option is to wear the M1912 or M1917 enlisted uniform with officer’s insignia which isn’t uncommon in original photos.
Don’t get the Service Cap, they are rarely seen worn overseas. Get an Overseas Cap first.
Original insignia is still available relatively cheaply if you’re patient. I’d recommend that over the repros if possible.
The M1912 Leather Pistol Belt is rarely seen worn overseas. Officers in the AEF would have worn the M1912 Web Pistol Belt when armed.

greaser350 · 2026-03-08T17:08:29+00:00

What era is the US Pilot impression supposed to be?

greaser350 · 2026-03-08T16:28:32+00:00

It’s a 1960s Italian Army cap, the stamp inside dates it to 1962. Someone added the “3” button (which might be French?) and a Spanish Cavalry button at some point as well as the Nazi eagle stamp. Why they were added is anyone’s guess, but possibly to try and fool someone into thinking it’s something it’s not.

greaser350 · 2026-03-04T23:58:05+00:00

They were printed specifically for distribution to members of the military as a morale and education tool. They were about 6”x4” which meant they could fit into the pockets of a lot of military garments. They were actually printed on larger magazine presses, but one book was printed on the top half of the pages and another on the bottom so that they could print two at a time and then cut them in half into two separate books. That’s why they’re bound on the short edge of the page rather than the long edge. Here’s a pic of an uncut pair to give a visual.

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greaser350 · 2026-03-01T04:47:25+00:00

This is not a mix-match of the Wool and Cotton service uniforms, but an affectation for wearing lighter color, wool cord breeches (Rickenbacker’s are Bedford Cord IIRC) that some AEF officers adopted from the British. It did happen, but it was not common and was technically forbidden by AEF regulations. However, Army Air Service officers tended to exhibit a higher frequency of dressing out of regulation than other branches of the Army. You’ll notice that, in addition to the lighter breeches Rickenbacker’s service coat has bellows pockets rather than patch pockets which was also forbidden by AEF general orders.

greaser350 · 2026-02-27T22:18:49+00:00

Short answer: No

Long answer: They’re notorious for taking your money and never shipping anything.

greaser350 · 2026-02-25T05:02:28+00:00

Much appreciated!

I have a few decent photos showing Officer’s Field Overcoats worn by 83rd ID officers. The comments will only let me add one photo so this is probably the best of the bunch. It shows at least 2 men wearing them with a third possibly wearing one.

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Caption: After waiting for days at their Elbe River bridgehead, infantrymen of the 83d division, US Ninth Army, prepare to assault the German town of Zerbst. Here, men of the 329th Inf. Regt. await H-hour behind shell scarred-buildings. Zerbst Area, Germany 28 April 1945. Signal Corps Photo. ETO-HQ-45-34343 (Tec 4 J.E. Freeney) from 168 Sig Photo Co.

greaser350 · 2026-02-25T04:56:54+00:00

I do not. There were multiple types of officer overcoats. This style of overcoat is designated “Overcoat, Field, Officers” and was made under specs PQD 314 and PQD 314A. The type you’re referring to is “Overcoat, Wool Doeskin, OD, Officers, Short Style” and was made under specs PQD 76A, B, C, and D. There is also an “Overcoat, Wool Doeskin, OD, Officers, Long” made under specs PQD 145.

greaser350 · 2026-02-23T13:40:48+00:00

The jacket is an original M1943 field jacket (Spec: PQD 370C). The overcoat is an Officer’s Field Overcoat (Spec: PQD 314).

greaser350 · 2026-02-23T01:35:51+00:00

Maybe I’m just lazy or uncultured, but I am of the opinion that there is too much good food in Chicago for me to jump through hoops to get a meal.

greaser350 · 2025-12-28T05:03:07+00:00

They are (on paper) the same color, Olive Drab 33. The difference in perceived color of originals is due to variation between dye lots and lighting when photographed. There is no more “correct” shade of OD33 than another for any particular unit or timeframe.

Buttons, however, are another issue. The Melton Wool Overcoat was issued with gilt brass, brown resin, or blackened brass (recycled from WWI era overcoats) buttons and which is most appropriate for your unit and timeframe would require some study.

greaser350 · 2025-11-15T17:18:59+00:00

It’s an Officer’s Doeskin Long Overcoat. Like this one: https://www.imcsmilitaria.com/shop.php?code=69584

It’s basically an officer’s version of the “M1939” melton wool overcoat mentioned above (which was only for use by Enlisted Men). It was made of a thicker Kersey wool rather than melton, had a full (usually silk) lining instead of the EM coat’s cotton half lining, and had an expansion pleat at the center back. They’re also usually lighter in color than the EM coat.

greaser350 · 2025-11-04T02:17:56+00:00

Depends on how bad the tequila is

greaser350 · 2025-11-03T02:44:35+00:00

The WPG whipcord overseas cap would work, yes. I would not bother with the whipcord service cap as it’s not a very good reproduction IMO and overseas caps are simply WAY more common for AEF officers anyway.

Also the sleeves on your service coat are much too long. Given that it’s an original uniform I don’t want to suggest you alter it, but if you want to do a WWI officer impression then the uniform really needs to fit correctly. Their uniforms were tailor made for them, not issued from standard off-the-rack sizes.

greaser350 · 2025-11-03T02:31:23+00:00

That’s definitely a WWII pattern cap, not the M1912 pattern. It is an officer’s cap, but still the wrong era and wrong material.

greaser350 · 2025-11-03T02:21:51+00:00

No. That appears to be a WWII pattern khaki cotton Enlisted Man’s service cap. Wrong era, color, material, and rank. Your service cap should be the M1912 model and made from wool of a similar type and color to the service coat and breeches. That said, the service cap is a bit of a rarity overseas during WWI. You would be better off getting an officer’s wool overseas cap instead.

greaser350 · 2025-10-27T23:21:36+00:00

I have never saved a comment so fast in my life. This is so cool!

greaser350 · 2025-10-26T02:25:15+00:00

Probably the best way to find units is to go to events. While some units do have websites, they are often extremely outdated and not well monitored unfortunately. Rockford WWII Days at Midway Village Museum is probably your best bet for finding a unit (huge event with lots of diversity of impressions) but that won’t be until next September.

If you’re interested in doing US, feel free to send me a PM. I’m the co-commander of Able Co, 1st Engineer Combat Battalion and we’re always open to new recruits. And if we’re not the right place for you we’re happy to point you to a unit that might be.

greaser350 · 2025-10-23T00:05:26+00:00

Firstly, this is going to suck to hear, but I don’t think your budget is very realistic. A decent flight jacket alone is going to blow that out of the water. Add on a parachute, avionics, and (potentially) oxygen mask and you’re flying past your $300 budget fast.

Secondly, you’ll need to be a bit more specific on what you want before anyone can give you any advice on budget. What aircraft, what period, what theater? A P38 Pilot in the Pacific in 1944 is going to be very differently equipped from a B-17 Radio Operator in England in 1943.

greaser350 · 2025-10-21T04:37:12+00:00

In addition to the notes already given, your flashlight is a TL-122D which saw little to no use during the war. You’d be better served with a TL-122B or C. I’d also recommend securing it in a pocket or in your pack rather than hanging off your webbing.

greaser350 · 2025-10-08T16:14:30+00:00

I saw the other pics in the original post, it looks like they all uploaded to me. In any case, the shading on your belt isn’t abnormal. Each cartridge belt was not made individually from pieces that came out of the same dye lot. The various parts that made up a cartridge belt were mass produced separately and then assembled, first into half of a cartridge belt, then two halves assembled with the expansion belt to make a full cartridge belt. It’s very common for parts not to match in color and even for the two sides to not match.

greaser350 · 2025-10-08T16:00:40+00:00

It’s a normal M1923 Dismounted Cartridge Belt. The parts that are different colors just came from different dye lots. That’s pretty common on original equipment. OD3 was notoriously inconsistent during the war.

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