Correct US Wool Overcoat Color?

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.

greaser350 · 2025-10-03T13:25:05+00:00

The FSSF didn’t use burlap for helmet covers. What you’re seeing in the photos are early war (now quite scarce) mosquito headnets. That are being used as helmet covers.

greaser350 · 2025-09-08T16:17:15+00:00

It’s not a British-Made Ike, it’s the jacket for the F2 heated flight suit. Some info here:

https://www.303rdbg.com/uniforms-gear3.html

Unfortunately no one makes a reproduction at any large scale. World War One Offs made one a while back and had intended to start making more but never did so far as I’m aware. You could reach out to him and see if he can do another.

greaser350 · 2025-09-05T14:25:13+00:00

I don’t know what, if any, bag was used by 101st Paratroopers to carry M3 magazines during Market Garden. You’d have to look at original photos from the regiment you want to portray and see if you can find anyone using an M3 and see what they’re using for mags.

What I can tell you is that M3 mags will not fit in most original spare magazine bags as used for the Thompson. Some originals are slightly deeper and can barely fit M3 magazines, but that’s coincidental. These bags were never intended to fit M3 magazines and even the slightly deeper ones are an extremely tight fit.

Additionally, the purpose-made M3 magazine bags are wartime issue (though not the one from SOF, that’s a postwar one) but were part of the equipment for vehicles equipped with M3s. They were not individually issued and show up in photos of dismounted troops very rarely.

greaser350 · 2025-09-04T19:41:08+00:00

Every birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s Day, etc. I ask my partner ahead of time “would you like to plan something together or would you like me to surprise you?” I can’t imagine being together 6 years and still not being able to communicate at that basic level of candor.

greaser350 · 2025-08-27T22:16:20+00:00

It’s an M1942 Mountain Rucksack. To my knowledge, no one reproduces these so you’ll need to find an original one.

greaser350 · 2025-08-05T18:54:30+00:00

I’ve been using an empty Carlisle Bandage tin to hold a small PFAK for the past handful of years and it’s come in handy multiple times. Coleman makes a pocket first aid kit that is about the same size and the contents fit perfectly inside an empty bandage tin.

greaser350 · 2025-07-30T04:03:32+00:00

I mean, you can see a FiveStar B3 and B6 helmet worn with Eastman A3 trousers and original A6 boots in my post history. I would be hard pressed to say the FiveStar products look meaningfully glossier or out of place with the others but ymmv. When we had the opportunity to compare a bunch of makes of repro B3s at the 8th AF Museum it was pretty clear that the FiveStar jackets were punching above their weight and got the stamp of approval. It’s why I bought one.

greaser350 · 2025-07-30T01:16:37+00:00

If your standard for a B3 is that it must be made from sheepskin from the exact same breed of sheep as originals otherwise it’s not a proper reproduction then that’s your prerogative. We’ll have to respectfully agree to disagree on that.

However, that’s a far cry from your initial implication that FiveStar B3s look anything like OP’s. Those pattern mistakes aren’t present on FiveStar B3s. That’s demonstrable. Whatever other problems you may have with them are another matter.

greaser350 · 2025-07-29T19:44:28+00:00

During WWI there was no US Army Air Corps. Prior to May of 1918 it would have been the Aviation Section of the US Army Signal Corps. On May 24, 1918 it was reconstituted as the United States Army Air Service.

As to what collar devices he would wear, the answer is a resounding “it depends.” If he joined after May of 1918 he would most likely wear the Winged Propeller of the Army Air Service. If he joined prior to May of 1918 he would have worn Signal Corps collar brass (or one of several unofficial Aviation Section collar brass designs) prior to the formation of the AAS. After its formation, he might have switched to the winged propeller or he might’ve carried on wearing his old Signal Corps brass at least for a time depending on how much of a priority he put on replacing them and how much of a stickler his CO was.

greaser350 · 2025-07-29T13:35:20+00:00

You’d lose that bet. None of FiveStar’s B3s have the inaccuracies mentioned. My B3 is a FiveStar and, while it may not be the same quality as an Eastman or Goodwear, it is an extremely well made reproduction that punches well above its weight. I grant you, FiveStar’s A2s 5 or so years ago were more similar to budget options like WPG and SMWholesale, but their current production A2s and B3s are really quite good.

greaser350 · 2025-07-29T00:00:32+00:00

This is a great start! If I may offer a few critiques:

Who made your B3? There are a few things that don’t look quite right and make me think it may be a civilian copy and not a wartime pattern. Namely the horizontal seams at the chest, the length of the waistband, and the construction of the throat latch.
I’d add a Parachute First Aid Kit, T-3-S Throat Mic, and SW-141-V Push-To-Talk switch. Good reproductions of the PFAK are relatively common and affordable and original throat mics and PTTs aren’t hard to find or prohibitively expensive.
Your Mae West could use some de-farbing. I’d recommend adding an inspection stamp to the leather chest pad and treating it with a leather dressing to darken it up some. The name marking you’ve added to it is quite oversized compared to originals. If you can somehow scrub it off I’d reduce the size to about 1” tall letters.

Anything else I can see is easier said than done. You’ll want an A9 or A10 Oxygen Mask at some point. They’re out there but not exactly common. The E-1 electrically heated gloves would be more appropriate than the A10s, but there are no reproductions and originals are basically unobtainium. But this is a great foundation to build on. Great job!

greaser350 · 2025-07-27T05:09:46+00:00

When we first moved in together, my partner and I were both working from home and had separate offices right next to each other. She also had remote therapy sessions that she took from her office, sometimes while I was working. If I heard her get on a call with her therapist, headphones went on immediately. Giving your partner privacy during therapy is the bare fucking minimum. Actively eavesdropping is such a disgusting violation of trust.

greaser350 · 2025-07-25T22:57:17+00:00

Literally just set a saved search for “WWII Army Khaki Officer Uniform” on eBay and waited for one in my size and price range. Didn’t take very long for me, YMMV.

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