Now Forming! the Campaign Hat Corps

[deanglen]

Yeah, that hats weren't the only thing wrong with that film. They should have made it three episodes and not shorten the script so much. You can tell that it's either very badly written, or they butchered it to fit the time requirements. I won't throw off this thread, that's a discussion for another board.

The hats: simply wrong, and most glaringly obviously; the ribbon. An otherwise easy fix that somehow got overlooked.

-Max

They needed you, Max. We need to start planning a re-make or a whole new effort with relentless accuracy. As if the industry would care what I thought! (BTW, weren't those Burgess hats they wore? At least some of them? The too thin ribboned ones?





dean

 

[liten]

its on ebay ? the only problem is , its a size 7 bit to small for me

 

[liten]

 

[deanglen]

Found these on-line in some UK auction site. Claims to be a vintage M1904. The Star vent is nice, but the underwelt is missing. It's the bow that has me puzzled. Similar to the M1911 Montana peaked version, yet no vent grommets at the four points of the crown. maybe this is a 'missing link' between the the 1899 and the 1911 versions. The bow is a a simplified version of the previous design, and coupled with the lack of the overwelt, would make production faster and easier, (and cheaper!). The long ends of the ribbon are retained, though, and would disappear from the M1911s.

Note the pronounced underwelt on these M1904s:

dean

 

[liten]

that looks like a officers hat cord , could be a private purchase hat

 

[deanglen]

that looks like a officers hat cord , could be a private purchase hat

Yes, I think you're right.


dean

 

[deanglen]

A wonderful M1902:

dean

 

[liten]

dean! ive studying the smithsonian records on the first 83 drab hats, which were sent out on a trial bases and well before the official 83 spec , so there was a good chance they shared the 76 specs that is with overwelt and the brasher vent

 

[deanglen]

dean! ive studying the smithsonian records on the first 83 drab hats, which were sent out on a trial bases and well before the official 83 spec , so there was a good chance they shared the 76 specs that is with overwelt and the brasher vent

Very interesting! Thank you for that bit of information! Still thinking of doing a '76 model. Thanks for keeping the thread alive, too!





dean

 

[liten]

the guy who sells the mesh vents on ebay! has the brasher vents for the 76 cheers dean

 

[deanglen]

the guy who sells the mesh vents on ebay! has the brasher vents for the 76 cheers dean

Don't see them on his ebay pages here in the US.[huh] I guess I's have to ask him about them.



dean

 

[liten]

he has them in stock , ive discussed with him , im going to get a pair for myself for the 83 trial version im making up

 

[deanglen]

he has them in stock , ive discussed with him , im going to get a pair for myself for the 83 trial version im making up

Thanks. He should list them. I'd buy a pair. I'll have to make contact with him about them. Appreciate your help, very much!




dean

 

[Mojave Jack]

You know, I don't think I ever published these photos for this thread! One of the few times I get to wear my campaign hat, and get paid for it. This is from a guided walking tour I developed for the historic district at March Field in Riverside, CA. I wasn't very comfortable wearing insignia I haven't earned, so I made up this uniform using period equivalents to my current rank and status. The first photo is in front of the fireplace in Hap Arnold's house.



I chose the uniform to represent the 17th Pursuit Group at March Field between 1931 and 1935. That allowed me to tie the history of the squadrons under the 17th, including the 34th, 73rd, and 95th, all of which were at March Field until the eve of WWII, and that later formed the core of Doolittle's Raiders. On my flight jacket I put the insignia of the 34th Pursuit Squadron, famously seen here on Lt Cole and Lt Potter (Doolittle is still wearing his patch from Wright Field). You can't see it in this version of the photo, but SSgt Potter, on the right, is wearing the 17th Bomb Group distinctive insignia on his flight cap:



This was actually about three or four years ago. I've been wanting to do it again, but my schedule hasn't really allowed it. Maybe when I retire!

 

[deanglen]

You know, I don't think I ever published these photos for this thread! One of the few times I get to wear my campaign hat, and get paid for it. This is from a guided walking tour I developed for the historic district at March Field in Riverside, CA. I wasn't very comfortable wearing insignia I haven't earned, so I made up this uniform using period equivalents to my current rank and status. The first photo is in front of the fireplace in Hap Arnold's house.

View attachment 8269 View attachment 8270 View attachment 8271


I chose the uniform to represent the 17th Pursuit Group at March Field between 1931 and 1935. That allowed me to tie the history of the squadrons under the 17th, including the 34th, 73rd, and 95th, all of which were at March Field until the eve of WWII, and that later formed the core of Doolittle's Raiders. On my flight jacket I put the insignia of the 34th Pursuit Squadron, famously seen here on Lt Cole and Lt Potter (Doolittle is still wearing his patch from Wright Field). You can't see it in this version of the photo, but SSgt Potter, on the right, is wearing the 17th Bomb Group distinctive insignia on his flight cap:

View attachment 8272

This was actually about three or four years ago. I've been wanting to do it again, but my schedule hasn't really allowed it. Maybe when I retire!

You wear it very well! Hope you can do it again!




dean

 

[liten]

Thanks. He should list them. I'd buy a pair. I'll have to make contact with him about them. Appreciate your help, very much!




dean

what do for sweatbands on your hats ? do you keep old ones on and color them up or change them completly! i want to get the right color for my 76 , its dark reddish , thanks

 

[liten]

what do for sweatbands on your hats ? do you keep old ones on and color them up or change them completly! i want to get the right color for my 76 , its dark reddish , thanks

 

[deanglen]

View attachment 8589

I used some scrap leather. You can buy bags of it a craft store. I trimmed it to the dimensions in the specs and sewed it in by machine. Not sure if the sweats had reeds around the base near the sewing point. I've never handled a genuine article. Can't really claim to be too accurate of an effort. I think you'll do just fine replicating the tones of the leather in the photo. I've seen some sweatbands with gold art nouveau lettering that reads "Regulation Army Hat" but am forced to wonder if that was the kind of thing stamped in by manufacturers to sell to the civilians who wanted that very thing. I just don't know!





dean

 

[fedoracentric]

I've seen some sweatbands with gold art nouveau lettering that reads "Regulation Army Hat" but am forced to wonder if that was the kind of thing stamped in by manufacturers to sell to the civilians who wanted that very thing. I just don't know!

I would think that it would be just that a "Regulation Army Hat" meant for sale to the army. I doubt anyone in the public in those days would have been all that interested in dressing like a soldier unless they were, indeed, a soldier.

Two points to consider.

#1) Soldiers were thought of as the lowest members of society until the Span Am War and then right after went right back to be considered dregs. People looked down on soldiers in those days. They were often drunks and sometimes criminals. So, no one in the public would want to be thought of as a soldier.

#2) Americans were not interested in spending what little money they had on kitschy clothing or trends (other than regular fashion and seasonal changes). Americans did not reenact other eras nor was there a fascination with the past to the point where people collected things that they didn't have to use to get by in life.

I will stake my standing on the claim that if the hat was stamped "Regulation Army Hat" it meant nothing other than a "Regulation Army Hat" and was meant for the army.

 

[liten]

you could buy the hats , though mail order back then,as far back as 1879 but they wouldnt have been stamped