UK Re-enactor supplier sees sense.

[Alan Eardley]

I just received the latest catalogue from Soldier of Fortune and they have obviously been listening to customer comments. As well as re-instating the RAF battledress blouse (but not yet the trousers) they have introduced a new range of reasonably priced British desert uniforms. Most of all, they have re-introduced some reasonable WW2 sizes - 38inch and 40 inch chest and 30inch and 32 inch waist. This represents much better the sort of sizes that were prevalent at the time. Last year the smallest sizes they offered were 42 inch chest and 34inch trousers - they would have been huge in the 42-44 desert campaign!

I haven't checked the length of their BD blouses - their catalogue still says 'for the longer modern body'. Sounds bad...

Alan

 

[Miss Sis]

Too many <hehum> 'larger' gents in the re-enacting world?

 

[BellyTank]

I got my catalogue a couple of weeks ago.
It was quite a surprise.

Thir RAF BD looks good.
They carry a lot of the same stuff as WPG.
WPG's stuff, actually.

B
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[The Wingnut]

Too many <hehum> 'larger' gents in the re-enacting world?

...not just large, but old! Should I open this can of worms?

Far too often do you see people in size and ages completely wrong, wrong, wrong for an impression. No paratroop is going to carry an extra 40 pounds unless it's in his gear, and 30 should be the cutoff for age unless they're babyfaced. If you're fat and over 30, you're flying a desk, not a bomber. If you're enlisted and over 30, chances are you're in a support position. If you're an officer and over 30, you're likely in an administrative position.

I've reduced my amount of reenacting and living history in the last 2 years because my hair has been falling out and wrinkles have been setting in. I know when to stop. I've seen far too many 40+ year old fighter and bomber pilots with captain's bars than I care to count.

 

[Alan Eardley]

I got my catalogue a couple of weeks ago.
It was quite a surprise.

Thir RAF BD looks good.
They carry a lot of the same stuff as WPG.
WPG's stuff, actually.

B
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BT,

Yes. Some of it carries WPG stamps. Other items don't but I suspect are from the same supplier.

But it gets better - looking at the '37 and '40 pattern battle dress they are selling 36 inch chest and 28 inch waist. This is more that we could ever have hoped for. Thank you, SoF!

Alan

 

[Diamondback]

Too many <hehum> 'larger' gents in the re-enacting world?

Madame, some of us do have frames that, even if you surgically cut away all the fat, are too big for anything in an actual WWII quartermaster's catalog--as an example, the biggest neck I've seen for a 32"/33" sleeve is 15.5" IIRC, and even if I dropped all my fat overnight I'd still have at least a 16.5", possibly 17" neck on my 5'4" frame.

 

[Miss Sis]

It used to be that only being able to get original stuff restricted who could could portray these roles to the size uniforms available.

I can see the sense of having repro at times so as not to ruin rare original kit but having massive sizes is ridiculous and not representitive of the times.

 

[PADDY]

...not just large, but old! Should I open this can of worms? Not if it undermines people's confidence. So let's focus on 'how' we might help others find an appropriate unit/outfit/role that they can enjoy and look authentic at the same time :eusa_clap
Far too often do you see people in size and ages completely wrong, wrong, wrong for an impression. And that's why 'we' are here to help!! .

Shall I sum up?

So the advice seems to be: 'Dress appropriately and authentically to a vintage role that best compliments your age and build and you'll enjoy the whole thing even more :eusa_clap

Right ladies and gents, back on topic please.

 

[Miss Sis]

Of course there were men who weren't standard size. My BF's Grandfather was very tall with Size 13 UK feet at a time when the usual size was about a 7/8, but that was unusual.

Having a troop of overweight men representing then is just going to look silly.

Edit: Paddy, I couldn't agree more.

 

[Alan Eardley]

...not just large, but old! Should I open this can of worms?

Far too often do you see people in size and ages completely wrong, wrong, wrong for an impression. No paratroop is going to carry an extra 40 pounds unless it's in his gear, and 30 should be the cutoff for age unless they're babyfaced. If you're fat and over 30, you're flying a desk, not a bomber. If you're enlisted and over 30, chances are you're in a support position. If you're an officer and over 30, you're likely in an administrative position.

I've reduced my amount of reenacting and living history in the last 2 years because my hair has been falling out and wrinkles have been setting in. I know when to stop. I've seen far too many 40+ year old fighter and bomber pilots with captain's bars than I care to count.

I don't mind being 'too old' to do re-enactment (I've been that way for twenty five years) but it annoys me that there seems to be no such thing as being 'too large' to be convincingly authentic. Most re-enactors I see are much larger than their counterparts would be in WW2, but that doesn't seem to matter in the same way that age does.

Alan

 

[cookie]

Tropical Gear

Any Safari style jackets?

 

[Alan Eardley]

Any Safari style jackets?

SoF?

Yes, that's what opened the thread. Jacket, trousers and slouch hat.

Alan

 

[BellyTank]

See for yerself-

http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/reenactors/select.asp

B
T

 

[MudInYerEye]

I can hear the grass grow.


B
L
T

 

[Edward]

Great to see that site.... pleasantly surprised at the prices. I was looking at importing from the US, some service shoes and roughouts. Are these the same quality as I'd get from the like of Atthefront.com? I want some ankle boots that I can wear casually and have a bit more of the retro feel than the likes of DMs or current issue Squaddie boots. These look good... how do the soles hold up - can you have those rubbers resoled like a leather sole?

I've also been looking at the British Ammo boots.... I like the look of those, but I'm not so sore about the idea of the heel / toe caps and the hobnails. I have to be in environments with polished wooden floors a lot..... wouldn't hobnails damage them? also not sure if I'd want to be that noisy all the time. Can you buy those anywhere without the metal in the sole?

 

[The Wingnut]

Shall I sum up?

So the advice seems to be: 'Dress appropriately and authentically to a vintage role that best compliments your age and build and you'll enjoy the whole thing even more :eusa_clap Right ladies and gents, back on topic please.

Right you are, sir. I stand corrected. *steps off of a few toes*

 

[AlanC]

Far too often do you see people in size and ages completely wrong, wrong, wrong for an impression. No paratroop is going to carry an extra 40 pounds unless it's in his gear, and 30 should be the cutoff for age unless they're babyfaced. If you're fat and over 30, you're flying a desk, not a bomber. If you're enlisted and over 30, chances are you're in a support position. If you're an officer and over 30, you're likely in an administrative position.

Logan's Run meets re-enacting.

 

[TailendCharlie]

Logan's Run meets re-enacting.

Catch 22 meets Peter Pan