Vintage WW2 Mustaches

[Davep]

Well mustaches within regulation are a touchy issue without breaking out the ruler...now how would you go about it dave?

Defining what is and what isn't a vintage WW2 mustache is easy. What is difficult to impossible to regulate in a hobby is something without a benchmark. But you ask a very good question; how do you regulate facial hair standards in a hobby?

We have a guy in our unit, who comes out once a year, it seems, who has the 3-7 days of "growth". But one guy's 5 days of stuble is another guys full beard. Also the "it's OK for one guy" with a photograph rule is pushed to the limit and beyond.

When everyone else is clean shaved and one guy in a unit is sporting what is really a beard; It totally looks out of place. For a unit of combat soliders on patrol with one guy to have stuble and no one else does. But when it comes to facial hair there are no standards, so it's left to individual taste, and/or the scratching of heads. It's not OK for my unit, but there are no standards so it is "rationalized" as being OK.

The only way to regulate this and other such things is to set standards such as
1. Preferred Authentic
2. Allowed but not Authentic
3. Not Allowed not Authentic

 

[p51]

I know two guys locally who make such a big deal about age and weight (one you can do nothing about and the other can be pretty tough), yet, but have moutaches that would look correctly only in the civil war time period. I remind both of them that all they have to do is re-familiarize themsevles with a razor to "defarb" themsevles. They just sneer.
I think a good rule of thumb with anything in the hobby is to take whatever impression you're doing, and do what is the most common for that impresison, be it uniforms, grooming, weapons, whatever.
For example, among my many setups for US WW2, I do a impression (war correspondent) that would have been pretty rare in the field. But that being said, I have done a lot of research and have found the baseline for that impression with uniform, equipment, overall look and go with that.
But yeah, soup strainers on WW2 re-enactors is for me a sore subject because period photos show it just wasn't that common and hardly ever with a big "Joe Stalin" one that so many people in the hobby want to sport at events.

 

[Spitfire]

lol lol

 

[DutchIndo]

Rank is also important, I believe one had to be a least a corporal. I know the "Stash" had to be even with the corners of the mouth. The popular style in WWII was the Errol Flynn type.

 

[Smithy]

lol lol

The RAF has a very long tradition of the handlebar moustache with it becoming an institution in the service. Very different from the US air forces where horizontal length of the moustache is quite restrictive.

Not WWII, but just last year a RAF pilot on exchange to the USAF won a battle to keep his handlebar after the USAF had tried to get him to trim it...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/7451939.stm

 

[MPicciotto]

Amongst the Air Corps, particularly flying crews disobedience to uniform and appearance regulations was more common place. More so the further from DC one got.

http://www.burmabridgebusters.com/490th History Photos/490th at Ondal/slides/Ellis.html

In this case, the Lt. is with the 490th Burma Bridge Busters in India or Burma. Another officer in the unit is photographed with pleated front khakis. But that unit was a bit unique in a LOT of respects and is far, far, far from being the norm. Still I just wanted to toss a little more facial hair into the fray :rage:

Matt

 

[BellyTank]

Ellis has a very Italian style of facial hair.


B
T

 

[Marcus]

If I were writing a handbook for a US reenacting unit, I would discourage, if not ban, the wearing of moustaches all together. I have to say they are WAY over-represented in the US reenacting scene. Way to many 'staches and sunglasses running around. Did they exist yes, majority of photos say that this practice was minimal.


I think it's a matter of older fellows who just don't want to get with the program and lose the facial hair. I reenact German so I could be wrong, but that's the vibe a I get.

 

[matrioshka]

Ellis has a very Italian style of facial hair.


B
T

I agree. I've seen pictures of Italian soldiers with the goatee thing going on...

I used to do WW2 Soviet reenacting. I also used to have a beard. A Rasputin beard. One that you could wipe your hands with. Birds nested in it. The only problem I had with shaving it off was "How do I do this?"

M

 

[Davep]

If I were writing a handbook for a US reenacting unit, I would discourage, if not ban, the wearing of moustaches all together. I have to say they are WAY over-represented in the US reenacting scene. Way to many 'staches and sunglasses running around. Did they exist yes, majority of photos say that this practice was minimal.


I think it's a matter of older fellows who just don't want to get with the program and lose the facial hair. I reenact German so I could be wrong, but that's the vibe a I get.

One thing for me, I go to reenactments to see authentic lookingGerman Soldiers. I would suspect that German Reenactors, like Marcus want to see authentic looking Allied Soldiers. When either side short-changes on "easy authenticity" issues, it spoils the look and feel for the other side. As well as knocks down the pride of your own side.

 

[DutchIndo]

One thing for me, I go to reenactments to see authentic lookingGerman Soldiers. I would suspect that German Reenactors, like Marcus want to see authentic looking Allied Soldiers. When either side short-changes on "easy authenticity" issues, it spoils the look and feel for the other side. As well as knocks down the pride of your own side.

Some of the Germans gave me the Heebe Jeebies with their Haircuts. They had the Shaved sides (to the skin) and long on top. My Dad had a similar haircut when he was in the Dutch Airforce. It must be a European thing. Don Burgett mentions Germans with long hair in his book Curahee. What really I mean really gave me the creeps were some Apaches at a Gunshow once. They were white guys but had the wigs and full outfits. They look like they stepped out of a "Time Life" book. They did their research well . I say this not to say Apaches or Native Americans are creepy. I am saying they represented the great Warriors they were. Very intimidating.

 

[cco23i]

My problem is if I have a good 40's style mustache, it ends up making me look like Himmler! So I go clean shaven!

Scott


Just look at this!

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b12/cco23i/Dunks/Whoislistening1.jpg

 

[cco23i]

Here's another good shot from a bomb group in England in WW2. The fellow in the lower right corner is CLEARLY out of regs but due to his expertise in his chosen field the higher ups have overlooked his appearance.

Scott


http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b12/cco23i/Dunks/goatee.jpg

 

[jawisher]

My problem is if I have a good 40's style mustache, it ends up making me look like Himmler! So I go clean shaven!

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b12/cco23i/Dunks/Whoislistening1.jpg

Great photo! By the way, you know who else had a "good 40's style mustache"...

 

[FedoraFan112390]

That bomber guy has a cool goatee--and goatees were very rare in the '40s.

 

[Widebrim]

Wow, that is rare!

 

[Gene]

I'll have to dig up my "Air Force" magazine from very late-war where there is a Lt. wearing a full Abe Lincoln-style beard!

 

[cco23i]

The "bomber guy" was actually one of the lead welders for the unit and grew out his beard. If anyone complained he wouldn't do any work or not do his best, so supervisors said he could keep it as long as he stayed out of site and did his job.

Scott

 

[Story]

The "bomber guy" was actually one of the lead welders for the unit and grew out his beard. If anyone complained he wouldn't do any work or not do his best, so supervisors said he could keep it as long as he stayed out of site and did his job.

plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

 

[Story]

What really I mean really gave me the creeps were some Apaches at a Gunshow once. They were white guys but had the wigs and full outfits. They look like they stepped out of a "Time Life" book. They did their research well . I say this not to say Apaches or Native Americans are creepy. I am saying they represented the great Warriors they were. Very intimidating.

Some of the reenactors that represent the Eastern tribes for Seven Years War & Rev War are fanatically accurate as well, from their wardrobe to their diet.