Replicaters in India, How good are they?

[DoolittleRaider]

Hey,

Im going to be ordering my RAF uniform very soon (within two weeks). and im thinking about ordering from replicaters in India, but i just feel really skeptical about ordering from them.

i would just like to know, what do yall think about ordering from Replicaters? do they get your shipment to you quickly? just basic stuff.

i remember seeing a post on this a few weeks back, it didnt help me very much

Feedback would be greatly appreciated,

DR/Marc

 

[BellyTank]

Over the past (almost 10)years, I have seen a lot of very mixed feedback-
a lot of very bad, negative feedback and a few glowingly positive ones.

It will be a risk anyway.
If you have an alternative, use it.
People ONLY buy from Replicaters because of the cheap price.
Cheap, ONLY if you get what you want.

Beware.


B
T

 

[DoolittleRaider]

thanks for that BellyTank,

thats kinda what i needed, i think ill just go ahead and order from GOOD OL WPG!!

no offense to replicaters, but i just dont trust them very much.[huh]

DR

 

[BellyTank]

I think that's probably a good idea- if you have any problems, or need anything sorted out, you know you can get a result from him.
No problem with distance, return postage, time, etc.

I have defended Replicaters in the past but his continued reluctance to change
the way he does business and improve the way in which his business is perceived has made me give up on that front.
He really needs to become more professional, if he wants to attract business.

But I'm sure he has plenty of business in other areas- beyond what we know.


B
T

 

[MPicciotto]

Talk to Chris (KilroyCD) before ordering from WPG concerning RAF uniforms. If you are ordering a larger size then the proportions of the jacket may be pretty out of kilter. Seems the good folks in Pakistan who make the uniforms for Jerry used one size of jacket and replicated it for all sizes.

Matt

 

[Marcus]

It's a gamble:

http://ww2reenactors.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=vendor&action=display&thread=5051

 

[BellyTank]

As much as Russian Roulette is, dear hunter.


B
T

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

I've ordered some items from there - my U-Boat leathers, reefer jacket, and button down shirts, as well as the U-Boat canvas shoes.

I have not had any problem with any of those things I've ordered.

I wouldn't recommend the U-Boat commander's cap, nor the NS Eagle (should one choose to do that impression) as their quality wasn't as good as Soldat's or Epic Militaria in the UK where I purchased a replacement NS Eagle for my jacket not too long ago (and their insignia was as good as Soldat's).

Simply because I've never had any problems, and if there was something I didn't like - such as the cap I had ordered once a few years back, I was able to return it for either refund or credit towards something else.

I buy from them because it is very hard still to find what I need for my impression as it is not something common.

 

[Cobden]

It varies a lot on what one is ordering. I have seen some success with RAF officers uniforms - not brilliant, but will pass as WWII Indian made - and massive success with his JG trousers (he is the only person who actually does WWII era JGs).

There are a lot of items, though, I wouldn't even try. Battledress being one of them.

 

[DoolittleRaider]

well,

what im doing is ordering the RAF Battle Dress, and geting all of the Eagle Squadron Insignia to go along with it.

i mainly want to know if he gets it too you quickly and if the quality is passible as well as durable.

i just want to know if hes creditble and if i would get my moneys worth out of the stuff i order. i dont want it falling apart on me a year or two dont the road.

im not ordering big sizes either, Chest is 38S and Trousers are a 30-32. im about 5'8" ish...

thanks for all of youre help, its helping me make my decisions

DR

 

[Cobden]

For RAF WSD (battle dress), avoid Sanjay like the Plague. It might last longer then 2 years, but you'd get a better, more accurate, interpretation of WSD from using cligfilm and strategically placed smarties.

Avoid anything wool serge with Replicators

 

[Spitfire]

well,

what im doing is ordering the RAF Battle Dress, and geting all of the Eagle Squadron Insignia to go along with it.

i mainly want to know if he gets it too you quickly and if the quality is passible as well as durable.

i just want to know if hes creditble and if i would get my moneys worth out of the stuff i order. i dont want it falling apart on me a year or two dont the road.

im not ordering big sizes either, Chest is 38S and Trousers are a 30-32. im about 5'8" ish...

thanks for all of youre help, its helping me make my decisions

DR

HI DR.
Regarding your RAF BD with Eagle Sq insignia.

To my knowledge the battle dress uniforms were not in use in the beginning of the war - only came in use around 1942 (don't hang me for this) - but weren't all the Eagle Squadrons in USAAF by then? Just a thought.
I may be wrong - or you will get a uniform that never existed.

 

[DoolittleRaider]

Spitfire,

thanks for mentioning that to me, yeah, youre prolly right on the ES being disbanding before the BD came out.

its just that unfortunately, they seem to make sizes for guys that are quite large, and im the size of that era, small and skinny. it bugs the hell out of me because they dont seem to make my size in anything i want.:rage:

thats prolly why im going with the BD, im not griping at you, plz know that, but it just bugs me that they dont make sizes for all types of people, i can thank my generation for that one, they dont seem to care anything about RAF or WWII for that matter, just texting and Facebooking.[huh]

sorry for rambling,

DR

 

[Edward]

OTOH, you are at least the size that can fit originals..... small comfort, I know, as unlike the Army battledress (which was issued virtually unchanged for years, especially during the post-war National Service years, so there is loads of it still floating around), the RAF vversion is rare and expensive when it does turn up.

These folks in the UK - www.sutlers.co.uk do an RAF option, USD389 or so for the jacket and trousers. Not sure if that's pricey? http://www.sutlers.co.uk/acatalog/World_War_2.html The RAF version seems harer to find a replication of, though, and these folks at least have a reputation for quality (I can't comment as to accuracy).

I googled Replicaters myself at one point, as they seem to be the only company who offer a replica of the WW2 RAF greatcoat. I'm not a re-enactor, but I wanted one myself for civilian wear. The general tone of what I read about them did, I'm afraid, make me decide that I'd be better continuing my seemingly fruitless search for an original big enough to fit a 42-44" chest.... so far, never seen anything over a 41"...

 

[BellyTank]

All of Sutlers' gear seems to be at least a bit "off".

Not so much choice on RAF BD and SD.

B
T

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

"im the size of that era, small and skinny."

I know the feeling.

That's one of the reasons why I like them also is because they tailor your uniform for you.

When I was at the Reading event this year, I had asked a Commonwealth reenactor about the British P38 w/ regards to Replicaters, as the U-Boat crews wore them as well, since they were captured stock from Dunkirk.

The young man said that their color is a bit off. I can't recall the other company he mentioned to me unfortunately.

I have not had any problems with my U-Boat gear falling apart. I wore my pants (I had U-Boat denims made) as every day civilian wear and they held up pretty well, until I outgrew them. But all my shirts, which I use for every day wear, are still going strong.

 

[Zig]

Hello DoolittleRaider and Spitfire,

The RAF battledress came into use widespread in mid-1941. The Eagle Squadrons did indeed wear them with the ES Patches on them. The 3 Eagle Squadrons transferred en masse on 29 Septeber 1942 to the AAF. So they wore BD for about a year and a quarter. And some members continued to wear them in the early days of the 4th FG while flying.

So, perfectly OK to wear BD with the ES patches. Hope this helps out a bit.

Below is a photo of 121 Eagle Squadron taken in the summer of 1942, all wearing BD except 4 members.

And a photo of some of us at an Airshow in Niagra Falls, Ontario doing Eagle Sqdn with BD.

 

[Cobden]

"im the size of that era, small and skinny."

I know the feeling.

That's one of the reasons why I like them also is because they tailor your uniform for you.

When I was at the Reading event this year, I had asked a Commonwealth reenactor about the British P38 w/ regards to Replicaters, as the U-Boat crews wore them as well, since they were captured stock from Dunkirk.

The young man said that their color is a bit off. I can't recall the other company he mentioned to me unfortunately.

I have not had any problems with my U-Boat gear falling apart. I wore my pants (I had U-Boat denims made) as every day civilian wear and they held up pretty well, until I outgrew them. But all my shirts, which I use for every day wear, are still going strong.

Pegasus RAF SA/WSD are the best out there. I believe the original colour is very off, however, after staining with tea, colour becomes only marginallyoff, however, as the correct material isn't made anymore, the correct colour is impossible, as such "marginally off" is as close as one can get!

 

[Spitfire]

Thanks for the pics, Zig. I stand corrected - and it's only your first post. Where will this not end...

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

I concur with Mr Cobden. Pegasus Militaria is the way forward. Next to our originals it's faultless.

You don't look like a big chap. Why not try for originals?

Kate