WWII Reenacting Discussion Thread

[Spitfire]

Just googled "Overweight reenactors" - where's the credit and the honour in this?

lol lol lol

If I was a veteran seeing this, I would just turn my back and walk away.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Just googled "Overweight reenactors" - where's the credit and the honour in this?

lol lol lol

Kampfgruppe Dickenkörper makes preparations for the final assault on Hometown Buffet. These boys give Lebensraum an entirely new meaning.

lollollol

FARB Alert: Is Brünhilde there wearing jeans with her peadot camo smock???

 

[obxgyrene]

Lord have mercy... I'm speechless.

 

[cco23i]

I have seen these photos before. This is definitly NOT what is needed but thankfully they don't do public events. You CANNOT judge an entie group by a few individuals. And Spit, if you were an air corps veteran and saw this, would you walk away or come up and talk to us as many have done.

As I said, you can't judge an entire group by a few idiots.

Scott

 

[Spitfire]

Scott - nice pic. As stated yesterday: Some get away with it, others don't.
You guys certainly do!
And even if I only look like a air corps veteran, I would still like to talk to you guys.

 

[cco23i]

It's sad Spit that groups won't police their members and such and they give everybody else a bad name. As in my case I won't do RAF as I HATE TIES and many photos of the early mechanics they are wearing fricken ties under their wool coveralls! Not me!

Scott

 

[MPicciotto]

I've not been able to do any airshows/reenactments so far this year for a variety of reasons. But one that has kept me from making a greater effort to go is my weight. I'm not honoring anybody at my current state of physical fitness. I'm working hard at correcting it trying to bicycle 10 miles every day that I can. And the weight gain is reversing. Another 10 or so pounds and I'll be back to a chunky ground pounder Chaplain in the AAF. Another 10 or 20 after that and I can be a respectable if stockier airman of some sort.

Matt

 

[p51]

As nice as it’d be, thin teenagers can’t afford to be in the hobby to have the correct stuff. Sure, there are people like that in the hobby today, but how many 20-somethings do you know who can afford a halftrack or a working machine gun? The hobby will always be dominated by people who are reasonably mobile and have disposable incomes. That’s middle-aged folks. Once you come to terms with that and move on, you’ll enjoy the hobby much more. If not, you need to take up stamp collecting or model railroading.

I guess I’m torn on the point as I actually used to know this guy. He’s really a decent guy if he’s still around. He grew up very close to where they tested nuclear weapons and had a wicked thyroid condition. I saw him eat and he ate like a bird but had no medical hope of ever being thin. While I agree that his is not a normal experience and he doesn’t look the part, but I can’t say I would be able to look him in the eye and say, “No, you can’t come and play” when very few other re-enactors really look the part either. When I got into the hobby I was thin as a rail and 19 (and I looked much younger than that). Now I’m 41, much larger (but not “re-enactor overweight”) and no longer look the part of a GI like I did at the start.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Gentlemen, please keep your replies on point. I'm monitoring this thread closely and the whole Boyington discussion was WAY off target. Thanks. FH

 

[Sgt Brown]

I've not been able to do any airshows/reenactments so far this year for a variety of reasons. But one that has kept me from making a greater effort to go is my weight. I'm not honoring anybody at my current state of physical fitness. I'm working hard at correcting it trying to bicycle 10 miles every day that I can. And the weight gain is reversing. Another 10 or so pounds and I'll be back to a chunky ground pounder Chaplain in the AAF. Another 10 or 20 after that and I can be a respectable if stockier airman of some sort.

Matt

Actually Matt, you hit the point. If someone is a touch overweight, even quite heavy, there ARE military positions for them, just not combat. Interestingly, every extra-large original uniform I (personally) have ever found were officer's uniforms with medical insignia. Apparently, if you were a MD or other medical specialist, they didn't care how overweight you were. Other positions like Chaplain, Intelligence Officer, Supply Officer, etc., one could be somewhat rotund but medicos could be downright fat.

Just no Fallschirmfatties, Gerbiljeagers or "Wangers Wead the Way" PLEASE!:cheer2:

Tom

 

[cco23i]

Exactly Tom, that's one reason for doing ground crew, you can be older and a little thicker and be perfect. Hell, when I went in anyone over Master Sergeant was big. All of us young airmen were the small guys BUT any important work came up the old experienced guys took over and showed us kids how to do it.

Scott

 

[Davep]

For starters these are not your standard everyday reenactors, they look more like spectators. Forget about their weight they are out of uniform, and wouldn't be accepted at any respected event. As far a weight, not everyone in the war was skinny, far from it.

Also those who can purchase a Halftrack is not a function of age or youth it's a function of disposalble income and lots of it. So age is not a factor here.

Finally this is a hobby, one which transcends age and physical quailtities.

 

[Spitfire]

Regarding age and their ability to buy weapons, uniforms and "halftracks":
During WWII they did not buy it either. The government did. (Government = Taxes)
Everybody interested in re-creating/staging WWII - and being of a certain age, where they do have the fonds to buy all this stuff - should buy it and let the young kids play with it. Just like WWII....
Ah well...maybe not. lol

 

[Sgt Brown]

Exactly Tom, that's one reason for doing ground crew, you can be older and a little thicker and be perfect. Hell, when I went in anyone over Master Sergeant was big. All of us young airmen were the small guys BUT any important work came up the old experienced guys took over and showed us kids how to do it.

Scott

There are ways around a lot of obstacles. I had one, how does an old fart (60) authentically take part as a member of a ground crew display? Then it hit me... Civilian Tech Representative! The aircraft and powerplant companies had hundreds of these guys out there in the field helping aircraft maintenance units. A set of khakis with CTR patches to qualify under the Geneva Convention and you're ready to go. Being a civilian, you can be older and/or heavier. Also being a civilian, you might have a beard and/or wear civilian items of dress (like suspenders or a straw fedora) with your quasi-uniform.

There are a gazillion different civilian patches (and jobs) out there. War correspondents and photographers instantly come to mind. There are TONS of possibilities for the guys (and girls) who don't perfectly fit in as "normal" GI's. (Got a general in your camp? There's a patch for civilian chauffeur!)

Tom

 

[Stearmen]

Eisenhower 100th

When I first heard about WWII reenacting, was in the mid 1980s, back then the average age must have been late 20s. I think the reason was the cheep prices of uniforms. In 1990, the 100th anniversary of Eisenhower birth was being celebrated, you either wore WWII uniform or I like Ike 50s, so I went to our local thrift stores and purchased a uniform. Pink pants, shirt and tie, and even an Ike jacket, I spent around $12.00 for every thing but a hat, I had to go to a dealer to find a peak hat in modern big head size, it was around $15.00! I wish I had thought about the stream of WWII uniforms drying up at the thrift stores, but I didn't, so no large supply in my attic!

 

[Warden]

I say this is nice, those rather folks at "Your local times" have printed a special edition for the Severn Valley Railway WW2 re-enactment weekend here in the UK.

Not sure who this rather dashing couple are?

http://www.yourlocaltimesww2.co.uk/?page_id=343

 

[ButteMT61]

My son has done reenacting (US Army) for years, but started collecting Russian (Soviet) gear after his third year of Russian. Now, he's fluent in speaking, reading and writing and I joined him this past spring at Camp Roberts, CA for a huge event. I borrowed gear as I was unsure of wanting to do this. I wanted to spend time with my son, love history and WWII, so why not?
I was just about to turn 50, so I felt a tad intimidated going in. Once there, I got the gear (which kinda fit as I'm big, not fat) and had a great time.
I've since lost 25+ pounds and am getting into shape again. After three kids and 20 years of marriage, I decided it was time. Man, I'm glad I did! I started acquiring gear after that event, and now have most everything I need, sans rifle and a few other minor things. I look and feel so much better, and the gear looks pretty good if I do say so myself.
I am and have been torn on the whole "fat reenactor" thing. I like not being a prick and including people that might not have a lot of friends. OTOH, I can't help but feel that each team/squad/group/herd needs some minimal standards. If for no other reason than personal pride, but ut of respect for others?
Dunno. The really fat (sorry) folks just turn me off to the whole thing. I know some groups need members, so they tolerate this some, but I'd rather the unit look respectable and be smaller.
If you haven't done it, you might want to check it out. It can be a lot of fun, and I learn a lot every time I go out.

 

[cco23i]

The key thing here (in my mind) is to portray the fellows in WW2 to the best of your ability and to do it right and ALWAYS work to improve your impression.

Scott

 

[Hankh]

Met this gentleman from the Isles in Normandy.
He certainly knows his WWII movies.

 

[Zenoctilles]

I've been incredibly interested in doing an impression of an average 82nd Airborne paratrooper, and in order to cut down on costs, I've decided not to buy most fieldgear unless it "completes the look", so to the speak. So, I have one question: If I plan to get the M1923 cartridge belt, do I necessarily need to get the suspenders? Most guides seem to suggest that suspenders are necessary if you are wearing a cartridge belt of any kind, but it looks like you can tighten the cartridge belt just enough around your waist so that it doesn't fall off.