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WWII U.S. Marines and U.S. Army infantry??????

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  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Aaaaah.... Alpha Apaches... A beautiful thing!
Posted by Cobrahistorian on Monday, December 13, 2004 9:01 AM
Big Smile [:D]
"1-6 is in hot"
  • Member since
    January 2003
Posted by Jeff Herne on Monday, December 13, 2004 8:31 AM
HAHAHA!! Can you tell who the WW2 reenactors are here???

It's an inside joke, both CobraHistorian and I do WW2 reenacting with the same outfit...he's been known to do 1st SSF (great for winter tacticals) while I tend to lean towards either 2nd Division or 44th Division.

Jeff
  • Member since
    October 2003
  • From: Clovis, Calif
Posted by rebelreenactor on Thursday, December 2, 2004 6:52 PM
thanks for the info. Looks like I will be doing some figure chopping!
thanks again guys.
John
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Aaaaah.... Alpha Apaches... A beautiful thing!
Posted by Cobrahistorian on Wednesday, December 1, 2004 5:51 PM
Rebelreenactor,

Making USMC figures into GIs is not impossible, but if you wanted to do an Omaha beach landing, it would be difficult. Utah would be easier. Let me explain. The 1st and 29th Divisions that hit Omaha beach were wearing their standard wool uniforms with M-41 field jackets over them. However, the 4th ID on Utah wore their cotton, herringbone twill uniforms OVER their wools on D-Day because their HBTs had been impregnated against chemical weapons, whereas the 1st and 29th ID's wool uniforms were.

The difference between Army and Marine HBT uniforms is significant in the top, but not really all that bad in the trousers. Army 2nd pattern (the most common type) HBT shirts have two chest pockets, each big enough to hold a K Ration box. Closures were all with metal 13-star buttons. The USMC M-1941 HBT shirt is a 3 pocket deal with one chest pocket on the left side (with the Eagle Globe and Anchor stencil on it) and two lower pockets on the skirt. None of these pockets had closures, they were just open.

The trousers, on the other hand were different. USMC and Army 1st Pattern trousers were very much alike, but the Army went to the 2nd Pattern in 1943 and the 2nd pattern were much more common. The Army trousers have large hip cargo pockets and no others. These close with a single metal 13-star button. The USMC trousers have two slash pockets on the hips and two patch pockets on the seat, one of the rear pockets closes with a button while the other has no closure.

Now, making USMC figures Army for a pacific battle would be simple, you'd really just have to alter the shirts they were wearing to represent the correct pocket arrangement. GI's in the pacific often had camo helmet covers instead of nets. As for the leggings, Marines wore leggings too, but often discarded them and let their trousers hang free for faster drainage when they'd crossed a water obstacle or hit the beach. The boots the Army and Marines wore during that time were nearly identical. Army M-43 combat boots didn't start seeing combat until January 1944 at Anzio.

Hope that helps!

"1-6 is in hot"
  • Member since
    October 2003
  • From: Clovis, Calif
Posted by rebelreenactor on Wednesday, December 1, 2004 5:23 PM
Ok, I guess i will have some chopping up to do. I have an idea for a beach landing on guam, would it be easier to convert army inf into marines?
(i am guessing no)
John
  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Western Canada
Posted by ghamilt1 on Tuesday, November 30, 2004 7:04 PM
Assuming your diorama is in 1/35 scale, then your best bet might be to use the dragon 1/35 series of figures. And at this point, I think you might have a problem with the uniforms. From what I've seen, the marine's helmets are always portrayed as having cloth camo covers, while the US Army figures always have netting or are bare. Quite a few of the marine figures I've seen show them without the leggings over their boots, and I'm pretty certain the Army troops had those leggings as they went ashore at Normandy. Still, if you're willing to do some conversion work, I can't see why you couldn't use Marines in your Normandy Dio. And I still think the dragon figures are the best value for that job.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 30, 2004 7:03 PM
John:

I think you would have problems because the USMC uniform, typically Pacific tropical, was different than the US Army in Europe.

Use the USMC figures as an example & hack the Army figures to match .... knees & waists & elbows all cut easily & go back together with putty nicely ....

John
  • Member since
    October 2003
  • From: Clovis, Calif
WWII U.S. Marines and U.S. Army infantry??????
Posted by rebelreenactor on Tuesday, November 30, 2004 6:49 PM
Hey guys,

For dio in the future I would like to have the US troops hitting the beach at Normandy. My question is, can I use WWII marines and paint them in Army infantry uniforms? Is there a difference?

Reason for this is there are a lot of good wounded figures that are marines, but they are essential to my dio.

thanks for your help!Smile [:)]
John
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