Duxford re enactors?

Blimey, never expected this thread to be resurrected! I’ll have a look and sort out what photos I’ve got Howard, do you want to PM me an email address to send them to?

How on earth anyone could put up with wearing that heavy clothing all morning in that heat beats me! I certainly appreciated their efforts though, gave a nice period feel, and improved the flightline walk no end from a photographic point of view.

Anyone able to give me a name for the group that organises these costumes?

thanks

Gareth

Hi Gareth,
I am a member of this group and it is called ‘OPS 1939-45’ a WW2 RAF Living History Group,i think the show is Flying Legends.
All the uniforms etc are owned by the members themselves,do you have anymore pics of RAF chaps that you could e-mail to me?.
We are looking into getting some extra publicity for our group in various magazines so any pics would be much appreciated(with owners permission obviously).
Thanks
Howard.

Mike, very well said indeed, and yes, it certainly sounds like the group I saw. We should all feel truly privileged to have these gentlemen in our midst, but sadly many people do not share this view it seems.

The aviation society I help to run held a Bomber Crew Forum last week which attracted 12 airmen who had flown such diverse types as Audax, Bombay, Valentia, Wellesley, Wellington, Lancaster, Stirling, Halifax, Whitley, Battle, Blenheim, Baltimore, Boston, Lincoln, I could go on, but you get the picture. We had three holders of the DFC present, one of whom was a double-tour Pathfinder Force pilot.

What was missing? The public! We had a devil of a job selling tickets and in the end moved to a smaller venue so that it did not look too embarrasing! A sign of the times I fear.

Pity Gunther Rall et al didn’t say the same about the photographer!

Originally posted by Steve Bond
It was a bit sad, but an “enthusiast photographer” standing next to me complained that they were getting in the way of his shot! [/B]

Oh dear!!! How crass, there’s always one isn’t there!!

Do post the vets photo when you get them back won’t you?

Gareth, yes I only saw them by chance, but I did get some photos (waiting on Kodak to get them back to me).

It was a bit sad, but an “enthusiast photographer” standing next to me complained that they were getting in the way of his shot!

Firebird – thanks for all the information, all fascinating stuff! I know what you mean about war films, we have a similar situation in our house with anything regarding aircraft 😀

Steve – ahhh…. wish I’d known about the vets by the P51, missed that having a quick look around the hangers before anything else. Anyone got a photo of the group?

Yup black ties are a big no,no in this scenario….
As skypilot says, pre-42, although, something in the back of my mind says that US MP units continued wearing black ties in the ETO…… might need to dig out the old uniform books when I get home…..not that these guys are in MP attire anyway…:rolleyes:

Must have been a little hot in RAF service dress with aircrew sweater and sheepeskin jacket……..nice for the public to see the kit and good for the photographers though.

Anybody have a pre-war black or white flying suit on…….that would have been more bearable in the conditions…..:D

Reminds me of a big group of us from LHA, doing a similar thing at the Navy days at Chatham a few years back in full No.4 Commando kit (serge battledress, full packs and webbing incl ammo and weapons and dems kit) on a similarily hot day….:(

Thanks Skypilot62, that would make sense. Still, does anyone know who they all were?

Steve, was it the same group from the “aces” meet Flypast had organised? – would make sense.

Now that really would be a sight to behold – Gunther Rall nattering to Bud Anderson! Mucho respect!

Best I can compare is flying Johnnie Johnson on the jumpseat of an ATP to Manchester (got a great crew photo and he signed our logbooks!)

Duxford re-enactors

I thought they added a lot to the atmosphere, but I am surprised no-one has yet mentioned the fantastic collection of veterans gathered around the P-51s around 9.30 on the Saturday morning (at least).

I recognised Gunther Rall and Bud Anderson among them, but does anyone know who else was in the group?

Black ties were worn pre-WW2 but in early 1942, the wool & worsted (not shiny polyester!) black tie was replaced – previously it had been a silk mix, so it is unlikely troops arriving in England in 1943 would still be wearing black ties as they would have been issued the newest depot gear. Perhaps a few old hands would have held on to the black tie as a sort of kudos symbol of regular army service, nbut certainly not the norm. Black tie for dead comrades? A nice idea but sadly would have been impractical. The tie tended to be discarded as soon as possible anyway in the field. Guard duties would mean a particularly “proper” dress standard, so ties at Duxford would be appropriate, but worn done up at the neck!

I’ve been collecting RAF kit for 15+ years and US gear for 5+ years so I’m a bit anal about “correct” kit. “If a job’s worth doing…etc.” Only problem is I’m banned from watching war films with my family due to my constant tutting and much shaking of the head (Battle of Britain being one of the worst offenders!).

thanks skypilot, I knew I knew very little about uniforms, I now know how little that is!:D

Never noticed the watch being ‘non period’ guess those details are what makes all the difference. The US uniform is definitely wearing a black tie, as was his colleague (see attached enlargement), would they not be worn if someone in the company had recently been killed in action?

Super anorak time!

The 2nd photo of RAF bods:

Left: Wearing a 40/41 pattern flying suit, possibly even a 1930 patt – a variation of the pre-war Sidcot suit, 1932 Patt. Mae West, 1943 Patt (Escape) boots (look carefully – you’ll see the top strap is not across the front as per 36 Patt boots). Shame about the nice digital watch – it least that’s what it looks like in the pic.!

Right: Standard Officers service dress cap, 32 patt. Mae West, lobes painted yellow to aid visibilty – a common practice until the all yellow 1941 patt Mae West, 1939 pattern boots (second version – leather top strap).

Slight correction to Firebird’s answers on 1st RAF pic & US pic. (no offence old boy!)

Chap on the right is wearing a late pattern 1941 Patt. Mae west (not Yellow painted, it was made of yellow cotton) and is wearing 1941 patt boots (you can just about make out the ankle strap). Chap on the left is wearing a roll-neck sweater which is technically a FAA/RN issue. Turtle necks were the RAF issue.

US pic – Can’t tell if he’s wearing 1943 patt buckle boots – could be the early war rough-out (i.e. suede side outwards) service shoe – basically a suede ankle boot. Would be more in keeping with the gaiters, M41 jacket etc. He seems to be wearing a black tie which was a no-no, should be tan worsted. Could be just the shadow to be fair – the rest of his kit is spot on so I doubt he’s made such a basic error.

Well, you did ask….!;) 😀

Many thanks Firebird, that’s just the sort of information I was looking for.

Just copied and pasted “WW2 Living History Association” into google, I see what you mean, there are a lot of them aren’t there!!

Not one organisation, usually members of lots of re-enactment groups, incl. WW2 Living History Association and many others.

Brief uniform descriptions are,
1st photo is a standard US Army combat/field uniform of M1 helmet, M41 patt. jacket, ‘mustard’ field trousers (M36 patt?) M38 gaiters and late war pattern ‘rough-out’ buckle boots. These boots were not usually wore with the gaiters as they were a high leg style boot designed to do dispense with the gaiters which are an absolute pain in the ??? to put on, especially if youre in a hurry. Under the field jacket is a standard issue wool field shirt and tie and webbing consists of garrand belt with a water bottle and field dressing pouch on the right hip.

2nd photo is RAF officers service dress with flying gear, on left with BofB period life vest sheepskin jacket and 36 patt boots, with the sweater-aircrew roll neck under service dress tunic. On right is later war style (’42 onwards) sheepskin jacket and yellow overpainted life vest and what looks like 40 patt boots……

No Germans around this year? BW Roger

thanks Mark, PM sent!

Gareth, that chap on the left in your last photo I recognise. If you send me a private message I could give you his e-mail address off-board.

How on earth anyone could put up with wearing that heavy clothing all morning in that heat beats me! I certainly appreciated their efforts though, gave a nice period feel, and improved the flightline walk no end from a photographic point of view.

Anyone able to give me a name for the group that organises these costumes?

thanks

Gareth