I was a reenactor in the early '80s. Almost everything we wore and used was original. Kind of hard to believe now, given how much value some of the items have gained over the years. For instance, one of the impressions I did was Brit para, and we used original Denison smocks. One that I owned had been used in the film A Bridge too Far. That smock was in mint condition and would now be worth thousands. We also used to wear original US para uniforms in the field, but as prices started rising, we started making our own. Well, that is, one of the guy's wives was a seamstress, so she made the M1942 jump uniforms for us. Seems so long ago.....not at all.
Ha! So was I! Brit 51st Highland 42nd Black Watch! 1st reenactment was at the Quantico MOUT site. Also did the 40th D-Day anniversary at Ft Story VA (The Army took us out to sea in a LARC and we got to hit the beach), did a bunch more. We probably were at some of the same events.
@@wes11bravo I was at a Ft. Story D-Day event, but I believe it was in 1982. I was 82nd AB, and we got "dropped" into the "Normandy" night via a couple deuce and a half trucks. At the intended drop time, each trooper jumped out the back of the truck at intervals as it slowly rolled down the road...as if a stick of troopers was dropped near each other from a plane. I attended events all over the place, such as Fort Indiantown Gap, Camp Atterbury, Pioneer Boy Scout Camp in NW Ohio, Weldon Springs, MO, etc. I thought it was all kind of silly and fun at the same time, and feel in hindsight that it was mostly very silly. The collecting was actually the better part of it for me. The reenactments nearly always were about "winning the battle", so things seemed to always turn into, "Hey, I shot you first." As the Brit paras used to yell all the time, "This is STOOOOOPID". I just stumbled onto this fellow's vids and have enjoyed watching somebody young who has the same kind of interest we had forty years ago. FORTY YEARS AGO! Actually, this stuff is still neat to me, even though I don't own much of anything collectible. I still am deeply interested in that war. BTW, I do recall seeing you guys from time to time.
@lonzo61 - I'm from Pittsburgh so The Gap was a constant. Years later I trained there all the time during my time in the PA Army Guard - I already knew my way around pretty well when we did land nav or patrolled out by the impact area. When reenacting, I also did Weldon Spring. I remember seeing you Paras and trying not to mix you guys up with the Krauts! It was all a bit silly (the literary critic and former infantry platoon leader Paul Fussell had some definite opinions about reenacting - after witnessing a demonstration "battle" he said something like, "well, there wasn't nearly enough blood curdling death screaming") I loved seeing all the cool Class 3 Sten Guns plus I'm pretty sure one of you guys had a Bren too? I only ever had my No4 Mk1 or a borrowed M1 when I did my 1/327th 101st impression. It was a fun time to be sure.
@@wes11bravo Paul Fussell was equally dismissive of the movie Saving Private Ryan. He said the opening scene was the only realistic part of the film. I can't blame him, knowing what he and most others who saw combat endured. It's wholly understandable why so many did not talk about their experiences. I used to think they were just being stoical, but it was reliving the horror that they wanted to avoid. Not that some didn't freely talk, as you surely know. Hard to believe that most of them are gone now. I had a Sten (full auto) for a spell, but mostly used a No 4. Actually, I think I only joined the Brit paras for perhaps three events. The rest of the time, I did 82nd AB (pathfinder), which I actually didn't like. I wanted to just do a standard paratrooper impression, but there was this guy who had been in the actual 82nd who ran our little lot. He had seen action in Vietnam (carried a Thompson SMG), and couldn't seem to get enough of the military life. Some people actually like combat. I know damn well that I would have hated it same as most guys do if you're in the worst of it...and living in the mud. If you see enough and do enough in a war, you have had enough. I was a fireman/paramedic for some time in a large Midwestern city, and I had my fill of seeing or treating people dead or dying from all manner of accidents, shootings, knife attacks. iron skillet attacks (no shit), heart attacks, etc. Left after only eight years of that. I am glad there are people who like it, though.
Surplus in general has gotten a bit ridiculous. even on more modern gear. An M56 buttpack that's torn and moldy still goes for atleast $100. Don't even get me started on WW2 gear.
You are doing a great service to young Americans. It's important to understand where we come from. If not, it's easy to get lost in this crazy modern world. Keep up the great work!
I would love to do something like this but i have a bad back and a spinal cord stimulator attached to my spine. Maybe i could be a disabled German defending Berlin in 1945?
There’s a new movie coming out and it’s a World War II movie if you want some more props and jackets and coats they might have some after the movie at a reenactment
@docholiday1806 Im equally guilty. But don't think it really matter if you have 100% well done replica according to original (Sheffield company from UK for example still manufacturing their famous Fairbairn sykes combat daggers) or 80 years old original stuff.
True. People criticising good enough replica military gear sound as annoying as gun nuts always picking apart anything that isn't super realistic about guns lol
I have a question and looking for some feed back. I have found and acquired a harvest sack with entrenching tool, shelter tent with pegs and mess kit dated 1942. I would like to reenact. Would this be OK? I would rather buy repos then ruin or degrade the pack further
Mr.WorldWarWisdom, I have a question that is specific. For the 1943 invasion of Sicily, can I get away with wear a M37 Flannel shirt instead of the typical wool shirts? Thank you if you see this!
I have actually had luck getting originals for cheap. I've actually paid under $100 for unissued M1944 Field pack/cargo pack combo same with the M1945 field packs. M1923 cartridge belts as well for under $100. Original unissued 1944 dated Double buckle boots for under $70.A M1928 Haversack with it's original meatcan pouch for $2.50. $100 for a factory BooBoo Stainless steel rear seam swivel bale McCord heat number 899D (Supposed to be a front seam).
Hi World War wisdom can you please send me a M1 helmet original from World War II with the inner helmet and the inner helmet liner and ask me a price on the helmet
I was a reenactor in the early '80s. Almost everything we wore and used was original. Kind of hard to believe now, given how much value some of the items have gained over the years. For instance, one of the impressions I did was Brit para, and we used original Denison smocks. One that I owned had been used in the film A Bridge too Far. That smock was in mint condition and would now be worth thousands.
We also used to wear original US para uniforms in the field, but as prices started rising, we started making our own. Well, that is, one of the guy's wives was a seamstress, so she made the M1942 jump uniforms for us.
Seems so long ago.....not at all.
Dang…
Ha! So was I! Brit 51st Highland 42nd Black Watch! 1st reenactment was at the Quantico MOUT site. Also did the 40th D-Day anniversary at Ft Story VA (The Army took us out to sea in a LARC and we got to hit the beach), did a bunch more. We probably were at some of the same events.
@@wes11bravo I was at a Ft. Story D-Day event, but I believe it was in 1982. I was 82nd AB, and we got "dropped" into the "Normandy" night via a couple deuce and a half trucks. At the intended drop time, each trooper jumped out the back of the truck at intervals as it slowly rolled down the road...as if a stick of troopers was dropped near each other from a plane.
I attended events all over the place, such as Fort Indiantown Gap, Camp Atterbury, Pioneer Boy Scout Camp in NW Ohio, Weldon Springs, MO, etc. I thought it was all kind of silly and fun at the same time, and feel in hindsight that it was mostly very silly. The collecting was actually the better part of it for me. The reenactments nearly always were about "winning the battle", so things seemed to always turn into, "Hey, I shot you first." As the Brit paras used to yell all the time, "This is STOOOOOPID".
I just stumbled onto this fellow's vids and have enjoyed watching somebody young who has the same kind of interest we had forty years ago. FORTY YEARS AGO! Actually, this stuff is still neat to me, even though I don't own much of anything collectible. I still am deeply interested in that war.
BTW, I do recall seeing you guys from time to time.
@lonzo61 - I'm from Pittsburgh so The Gap was a constant. Years later I trained there all the time during my time in the PA Army Guard - I already knew my way around pretty well when we did land nav or patrolled out by the impact area. When reenacting, I also did Weldon Spring. I remember seeing you Paras and trying not to mix you guys up with the Krauts! It was all a bit silly (the literary critic and former infantry platoon leader Paul Fussell had some definite opinions about reenacting - after witnessing a demonstration "battle" he said something like, "well, there wasn't nearly enough blood curdling death screaming") I loved seeing all the cool Class 3 Sten Guns plus I'm pretty sure one of you guys had a Bren too? I only ever had my No4 Mk1 or a borrowed M1 when I did my 1/327th 101st impression. It was a fun time to be sure.
@@wes11bravo Paul Fussell was equally dismissive of the movie Saving Private Ryan. He said the opening scene was the only realistic part of the film. I can't blame him, knowing what he and most others who saw combat endured. It's wholly understandable why so many did not talk about their experiences. I used to think they were just being stoical, but it was reliving the horror that they wanted to avoid. Not that some didn't freely talk, as you surely know. Hard to believe that most of them are gone now.
I had a Sten (full auto) for a spell, but mostly used a No 4. Actually, I think I only joined the Brit paras for perhaps three events. The rest of the time, I did 82nd AB (pathfinder), which I actually didn't like. I wanted to just do a standard paratrooper impression, but there was this guy who had been in the actual 82nd who ran our little lot. He had seen action in Vietnam (carried a Thompson SMG), and couldn't seem to get enough of the military life. Some people actually like combat. I know damn well that I would have hated it same as most guys do if you're in the worst of it...and living in the mud. If you see enough and do enough in a war, you have had enough. I was a fireman/paramedic for some time in a large Midwestern city, and I had my fill of seeing or treating people dead or dying from all manner of accidents, shootings, knife attacks. iron skillet attacks (no shit), heart attacks, etc. Left after only eight years of that. I am glad there are people who like it, though.
I'm now 73, one of my favorite things in the 60s was to go through War Surplus stores. The real things were often literally stacked to the roof.
The last day of the sale should have been December 7th.
That's my grandma's birthday
Surplus in general has gotten a bit ridiculous. even on more modern gear. An M56 buttpack that's torn and moldy still goes for atleast $100. Don't even get me started on WW2 gear.
I'm so glad you popped up on my feed. I've learned a lot from you.
Also, old www2 gear would've been new at the time, no point in taking something thats both expensive snd probably decently worn out from use
You are doing a great service to young Americans. It's important to understand where we come from. If not, it's easy to get lost in this crazy modern world. Keep up the great work!
I remember asking a question about this not too long ago, don't know if you read it but interesting nonetheless
this was very helpful thanks wisdom :)
Those prices are horrible for reproductions
I would love to do something like this but i have a bad back and a spinal cord stimulator attached to my spine. Maybe i could be a disabled German defending Berlin in 1945?
For extra realism, refrain from showering for 9 months before your next event! :P
There’s a new movie coming out and it’s a World War II movie if you want some more props and jackets and coats they might have some after the movie at a reenactment
There is also World War Supply!
I've found many army Navy surplus stores that are walk in or brick and mortar ...they are ridiculously priced For" surplus" stores
Some people has really curious problems..
You think ur better or something?
@docholiday1806 Im equally guilty. But don't think it really matter if you have 100% well done replica according to original (Sheffield company from UK for example still manufacturing their famous Fairbairn sykes combat daggers) or 80 years old original stuff.
@@jindrichburian3946 ahh
True. People criticising good enough replica military gear sound as annoying as gun nuts always picking apart anything that isn't super realistic about guns lol
dude you could survive the actual battle of normandy
where do you usualy buy your stuff?
I just noticed the broken lift the dot on the 43 E-tool cover there. I have the same situation.
The thing with our group portraying AAF ground crews we used original class As and repro HBTs
Can you do a medical gear walk through of what you use as a medic
It'll be so cool if you pulled up to a gun range. In this world war 2 reenactment outfit and give a fudd flashbacks 😂.
Very aawsuum...
I have been running low on grenades 😅
.Great stuff. I would love to be a renactor
Repro-what? No beds?
Man, I wanna get into reenacting
Im always to scared to use any original items other than my k98 and stahlhelm.
Buy 4 $25 goft cards, refund them, rinse and repeat. Free money glitch!
( Financial advise, sue me )
I have a question and looking for some feed back. I have found and acquired a harvest sack with entrenching tool, shelter tent with pegs and mess kit dated 1942. I would like to reenact. Would this be OK? I would rather buy repos then ruin or degrade the pack further
Avito) now it's hard to buy something from Europe/US
505PIR 82nd AIB reenactors from Moscow, Russia)
Mr.WorldWarWisdom, I have a question that is specific.
For the 1943 invasion of Sicily, can I get away with wear a M37 Flannel shirt instead of the typical wool shirts? Thank you if you see this!
Depends on the unit portrayed.
How do you get your kit
You should do a video about the u.s British made ammo belt
Where can I get a repro M1 Garand?
Unless you want a prop or airsoft I don't think there are any you could get an Italian garand they're cheaper than the US ones at least in Canada
Yes. I believe there were repos made in the 70s.
I just use originals
I have actually had luck getting originals for cheap. I've actually paid under $100 for unissued M1944 Field pack/cargo pack combo same with the M1945 field packs. M1923 cartridge belts as well for under $100. Original unissued 1944 dated Double buckle boots for under $70.A M1928 Haversack with it's original meatcan pouch for $2.50. $100 for a factory BooBoo Stainless steel rear seam swivel bale McCord heat number 899D (Supposed to be a front seam).
Cute boy playing soldier 😅
Nice
I liked every video
Hi World War wisdom can you please send me a M1 helmet original from World War II with the inner helmet and the inner helmet liner and ask me a price on the helmet
Hmmm. 🤔
✅
Daddy
Puss in boots the last wish
First
First can i get pin