|
Post by cookie on Feb 24, 2009 5:18:42 GMT -5
Turner, I have seen tan coloured TAP Mle 50 webbing! It crops up now and again on ebay. I also spoke to a man at the 'Military Odyssey' last year who was wearing all tan Mle 50 web gear, including a mint condition Mle 50 belt. All of the webbing featured in the film Dien Bien Phu is also tan. My Mle 50 webbing ranges from 'dark tan' to plain green, as you can see from my photos above. Very annoying!
I think that belt you've pictured at the bottom is Israeli. They used a lot of French pattern items. It looks good to me. Maybe just a little too tan though...
|
|
|
Post by oggy on Feb 24, 2009 10:18:59 GMT -5
The Brit 37, 44 and 58 web buckles are a lot easier to get hold of and cheaper than Belgian webbing. I can muck about with 37 pattern buckles first as they're dirt cheap. Fair dos - I have a scrap 44 Belt, pretty much at the end of it's working life if you need the buckles...
|
|
|
Post by oggy on Feb 24, 2009 10:21:18 GMT -5
Turner, I think that belt you've pictured at the bottom is Israeli. They used a lot of French pattern items. It looks good to me. Maybe just a little too tan though... Isreali for sure - I have an ex Isreali 47/56 Jacket in my collection (complete with French and Isreali issue stamps!)
|
|
|
Post by cookie on Feb 24, 2009 11:24:25 GMT -5
Cheers Oggy, I've got various 37, 44 and 58 pattern bits lying around from bargain bins etc. Just working out how to reproduce the belt retainers. They're tricky as they're 3mm wide and rounded, not flat like the US belt and RAPCO.
|
|
|
Post by oggy on Feb 24, 2009 16:23:25 GMT -5
Now there's the tricky part!
|
|
|
Post by oggy on Feb 26, 2009 12:20:08 GMT -5
Now there's the tricky part! Just had a thought - how wide are the hooks on 37 pouches?
|
|
|
Post by cookie on Feb 26, 2009 15:15:35 GMT -5
Thats a good idea. I'll look into it.
|
|
|
Post by Turner on Feb 26, 2009 16:41:28 GMT -5
Looking at the Mle 50 and RAPCO belts, the Mle 50 buckle is held in place by 2 rivets, whereas the RAPCO is with three rivets. Annoying but not impossible to convert. ! That's what I thought, too. But there's no rule without exception! Voila! a RAPCO belt held by only two rivets. Maybe one of the first belts with the new buckle?? With best regards, Turner
|
|
|
Post by cookie on Mar 16, 2009 17:29:24 GMT -5
Yeah, knowing the French it is entirely usual for this sort of transition to occur. I have also seen Mle 50 belts without the Press stud for the pistol ammo pouch, with flat, 5mm wide retainers, and US belts with French buckles added.
I'm working on my RAPCO/Mle 50 conversion at the minute. It is going suprisingly easy. I've simply chopped the RAPCO buckle from the end and folded the new end over a British blackened 58 buckle. Re-rivetted it and sewn round it. I'll post the pictures when it's finished.
NB- you have to be seriously thin though to do this as the belt is considerably shortened by chopping the RAPCO buckle off!
|
|