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Post by rasperguy on Sept 3, 2015 9:36:40 GMT -5
Hello new to group but we do 1st Para regiment FFL Algeria, but also Indochina in the mid Atlantic region of the USA. Been together for 6+ years doing mostly living history events.
We will be attending the Tank Farm event at a private tank collection at quasi of Area VA, we will be camped next to a Pannard that was in Algeria.
Always looking at at like minded members and friends to join us.
Also interested to open dialog for attending other folks events
VR,
CJS
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 3, 2015 11:58:59 GMT -5
I am also a member of this unit, we usually have a pretty good size display, we invite prospective members to visit us. The event rasperguy is talking about is the “Americans in Wartime Museum” and the “Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles” Open House event October 3rd and 4th 2015 in Nokesville Virginia, which is a display of tanks and other armored vehicles from all periods and countries, this includes historical reenactors to bring life to the vehicles.
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Post by lew on Sept 3, 2015 17:41:41 GMT -5
Howdy guys and welcome aboard. I'd love to see pictures of your kit. Does that Panhard happen to be an EBR? I'm in Southeast Michigan, and then Arizona at the end of the month, so I won't be of much use, but I can still relentlessly critique your impressions.  I focus on 8e Choc and the GCMA in Indo and 1e RCP, 15e RTS/75e RIMa, and 11e Choc (most of my attention) in Algeria. I don't know if you've seen this yet: frenchindochinawar.proboards.com/thread/574/national-dien-event-planning-october?page=1&scrollTo=4259The date was moved up to early June. My brother, a buddy, and myself are the 8e BPC contingent. I'm working on getting some caps made and I'll need another M1 Carbine, but, other that, we're ready to roll. I'm not on Facebook, but Craig (member name craigtx) is and can fill ya in on the couple of Indo/Algérie groups. He'll likely check in soon. Are either of you part of the 47/52 TAP uniform group buy Craig and I put together? |
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 3, 2015 21:23:22 GMT -5
Theres a 47/52 group buy... well that's what we get for not being active members of this forum. Most of the guys have the 47/52 sets one other guy and I use the 47/56 set, everyone uses the TAP suspenders and belts, helmets are the mie. 1951's, we have the brown rangers for boots though I have a repro pair of the mle. 1950 jump boots. Our weapons are MAS-49's and 49/56's though there are one or two MAS-36's. I don't think the Panhard was early enough for Algeria its the M-3 APC variant which was much later, but fun to take for rides. If you had seen the Small Arms Review (volume 18 number 3) article on the MAT-49... that was us in that photo shoot, and yes we were able to fire a couple mags from it, I will tell you the MAT-49 is sweet.
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Post by lew on Sept 4, 2015 18:29:33 GMT -5
Bastard. I would run a school bus off the road for a PM 49.  From what you describe, its sounds like you're well set up. I think I have a couple of your group's pictures saved. I have not seen that SAR article, but I'll look for it. I'm sure you probably know, but helmets were rarely worn except for parachute jumps (US M1 or Mle. 56). Some para units used the Mle. 51 sparingly in the early years of the war, but a beret or chapeau de brousse would be far more appropriate for the Legion (they were never issued the "Bigeard" cap). Add some M1 Carbines to the mix.  Cheers! |
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Post by lew on Sept 4, 2015 18:31:30 GMT -5
Where do you get repro Mle. 50 boots and 47/52 sets?
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Post by Étienne on Sept 4, 2015 20:17:01 GMT -5
hmmm...I'm quite tempted! I'm in NC, about 30 minutes SE of Danville. I only have uniforms suitable for Indochina, however...no lizards, just M1943 HBTs in green and in camo. And, I tend to not have time to have that much fun  |
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Post by Étienne on Sept 4, 2015 20:19:44 GMT -5
Speaking of Panhards, I have a photo I took of some knocked-out Panhards I came across while I was in the Army and working in the horn of Africa. I just found it and meant to make a scan of it. Soon after, some guy told me if I went back and got them for him he'd give my 50k apiece  |
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Post by craigtx on Sept 5, 2015 9:53:48 GMT -5
Howdy Y'all!
Dang it! Y'all are on the wrong coast! I also do a 1e/2e BEP impression. I'm in the Pacific NW so not available, unfortunately. I'll echo Steve, where did you find the Mle 50 boot repros? I'll also echo Steve on the MAT 49...
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 7, 2015 12:45:56 GMT -5
Where do you get repro Mle. 50 boots and 47/52 sets? They are actually 80's/90's Italian boots, Soprtsman's Guide had them about 10 years ago, I see them on E-bay every now and then. they are actually pretty accurate, with the lacing going to the toe, and sole is pretty close to the original pattern. |
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 7, 2015 13:15:01 GMT -5
Speaking of Panhards, I have a photo I took of some knocked-out Panhards I came across while I was in the Army and working in the horn of Africa. I just found it and meant to make a scan of it. Soon after, some guy told me if I went back and got them for him he'd give my 50k apiece I saw quite a few in good shape in Bosnia, a couple M-3's and quite a few AML-90's, and AML-60's. |
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 7, 2015 13:54:45 GMT -5
Where do you get repro Mle. 50 boots and 47/52 sets? They are actually 80's/90's Italian boots, Soprtsman's Guide had them about 10 years ago, I see them on E-bay every now and then. they are actually pretty accurate, with the lacing going to the toe, and sole is pretty close to the original pattern. |
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Post by lew on Sept 7, 2015 15:02:18 GMT -5
I'm acquainted with the boots. I tried to buy some off of eBay.it but the hack seller refused to ship to the US even though I was ready and willing to pay. Moron.
I hope they haven't been blackened.
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Post by craigtx on Sept 7, 2015 15:58:34 GMT -5
Hopefully Jerry Lee will come through with his repros.
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 7, 2015 17:46:31 GMT -5
Hopefully Jerry Lee will come through with his repros. I may have loner 47/56 lizards, I can bring if needed. |
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 7, 2015 18:50:14 GMT -5
The French site Doursoux has repro 47/56 stuff, it looks pretty good, I know they do paypal not sure what shipping will be though. doursoux.com/en/1157-tenue |
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Post by craigtx on Sept 7, 2015 19:03:19 GMT -5
I was referring to his repros of the Mle 50 jump boots. He's got a limited run in the works. Also some OD Mle 47s as well as some lizards, but I don't know what model off hand. He currently has some extreme orient sets available both on his website and eBay.
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 7, 2015 19:25:49 GMT -5
I was referring to his repros of the Mle 50 jump boots. He's got a limited run in the works. Also some OD Mle 47s as well as some lizards, but I don't know what model off hand. He currently has some extreme orient sets available both on his website and eBay. Ah ok, I saw an original pair of the boots at George Petersons place (National Capital Historical Sales), Peterson has some repro US M42 jump uniforms in French lizard pattern camo, could be copies of something that could have been done locally. |
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Post by lew on Sept 8, 2015 11:43:20 GMT -5
The French site Doursoux has repro 47/56 stuff, it looks pretty good, I know they do paypal not sure what shipping will be though. doursoux.com/en/1157-tenueI've bought a ton of stuff from Doursoux. Great company to do business with. They're three piece berets are superb- I'm waiting for the royal blue ones to be released- and their 47/56 repros are outstanding. My only complaint about the latter is that the pattern they copied was the darkest 47/56 camo pattern originally used. It's accurate, but I prefer the lighter variations. |
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Post by lew on Sept 8, 2015 12:18:05 GMT -5
Peterson has some repro US M42 jump uniforms in French lizard pattern camo, could be copies of something that could have been done locally. I'm skeptical, so I'd have to see this for myself. I've never even heard of such an item, although George is one impressive scrounger. I thought I knew a lot about Indo/Algérie (and I do, in favor of the latter), but I was happy to be humbled by his breadth of knowledge. I'm having him make me some custom caps in the coming months. |
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 8, 2015 22:53:10 GMT -5
The French site Doursoux has repro 47/56 stuff, it looks pretty good, I know they do paypal not sure what shipping will be though. doursoux.com/en/1157-tenueI've bought a ton of stuff from Doursoux. Great company to do business with. They're three piece berets are superb- I'm waiting for the royal blue ones to be released- and their 47/56 repros are outstanding. My only complaint about the latter is that the pattern they copied was the darkest 47/56 camo pattern originally used. It's accurate, but I prefer the lighter variations. All 3 of my original 47/56 sets are the darker colors, oddly one of the tops has both dark and light panels the front of the body and sleeves are the darker and the back panels are the lighter... I like using that one when I get the "those aren't the right color" questions. |
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 8, 2015 22:55:22 GMT -5
Peterson has some repro US M42 jump uniforms in French lizard pattern camo, could be copies of something that could have been done locally. I'm skeptical, so I'd have to see this for myself. I've never even heard of such an item, although George is one impressive scrounger. I thought I knew a lot about Indo/Algérie (and I do, in favor of the latter), but I was happy to be humbled by his breadth of knowledge. I'm having him make me some custom caps in the coming months. Yeah I'm not sure either on that one, just know he has them, he has a few different French things he has made in Vietnam. |
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Post by lew on Sept 9, 2015 8:46:17 GMT -5
I've bought a ton of stuff from Doursoux. Great company to do business with. They're three piece berets are superb- I'm waiting for the royal blue ones to be released- and their 47/56 repros are outstanding. My only complaint about the latter is that the pattern they copied was the darkest 47/56 camo pattern originally used. It's accurate, but I prefer the lighter variations. All 3 of my original 47/56 sets are the darker colors, oddly one of the tops has both dark and light panels the front of the body and sleeves are the darker and the back panels are the lighter... I like using that one when I get the "those aren't the right color" questions. My original 47/56 (made in 1960, if I recall correctly) is red/brown dominant, which is a variant I have not see often. Anyway, for well-made reproductions that are the only thing around, my complaint is minuscule and negligible. Errant thought: Oddly, one encounters more variation amongst supposedly standardized French uniforms- tenues TAP Mles. 47 through 47/56 and TTA Mles. 47 through 47/59- than one sees in all the foreign-supplied clothing that predated those- Windproofs, "frogskins", Denison Smock, HBT's, et al. |
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Post by craigtx on Sept 9, 2015 21:13:57 GMT -5
I'd noticed that.
I expect like any other gubbmint organization they went with the lowest bidder on each contract.
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Post by lew on Sept 10, 2015 7:15:23 GMT -5
Absolutely, and I'm sure the specifications were not too stringent. Each of the dozens of contractors and subcontractors had their own processes and they and the inspectors called it good enough.
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 10, 2015 16:04:19 GMT -5
You can see our 1er REP's camp from 2014 Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles open house, just next to the Chaffee, the Chaffee had been with a French armored unit in Algeria, the markings were uncovered while VMMV was doing the restoration a few years ago, we were late letting them know we were planning on attending so we didn't get the Panhard M-3. www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1J1J1XGuf0 |
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Post by brunogunn on Sept 10, 2015 17:21:13 GMT -5
Here are a couple photos of our unit from some past events. 
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Post by lew on Sept 10, 2015 17:35:51 GMT -5
That looks good. Really good. I wish I wasn't this far away; I'd happily join in with ya. I like that you have a "Viet", too. From where do you get blank ammunition? If I may nitpick (and I will ), to go with the time period indicated by the uniforms, tan chapeaus de brousse should be on the way out and replaced with the OD variant. What pack is that with the helmet perched atop? Again, very nice impressions. |
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Post by rasperguy on Sept 10, 2015 18:58:29 GMT -5
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Post by rasperguy on Sept 10, 2015 18:59:35 GMT -5
Rasperguy at Fort Mifflin Living History event, the wine was flowing that day
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I focus on 8e Choc and the GCMA in Indo and 1e RCP, 15e RTS/75e RIMa, and 11e Choc (most of my attention) in Algeria.
