Ron Wouters from Holland sent me photos of a Superior Magneto wrist compass dated 3-44. This makes his compass the earliest dated of that type I have come across so far, and it also means they were manufactured before D-Day. However, there’s still no photographic evidence that this type was actually used on D-Day.
He also says he has several other compasses for sale if anyone’s interested.
Read all about paratrooper wrist compasses here
This is a very nice reproduction I bought from the Rigger Depot through eBay. It looks just like the photos on their website, except mine did not have the Conmar brand zipper puller. I was a bit disappointed at that, especially because it was so expensive with shipping and customs duties. I am displaying it with all its original contents, and I have to say it looks really well.
I got a comment on my article about wartime magazines with paratroopers on the cover. This one is post-war (1962), but has a very colorful cover and features an article about Jumpin’ Jim Gavin, or the much decorated general of the 82nd Airborne Division.
Having read Michael Booth’s biography of Gavin “Paratrooper: The Life of General James M. Gavin” of 2013, this article is sure to contain some exciting highlights of his early career.
Did you know Gavin served as Kennedy’s ambassador to France?
The magazine is for sale here
With his recent book ‘American Airborne Ads of the 20s Thru The 50s’, Ken Peck has really outdone me by finding even more period ads with paratroopers in them than I have assembled in my article about ads with paratroopers.
These colorful ads (and many black and whites too) are not only great for framing, but they give an interesting insight into the prestige of the early parachute troops, the evolution of their uniforms and equipment throughout their development during the war, and how corporations promoted their contribution to the war effort to the American public.
The book is written in English, Spanish, French and German and features 200 pages of period print ads, cartoons and magazine covers, all with paratroopers.
I thought I had listed all known WWII period ads featuring paratroopers, but apparently not… Here’s one of the ads that surfaced on eBay last week. I have another ad from the same company Joyce Aviation, also with paratroopers.
In my article you can see an overview of all the ads with paratroopers I have been able to find over the years.
See full article of ads with paratroopers
Number 8 has just been published, 10 years after number 1. It is still a great series, both for the fantastic drawings and the good script. Philippe Jarbinet manages to maintain the high standard he set with the previous albums. Although no longer centered around airborne soldiers in this fourth do-album, the selected subject of the crumbling Third Reich and German scientists and nazi gold make good ingredients for a fascinating story.
This album and the previous one remind me a bit of the style of François Boucq, another of my favorite comic book authors.
Let’s hope Jarbinet will continue this series for a long time to come!
I just came across this WWII period ad with a paratrooper in it. It has been years since I’ve seen one that wasn’t already in my overview of all ads with paratroopers.
This one is from Monsanto Chemicals, a company that still exists today. The ad promotes Monsanto’s vanilla flavoring ingredient for the army’s Field Ration D, which in fact does not come from actual vanilla seeds, nor from oil of cloves, but from an ingenious US made synthetic flavoring called Vanillin.
The first sergeant enjoying his tasty D-ration in the ad is wearing the M1942 jump suit and M2 helmet, with a Thompson M1928A1 by his side
On eBay I’m seeing copies of escape map pouches that are really well done, at least for re-enactment. There were different versions, but currently I see only one kind. You can also get the French banknotes, escape saw blade and escape compass to go with it. This is the link to the seller’s page if you’re interested. As long as these items are being sold as replicas, it’s quite harmless, and as such they are great for living history displays and re-enactment. But sooner or later these items will be ‘aged’ and passed off as originals, or ‘not sure how old this is’ etc.
Years ago, I added this magazine cover in the article about this subject. With a story about the 503rd PIR in training, this is one of the best period magazines on this topic for collectors.
Some readers had already come forward stating they know the paratrooper on the cover as PFC Robert Green. Apparently this is documented in the January 12, 1943 Edition of Look Magazine on page 62 where Mr. & Mrs. L.H. Green of Stephens, Ark sent in a picture and a thank you to the magazine which states “The Paratrooper on your Nov 3, 1942 Cover is our son, PFC Robert L. Green. Thank You for giving him this honor!”. Thank you Kenneth Peck for sharing this!
Check out the article with all paratrooper magazine covers
I have taken some time again to list the items of my collection I am selling. Mostly US of course, and some German items still remaining.
These are some of the new items:
Tank helmet with goggles, headphones and microphone
Tanker bib trousers
Tanker jacket
Tank periscope
Tank telescope
Various tank and armor related manuals
Distinguished Service Cross box
Mine detector
And lots more…
