Paratrooper.be - Page 22 of 33 - WW2 US Paratrooper militaira

S.A.A.R.F. jump wing

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Wouter HasFebruary 9, 2012

This new addition to the jump wings page is very special in that it was issued to maybe only 100 Americans for a unit that existed for only a few months. The Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force was formed in March 1945 and disbanded in July. I had never heard of it before until I did some research when I saw this lot offered on eBay (see picture). It included an original SAARF wing, a reproduction SAARF title and an original SHAEF patch. The wing looks good to me, but I don’t have any good reference pictures.

More information about the history of the SAARF and its insignia can be found here on insignia.org

Paratrooper training photos Camp Mackall, NC

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Wouter HasFebruary 1, 2012

This set of WW2 postcards depicts paratroopers and glider troops training at Camp Mackall, North Carolina. These look like pictures from 1942-43 because the paratroopers no longer wear the early boots with a reinforcing buckle around the instep, and they use the T-5 parachutes instead of the T-4’s used in the early days. Or do they? Picture No. 1672 shows a second rip cord at the paratrooper’s right shoulder, so it’s a free-fall parachute and neither a T-4 nor a T-5, which were both static line parachutes. Can anyone enlighten me on that one? Only the photo marked No. 1679 seems to be from an earlier date. These even look like the so-called air infantry. The men wear the old M-1917 type helmets and no jump boots (looks like they wear gaiters) and I don’t think I see any parachutes. Maybe someone can tell by the markings on the plane?

Click here to view the gallery

Book review: Parachute Rifle Company

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Wouter HasJanuary 29, 2012

Parachute Rifle Company is a very useful book for re-enactors of WW2 paratroopers, and also interesting for collectors, but not a must-have. It contains many color photos and plenty of detailed info on how to gear up, how to manoeuvre, camp, etc.
The layout, printing and binding quality are of the usual high standard at Schiffer Publishing, although the author might want to check his spelling if the book is ever reprinted. In all, this is a book well worth its money.

Click on the cover image for a look inside

See all reference book reviews

Book review: First Airborne Task Force

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Wouter HasJune 30, 2014

First Airborne Task Force is a rare reference book. It was published in 1998 and has not been reprinted. With 500 pages, this is a huge and heavy book. That’s more than De Trez’s 2 volumes on Normandy combined. This book covers the invasion of Southern France and subsequent battles fought in the Provence and the Maritime Alps. The last chapter is about the First Special Service Force. As with the other books, it contains many photos of original and unique uniforms and equipment, as well as period photographs. I would recommend this book if you can get one cheap (150 EUR would be cheap if you reckon it can fetch up to 350 USD via Amazon, but that’s really outrageous). Just last week, one sold on eBay for 190 EUR, and one just sold on paratrooper.fr for about 225 EUR.
Click on the image for sample pages

Objectif Carentan – Paratrooper reference book Normandy

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Wouter HasJanuary 26, 2012

This book from Heimdal publishing is dedicated specifically to the fighting in and around Carentan, Normandy 6-15 June 1944. It is in French, but to be honest I have only looked at the pictures and their captions, and still it’s worthwhile. There are many period photos and great photos from the displays at the Dead Man’s Corner museum, which so far I have only found in this book. See pictures below.

Great stencils for making replica bangalore torpedoes

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Wouter HasAugust 31, 2015

If you ever thought of making your own replica bangalore torpedoes and you want them to be perfect, get the right OD #1 matte paint (I got mine at Gustaaf Desmet in Gent/St Amandsberg) and a set of stencils.

I ordered mine from Noosta Direct. Paul there has been very helpful! So coming soon, I hope, are photos of my restoration project, using original connecting sleeves. If anyone has tips on how to make replica det cord to wrap around them, I’d be much obliged. Some kind of rope or cord of the right diameter and wax coated?

See article showing my finished bangalore torpedoes

Repro paratrooper bazooka rocket bag

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Wouter HasJanuary 15, 2012

I just noticed today that paratrooper.fr is selling repro paratrooper bazooka rocket bags now. Quite good and reasonably priced at only 25 EUR. I have never seen originals in khaki though, only OD green, but the snap hook at the back is as per original (in case you were wondering why this isn’t a more solid hook as seen on other paratrooper gear). Nice gap filler, considering an original will easily set you back 10x that amount.

Combat Reels: the 82nd Airborne in Holland

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Wouter HasJune 30, 2014

I got this dvd a long time ago and it’s been sitting on a shelf, unwatched. A shame really, because it’s really interesting. The bonus material also includes footage from preparations for D-Day in England and footage from Normandy. It’s all black and white, of course, and no sound except for some of the Normandy footage. The image quality is really good. Just too bad the Combat Reels watermark at the bottom is visible permanently, but it’s very small. I am thinking of getting the other disks in this series too.

For lack of a decent reference book on US paratroopers in Holland (we’re still waiting for De Trez’s Orange is the Color of the Day…), I suggest you get this movie.

Camel mini-advertising pamphlet with paratroopers

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Wouter HasJanuary 13, 2012

This one is not a magazine ad, but a leaflet that was included with a pack of Camel cigarettes around the time Camel (and other brands) removed tin foil from its packaging in order to save all metal for the war effort. It instructs smokers to keep the cellophane wrapping on their Camels. Camels are promoted as being good for steady nerves for both soldiers and civilians…

General Mills 1942 ad “Paratrooper dropping in for lunch”

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Wouter HasJanuary 13, 2012

It’s been a long time since I bought my last WW2-period ad featuring paratroopers and I had never seen this one before. It appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in 1942. It’s a typical period ad of an advertiser trying to link his brand to the war effort, particularly brave men with parachutes.

View all WW2 ads with paratroopers