Looking for help with positioning of equipment on British Airborne models

[james]

I’m hoping the more knowledgeable of you here can help me with assembling a sprue of British Airborne when it come to the various equipment options. I’m sure there are intended combinations for the different weapon loadout etc but for the complete novice what are they? I have the Osprey Men at arms book The British Army 1939 – 45 (I) which helps a little but does not cover my specific needs.

I’m not looking for 100% historic accuracy but it would be nice to have some resources to refer to they are look about right, and avoid glaring errors where the placement on the model is just wrong placement, orientation etc.

[Nat]

in a field situation there is no such thing as equipment in the wrong place… the ammo pouch is where the hand goes, same with bayonet fob…. but its how the individual wants to carry it (we used to be able to tell whos belt kit was whos by that).

also you are looking at everyone carrying kit for squad weapons … ie whilst the gunner and assistant would carry the bren, spare barrel etc all the squad would carry extra mags + mortar shell + piat round etc etc

[invisible officer]

Well, not everything is possible. The Webbing Pattern 37 web Equipment has some parts that fit only to special others.

 

That link brings you to a page with the regulations.

http://www.karkeeweb.com/patterns/1937/1937_manuals.html

 

But the basic is cast on the miniature anyway. Belts and amo pouches are there.

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Officers rarely wore the basic amo pouch so none of the bodies is perfect without cutting it away. They wore the pistol pouch on the left hip. The pistol amo pouch was fixed to the right shoulder belt. The binocular case was worn at the crossing point of right shoulder belt and belt.

Officers often had a haversack, worn hanging from belt below left shoulder belt.

 

The 1943  Respirator bag was light olive green, even if worn with Webbing in light yellow Blanco paint.

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The 2 men Bren gun Team is a bit Special. No.1 with the MG wears in Addition the Bren wallet, a tool pouch worn under the left amo pouch but hanging on own  strap over the shoulder.

The big long thing in the part of sprue where the Bren is is the Bren gunpouch, worn by No. 2.   Holding the spare Barrel, grease, some Tools. It had a belt and was worn over the left shoulder like a rifle on back. (So if the man was xxxx easy to remove)

No. 2 also wore two extra amo pouches, one each positioned over the Basic standard one cast on the miniature.Hanging on an extra belt around the neck, so easy removal if ……

(In section each Rifle soldier had two Bren magazines in the Basic pouches and his 10 rifle Clips, MG No. 1 had 4 magazines and No. 2 five Magazines and 10 rifle Clips.)

The LMG Group leader wore another two extra amo pouch carrier and the smatchet, a machete.

 

 

[james]

@invisible officer many thanks for detail reply very much the sort of information I was looking for, and thank you for such a smashing link. I’m definitely feeling confident to assemble some troops now and have them looking correctly equipped.

The notes about the loader carrying the bren case was also very helpful I hadn’t considered that would be the case, but now I’ll be making a loader too. Which will help make the squad interesting on the table top too.

[Author]

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