US Equipment and Uniform Reference Thread.

[Parus Ater]

Mmmm...


The Thompson 1928 variants could accept all magazine types but was the only one that could take the drum magazine, later models could only accept stick magazines, magazine size doesn't matter since all could take either a 20 and the 30 but the 20 was the only one really around in the ETO.

[Parus Ater]

Worth pointing out that the 1928 was overwhelmingly presented as only having the stick mags, drum mags are, essentially, "British". The vast numbers of M-19278's and M-1928A1's shipped to Russia with stick mags tell you the thinking at the time.

the British thinking behind the use of the Tommy by armoured crews is about it being a single use weapon with the maximum amount of rounds in a mag without reloading. I seen people and read in books that the drum was favoured because it was more compact but that doesn't really fit with having the pistol foregrip.

[Comte Michel]

but about the BAR, it weighed 20lbs! the bipod alone weighed 2.5lbs by its self.

It did, but then it has to be seen as comparable to the Bren, which if anything is probably heavier. I've held a Bren but not a BAR. Both were designed primarily for prone or walking fire with a sling. Arguably the Bren does a better job because the magazine is on top and therefore easier to change.

You just can't beat an MG42 though - they even used them in Star Wars

[Parus Ater]

That's the difference twenty years makes.

[Cubster]

Chug chug chug ... chug chug chug ...

That's me being a Bren that is.

[Parus Ater]

Medical Pouch (9708500)

If you've been reading the thread you might have noticed the lack of date number or fractured name for it. Medical gear is very, very odd in that it went for numbers and not official names. Also, NOTHING is maker marked or dated.
Another odd thing about the Medical Corps is that they had a lot of bespoke metal hardware one their kit, taking it to almost USMC levels. so the clip hooks are only seen on this bag, the metal gromits are only seen on this bag and the metal rings are only on this bag and the yoke.

Enlisted medical staff were issued two of these with specific contents for each so they knew where everything was. The were worn in any number of ways, clipped directly to a pistol belt with a full pack, using the litter straps as above and crossed over the body (usually when not "on the line") and most often depicted being used with the litter suspender yoke. As shown the bags had a flap on the front and back with gromit holes. this was to allow a false bottom arrangement and effectively reduce the size and bulk of the bag so the contents don't rattle around when the bag isn't full.
A few infantry had these on D-Day to carry extra supplies for the combat Medics who feared they would run out, often seen clipped to the underside of the waterproof gas mask bag.
There was another gromit flap on the inside to take two different types of inserts deisgned to hold certain items at the top.














To my burning shame I don't have a set of Medical yoke suspenders but when I do I'll put it in this post.