Question about Uniforms and Equipment of Glider Infantry and Glider Artillery units

[kelly]

My main collecting area was allways the standard infantry and armor units, i collect a couple of airborne figures long time ago and sell the most airborne stuff .
after waiting years for a artillery piece like the M2 or M3 105mm howitzer finally buy a 75mm pack howitzer and ammo trailer to build up a howitzer and gun crew of a Glider unit.

but now i have the problem with the airborne gear and uniform parts.
i know glider units use a lot of standard infantry stuff but it seems the glider units use much more airborne specific items during and after operation market garden then during the fight in normandy, most pictures show GIs wearing M43 field jackets, rigger modified trousers and buckle boots, in normandy many glider infantryman wearing wool trousers, m41 jackets and service boots with leggings like a ordinary GI.
no trouble with the buckle boots and jackets, but i don´t have a single trigger modified trouser.

i want to use wool overcoats, wool trousers, m43 jackets, buckle boots, rubber overshoes, maybe some service shoes with leggings and shoepacks. standard M1 carbines and garands for the gun crew.
and only a handfull airborne stuff on some figures like rigger modified trousers and jumpboots but not much more.

now my question. how historical correct is the use of these items?

[pangaloss]

This is more conjecture and opinion on my part,but it is based on looking at photos and taking in to account the timeline for issue of uniform items etc. By Market garden the majority of airborne be they paratroopers or glider borne troops would have received their newly issued M 43 uniforms. This issue would have occurred once they had been brought back from France. I believe the paratrooper regiments would have had easier access to riggers who performed the mods on their new uniforms. I'm sure some glider troops would have access but really the modifications where not as necessary or even as useful to them.
If your gun crews are fully equipped with M43 uniforms and buckle top boots they should be good.it all would have been pretty much brand new issue and in preparation for the campaign. Mixining in a few items to show a little individuality should also be fine. It's when you get to Bastogne that you really see all kinds of mix and match. For one thing they were rushed in with little preparation and for another anything to keep them warm. Mackinaw jackets, over coats,wool trousers,over shoes etc. Once again this is really just my opinion. If you check out the airborne section on the board there may be more or better info there.

[pzrwest]

One thing to remember is "time line". You can't have something that wasn't made and issued prior to that date, but any item made before a certain time can be worn right up to the end of the war. So an item made in say 1940 can be worn after that date but not before that date

[magpie]

When the 82nd AB and the 101st AB were pulled out of Normandy they were both issued with the new M43 uniform. These were modified to suit Airborne troops with the thigh pockets reinforced and leg ties added, this was universal and it didn't matter if they were Parachute Infantry or Glider borne Infantry.


The one exception was the 504th PIR who arrived late from the ITO, they wore the M42 paratrooper uniform. Now this is were it gets a little confusing, paratroopers kept their M42's and glider troops kept items from their various uniforms and they wore them when the M43's were damaged or such like.


The one difference is boots, the glider borne troops stopped wearing the short boots and leggings and adopted the M43 'buckle' boots. Though it wasn't unusual for a glider trooper to have obtained a pair of Corcorran's.


When you get to the Ardennes in December 1944 you find that troops would start off with M43's but as the battle progressed the airborne troops tended to mix and match. Glider borne troops may be seen wearing an M43 Jacket with wool OD trousers, or M41 Field Jacket with M43 modified trousers. There is no right or wrong combination except they didn't wear leggings it appears.

[kelly]

ok, thx guys

[JOSH51st]

As others have said, the Glider Regiments during the Bulge were issued the same uniforms as their parent Airborne units. They received rigger modified M-43 trousers, as they did for Market Garden too. Definitely possible to see a mix of buckle boots, jump boots, overshoes and shoe packs (depending on timeframe within the bulge). The M-43 uniform was intended as a layering uniform and was generally worn over the standard wools. So wools instead of M43's are a definite possibility. Also note that some troopers were recalled from leave and were wearing their Service or "Class A" uniforms when they loaded into the trucks to head to the front. So pretty much anything goes uniform wise. I'd avoid leggings this late in the war for glider riders though.

Not much would distinguish the glidermen from paras at this stage while in combat...unless you were in the 101st and had the helmet markings. But even that is not always foolproof...

Good luck with the builds.

-JOSH

[Heeresbergführer]

You can always do the 377th Parachute Field Artillery/101 AB. My wife's grandfather was the commander of "Dog" Battery. He developed the drop containers for the Pack 75mm Howitzer. He had both jump wings and glider wings. They jumped at Normandy and rode Gliders for Market-Garden.