pararaftanr2 Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 I'm not a smoker personally, but it was such a pervasive habit back in the 1940s, especially with the men in service, I feel it helps represent the era accurately. One of the first mannequins I acquired, back in the mid-1980s, was imported from Italy, coincidently, and was sculpted with an open mouth. I took advantage of that feature on another project a couple of years ago, but this time with the help of a spot of Krazy glue. The flight gear of VF-15 ace LT(j.g.) Wallace "Rod" Johnson: https://pilotsmanyourplanes.com/ Link to post Share on other sites
Government Issue Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 I've been considering putting together a USMC or USN pilot for awhile now and your displays look ace! Almost everyone smoked in the service in the 40s. I've been told by Vets that if you didn't smoke you learned to real fast especially after your first time in combat. Looking for anything related to Army Ranger Battalions from World War II Link to post Share on other sites
BlueBookGuy Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 wow this latest one is actually at the top, realistic-wise.. Impressive, it seems like alive.. great. Definitely I have to reconsider my old plan, just must be sure not to make any blunders (ehm, 'cazzate' in Italian slang). In fact, mouth of my guy is indeed a bit too shut. Link to post Share on other sites
willysmb44 Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 I'm not a smoker personally, but it was such a pervasive habit back in the 1940s, especially with the men in service, I feel it helps represent the era accurately. One of the first mannequins I acquired, back in the mid-1980s, was imported from Italy, coincidently, and was sculpted with an open mouth. I took advantage of that feature on another project a couple of years ago, but this time with the help of a spot of Krazy glue. The flight gear of VF-15 ace LT(j.g.) Wallace "Rod" Johnson: Yep, the mannequin looks perfect with the cigarette. It is one of the things that is historically correct you hardly ever see at re-enactments and very rarely in movies anymore. The least we can do is to represent it correctly in displays! Lee Bishop Formerly known as "Ratchet 5" with the 2nd Infantry Division (yes, in REAL life) US WW2 War Correspondent collector Link to post Share on other sites
pararaftanr2 Posted June 5, 2019 Author Share Posted June 5, 2019 Bumped for the 75th Anniversary. One important new item for the display this year was the Royal Navy FAA dinghy knife, as worn on the Mae Wests issued to the VCS-7 pilots. It took a couple of years searching to track down a correct example, as the FAA type had a unique feature, an additional small dagger, fitted inside the main knife's wooden handle, for use to deflate the dinghy rapidly, when needed. https://pilotsmanyourplanes.com/ Link to post Share on other sites
pararaftanr2 Posted June 5, 2019 Author Share Posted June 5, 2019 The knife, installed. https://pilotsmanyourplanes.com/ Link to post Share on other sites
jerry_k Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 One of a kind item for sure! Cheers, Jerry Link to post Share on other sites
KASTAUFFER Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Nice display! !!!! WANTED !!!! WWII Prisoner of War items : Medals, Mail, Diaries, Photos, Documents, Scrapbooks + More WWII Naval Aviation Groupings : Medals, Documents, Scrapbooks, Photos, Flight Logs, Flight Jackets + More Link to post Share on other sites
pararaftanr2 Posted June 8, 2019 Author Share Posted June 8, 2019 Thank you Kurt. A few more minor improvements from the past year. The floating torch, carried in a specific pocket on the wearer's right side of the Mae West, was upgraded to one with a cord still intact. Many surviving examples will have the rubber insulation badly deteriorated, as did my previous one. https://pilotsmanyourplanes.com/ Link to post Share on other sites
pararaftanr2 Posted June 6 Author Share Posted June 6 Bumped to the top for the 76th anniversary of D-Day. https://pilotsmanyourplanes.com/ Link to post Share on other sites
pararaftanr2 Posted June 6 Author Share Posted June 6 This map of the Allied Assault Routes, both sea and air, gives us a good idea of the distance between VCS-7's home base at Lee-On-Solent, represented by the red dot, and their area of operation over and behind the invasion beaches and the Cherbourg Peninsula. https://pilotsmanyourplanes.com/ Link to post Share on other sites
jerry_k Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 Thanks for reminder Paul. Great stuff as always! Jerry Link to post Share on other sites
conn Posted June 17 Share Posted June 17 looks real should have been in Movie, Night in the museum, when things come alive after museum closes very well done ! Link to post Share on other sites
pararaftanr2 Posted June 17 Author Share Posted June 17 Thanks for the kind words. A movie about VCS-7 at Normandy would be a great story. https://pilotsmanyourplanes.com/ Link to post Share on other sites
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