Can anyone identify the jacket type of the guy on the ring mount?
http://www.phpshopxml.com/quakit.shop/CID/c00e22f97482632a7d4927fc02bb9b8b/function/itemPageDisplay/shopItemCode/GAS50379 " TARGET="_blank"> http://www.phpshopxml.com/quakit.shop/CID/c00e22f97482632a7d4927fc02bb9b8b/function/itemPageDisplay/shopItemCode/GAS50379
I have found a few close but no exact match.

Hi
No idea it's not an M41 style jacket as they dont have chest pockets, if there where 2 more pockets under the belt area & it was green I'd say it was the later M43 pattern jacket.
Good luck finding out.

It looks kind of like this;
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_clothing_ww2_hbt_2pc.php " TARGET="_blank"> http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_clothing_ww2_hbt_2pc.php

Could it be a French design?

Hey Bret,
It's possible.
The naval berets seem to indicate that they're part of the Régiment Blindé de Fusiliers Marins, a TD unit attached to the Free French 2e Division Blindée (2nd Armoured Division).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusiliers_Marins

The unit was drawn from naval servicemen and they used a combination of French and U.S. uniform items.
Cheers

jjumbo

I have a very quick look at this thread before heading off to work this morning, and I must admit that was my first thought as well. These boys don't look the part of typical US tankers given those bonnets/berets. Strangely though the kit appears to be called "US...... "?

Although this isn't my usual subject, I'll be watching this one with interest.

Rudi

I don't know what the jacket is called but I think I know what it is....there were some wool jackets designed in the ETO and manufactured in Britain in 1942-44 that look very much like this one.

Of course these guys are French marines so I could be way off base.

This kit and another one I have are supposed to be usable as either French or US tank/armored car personel, they have both berets and helmets. Other than this one, they all seem to have US issue uniforms.

I will throw in an odd family experience... I was looking at photos of my great uncle about a month ago and saw he was wearing some odd, non US issue clothing and equiptment throughout the various AOs he was involved in. I called him and asked him where and why he had what he had. The first turned out to be an Italian camo jacket he picked up in Africa as a trophy, the second was a pair of British para pants he stole while in Normandy because it had more pockets, and the third was an SS reversible jacket he picked up in the Ardennes because he was freezing (the latter gave him body lice and flees as the man he took it from had been dead for some time). I guess his unit had no grooming or uniform standards... or because he was Sargeant Major.

-Mike

Mike,
I'm pretty sure your great uncle wasn't the only soldier to improvise his uniform during the war. Thanks for sharing, it's nice that you have that story. None of my relatives wanted to talk about their service.

The Jacket worn by the dude on the ring mount is supposed to be an "ETO" Field Jacket.
IIRC they were 3 different versions.

All were wool, not the Tan Poplin color of the kit picture. one version was copied from the original issue M1941 Field Jacket, the others had Pockets from the austerity BD