Best forum for repro WWII uniforms and favorite vendor?

[BigBrother]

Hey all- bit of the cart before the horse here on this one.

I began mostly interested in dress uniforms and my passing interest in the jackets quickly grew. In fact it was posting on one of my usual uniform sites (TFL) that introduced me to VLJ just a few days ago.

Now I’m on VLJ asking about more sources for my original interest!

I currently post on TFL and US Militaria with any and all uniform questions. Have any other recs? Am I missing a big one??

And for suppliers of repro, whom do you consider the best of the best- WWII Impressions?

Thanks, all!

 

[ausreenactor]

For field level wear I use ATF for American kit.... I have USMC Dress Blue jacket and USMC khakis from WWII Impressions. Along with their cordovan shoes.

The range at ATF is great. For obscure kit WPG is great. Employ FB pages for the reenactor stuff.

 

[foster]

There is no single "Best" at this. It varies from item to item. Sometimes the 'best' option for an item is the only vendor making it.

I have to echo what Aus stated - At The Front is the best for a broad range of USA and German items.
WWII Impressions excels at making only USA items, but availability is usually the question. If they have what you want in stock, buy it then as they may not make the same item again for a year (or more).
WPG (What Price Glory) covers a lot of ground on their USA and UK offerings, but is more willing to make the less common items one might seek after (like ETO jackets, for example).

Keep in mind that uniforms (especially) tend to vary from batch to batch. One batch may be exceptional, then on the next production run, there's one too many (or one too few) buttons on the front, or the pockets are messed up, or the zippers break, etc etc.

 

[Smithy]

I've had repro bits from most of them and I will personally say that out of all of the ones I've tried, ATF are the best in terms of being constructed like proper military kit. A lot of reeactor clobber is TBH pretty flimsy, it's made expressly for standing around at events and "looking the part" but you wouldn't want to go into combat in the stuff. All the ATF stuff I've had is by contrast made like proper military kit of the time, solidly constructed and feels almost like you're buying army surplus gear rather than repro cosplay stuff which some repro stuff feels like.

Just to quantify this, I have an ATF 44 Pattern Sumpftarn Wehrmacht parka which I use for manual work and up in the mountains during the colder months here in Arctic Norway. I also have two of their B-10s, one of which is my go to work jackets, I've restored a boat, built a verandah and knocked down a cottage/cabin wearing it.

ATF clobber is about the only reeactor stuff that I'd wear to do close to what the original items were intended for. Saying that some ATF gear has little compromises to keep costs down, eg that Jerry parka of mine has fleece as the filling material instead of Reizwolle. Does that worry me? No, you can't see the lining anyway and the heft is the same too.

Ultimately depends what you want and what you want to use it for.

 

[BigBrother]

Sorry, I realized I hid an important detail pretty high up in the post. This is for dress uniform only (think for dances.)

Also, any other forum recs for this besides the ones I’m already in (USM and TFL)?

Thanks!

 

[ausreenactor]

Original Class As if possible. I have WPG and pretty wool, ATF do not do them anymore and WWII Impressions is really expensive.

Used to bounce some of the forums but FB is the more popular go to for reenactor groups these days.

 

[BigBrother]

Have you handled/purchased WWII Impressions? I'm earmarking some money for this and so am certainly willing to "buy once cry once". They seem to be the best in the biz and I'm curious. Thanks!

 

[foster]

If you can fit in an original, that is your best option as they are made much better than any repro has been done. The repro options are limited and very expensive. I have an original but I’ve never dropped the money on the repros. Original quality is above and beyond all the repros.

 

[ausreenactor]

The ATF Class As were overly synthetic. I have a pristine 42R and three of their Ikes in the bags. Another three Ikes patched up. I have only got the WWII Impressions Dress Blues jacket. Material is very close but sleeve hems are at different lengths to the red trim/buttons on each sleeve. For the retail price I would have expected better consistency.

 

[BigBrother]

The ATF Class As were overly synthetic. I have a pristine 42R and three of their Ikes in the bags. Another three Ikes patched up. I have only got the WWII Impressions Dress Blues jacket. Material is very close but sleeve hems are at different lengths to the red trim/buttons on each sleeve. For the retail price I would have expected better consistency.

Man, maybe I *should* just track the stuff down on eBay . On the other hand, there’s something amazingly appealing about walking into a place, dropping some cash, and walking out with an entire set of officer’s and enlisted dress uniforms for two or three different services. Could take months or longer on eBay. Hmmm...

 

[B-Man2]

Sorry ... I just saw part of your thread and I’m responding late . Are you looking strictly for earlier uniforms, like WWII , Korea or Vietnam era? or current day dress blues ?

 

[Thomas Koehle]

ATF should be the place

I got a class A-Jacket as well as a IKE jacket from them - do not know if they still produce them though

 

[Adama36]

I would go for original on ebay or such. Probably cheaper and of better quality. There are so many out there that I doubt anybody will be offended if you wear the real deal.

 

[BigBrother]

Sorry ... I just saw part of your thread and I’m responding late . Are you looking strictly for earlier uniforms, like WWII , Korea or Vietnam era? or current day dress blues ?

Strictly WWII

 

[BigBrother]

ATF should be the place

I got a class A-Jacket as well as a IKE jacket from them - do not know if they still produce them though

But ATF doesn’t do much dress and service uniforms, which is what I’m after (this is for things like hangar dances, not fieldwork.)

 

[Thomas Koehle]

I got both the A-Class as well as the IKE a couple of years ago ...

Did not check lately whether they still produce them so maybe better to check for the other sources which have been proposed already

 

[BigBrother]

Oh sorry I didn’t remember what that was (I’ve been using the old WWII designations in all my chatter and searches- summer, dress, service, etc. Though perhaps letter designations were in use then too (?))

 

[ausreenactor]

Man, maybe I *should* just track the stuff down on eBay . On the other hand, there’s something amazingly appealing about walking into a place, dropping some cash, and walking out with an entire set of officer’s and enlisted dress uniforms for two or three different services. Could take months or longer on eBay. Hmmm...

I am not sure if you have ever been to WWII Impressions. Small foyer with a bit of stuff on display. Most if the kit was out the back...

The journey is the fun... Not sure what size you are after... originals are all over FB reenactor pages. There are a pages for whatever MOS or Service you are into.. or just get an unpatched original and patch it your way.

If you are happy to pay twice as much for a reproduction in a larger size WWII Impressions is the only real choice..

Forgot to ask. Officer or Enlisted?

 

[BigBrother]

I am not sure if you have ever been to WWII Impressions. Small foyer with a bit of stuff on display. Most if the kit was out the back...

The journey is the fun... Not sure what size you are after... originals are all over FB reenactor pages. There are a pages for whatever MOS or Service you are into.. or just get an unpatched original and patch it your way.

If you are happy to pay twice as much for a reproduction in a larger size WWII Impressions is the only real choice..

Forgot to ask. Officer or Enlisted?

Depends on the service. For Navy I would want both (though I already scored the officer’s jacket (see a previous post of mine- $5!!! ) and so really it’s just a matter of black pants for the most part. Whites don’t interest me for now.) Then there are several of the enlisted I would want- dark cracker jack, white cracker jack, and dungaree style. There is one minor officer’s addition which would be a G1 jacket, and I feel the summer khaki for the Army basically just handles that part of the rest of that Naval look/uniform.

Army would be exclusively officers, and the whole shebang- summer khaki, winter components in all three shades (pinks and greens, chocolate, OD... I think I got them all.) Flight jackets of course, plus some of the lesser known items like the summer khaki dress jacket and a B-13 flight jacket, whose look I love!

Marines I have absolutely no interest in. I’m pretty certain the reason is that, because the look is so damn similar to today, it just doesn’t have that same vintage feel for me and I think could easily come off stolen valor-ish as well.

I think that about covers it but if I remember any more I will let you know!

 

[ausreenactor]

Navy. Just get modern items... most won't know the difference. I thought you meant the real Armed Services?