Some of the 4th FG and a lot of A-2s

[ausreenactor]

Dudes of the Day..

CAPT Halsey grabbed one size too large... at least.. Or he dropped the weight in London? On the beer, on his pay.. yeah, nah.

 

[Greg Gale]

@Smithy , despite her mourning, do you think she could have worn a blue dress? It's just too light for black, I've tried but it didn't work:

 

[B-Man2]

Greg
That’s amazing. I have no idea how your doing the colorization but man... that looks good. The colors are spot on with the uniforms so I’m guessing her dress would be spot on color wise as well.

 

[Smithy]

@Smithy , despite her mourning, do you think she could have worn a blue dress? It's just too light for black, I've tried but it didn't work:

Could be Greg. Maybe grey or a charcoal colour are possibilities also?

Looks great though, you're getting to be quite a whizz at this colourisation stuff!

 

[Brettafett]

Found this cool to see...

Godfrey looks so dapper in his A-2

 

[B-Man2]

Whoa .... she was a cutie!

 

[Cocker]

Gentile, Godfrey, "Red Dog" Norley, that's just epic!!

 

[Brettafett]

Speaking of... Red Dog Norley...

 

[taikonaut]

Amazing how thin people are back then. They just don't wear jackets like most of us do nowadays.

 

[Smithy]

Amazing how thin people are back then.

Not really. There was a war on so there was rationing, but also people didn't stuff their faces 24/7 back then. There was also bugger all processed food and people on the whole did a lot more physical activity than most today.

 

[B-Man2]

Exactly ... plus they were 18- 28 years old for the most part , but you’re spot on about the eating and the diet.

 

[taikonaut]

Not really. There was a war on so there was rationing, but also people didn't stuff their faces 24/7 back then. There was also bugger all processed food and people on the whole did a lot more physical activity than most today.

So I'm right they are thin back then.

At my workplace there is probably one young guy between 18-28 that probably has the built of these WW2 servicemen. The others of the same age group are reasonably fit and goes to the gym often are all muscular. They will have a job squeezing their arms through the hole of these jackets

 

[Smithy]

Another interesting fact about modern male physiques in the developed world compared to those during WWII is chest size. Chest size can be significantly bigger now. Interestingly from a training and exercise perspective the bench press only really started to become popular after the war and from around the mid to late 50s on. Coincidence or a contributing factor?

 

[Smithy]

We haven't had a Dude of the Day for a bit so to make up for it here's a few of them!

336 Sqn on New Year's Day 1945. Bloody great photo this one (click on it to make it bigger and better resolution)...

 

[Greg Gale]

Only 3 patched jackets!

 

[Bombing IP]

I see 5 patched

Jeff

 

[Smithy]

I make 4 at first glance

Interestingly they're only A-2s, none of the B-10s seem to carry squadron patches. The 4th didn't go in for squadron patches in a big way like many other groups and I have wondered if some of this was a filtering down from Don Blakeslee who was arguably the most influential leader of the 4th. He wasn't big on ostentation.

 

[Brettafett]

I love this pic! Thank you!
I have recently finished a couple of really good books on the 357th and they seem to have loved their squadron patches.

 

[Cocker]

I find 4 too, and a couple customized ones with nicknames painted on!

 

[Greg Gale]

Wearing only an a-2 on January 1, they must be freezing!