"the great escape" kit

[marco77]

hey guys !!
I try with surfing on the web to make a list of site where we can get some "great escape" items for moderate prices than toy mcoy .
The jacket : why pay 2271 usd for this jacket ? Just watching the movie yesterday and quite sure that's a RW, but wich model ? don't know very well..
you can get an ELC (maybe timeworn) RW 27752 or a 50cal with an AAF decal and a nametag "V. HILTS" or your name or a GW or a RMNZ !!!
Shoes : you can get a BR M-43 service shoes, Doursoux, ATF or WII impression for moderate price !!!
Pants : BR make some good kakis pants or why not Dockers or maybe a chino pants !!!
sweatshirt : Why not trying to get a blue one in a sport shop and cut sleeves ? in France some sport shops present this kind of model for 15 euros !!!!!!!!!!!!!

other ideas are welcome !!!!
hope this help "great escape" fans

El Marcoooooooo

 

[johnwayne]

Hello Marco
For your amusement - I went to a 'Fancy Dress' party a year or two ago and the theme was 'Dress like an Icon' so yes, I went as the cooler king, Capt Virgil Hilts aka the legendary Steve McQueen. I wore an Eastman A2 (OK no VHilts name tag) had a blue Gap sweat shirt that I cut the sleeves off and some Dockers K1 chinos plus a pair of Red Wing boots which yes, were probably not right but looked OK. I even took a baseball mitt and ball the throw at the wall if needed - all that was missing was the motorbike!!!

When someone asked my wife who I was meant to be (can you believe it) she said...............

"Oh, he's George Clooney as he appeared in 'The Great Escape' "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

regards
Wayne

 

[wop54]

For the european forum members: service shoes and chino pants can be found also at http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk, they also have other usaaf stuff. Price are ok , less shipping cost and no import duties.

 

[MikeyB-17]

Hello Marco
For your amusement - I went to a 'Fancy Dress' party a year or two ago and the theme was 'Dress like an Icon' so yes, I went as the cooler king, Capt Virgil Hilts aka the legendary Steve McQueen. I wore an Eastman A2 (OK no VHilts name tag) had a blue Gap sweat shirt that I cut the sleeves off and some Dockers K1 chinos plus a pair of Red Wing boots which yes, were probably not right but looked OK. I even took a baseball mitt and ball the throw at the wall if needed - all that was missing was the motorbike!!!

When someone asked my wife who I was meant to be (can you believe it) she said...............

"Oh, he's George Clooney as he appeared in 'The Great Escape' "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

regards
Wayne

I did a similar thing a few years ago-baseball mitt and all-I covered myself in brown makeup and my clothes in mud to simulate the scene where he's brought back to the camp after trying to tunnel out with Ives. Naturally nobody knew who I was supposed to be, despite the film being on every Xmas since dinosaurs ruled the Earth.

 

[John Lever]

The big joke here is that the Great Escape was composed of a variety of troops from the UK and Commonwealth, also from Norway and Holland. Funny how we remember the fantasy of the film and not reality.

 

[Dr H]

Appropriate quotation for you Imp (paraphrasing): The great tragedy of Hilts - the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact. Thomas Henry Huxley.

 

[jacketimp]

Appropriate quotation for you Imp (paraphrasing): The great tragedy of Hilts - the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact. Thomas Henry Huxley.

who you calling ugly..........that's a compliment

 

[jacketimp]

I did a similar thing a few years ago-baseball mitt and all-I covered myself in brown makeup and my clothes in mud to simulate the scene where he's brought back to the camp after trying to tunnel out with Ives. Naturally nobody knew who I was supposed to be, despite the film being on every Xmas since dinosaurs ruled the Earth.

eeeeeeeeer........ el jolson??


mammy.........

 

[jacketimp]

Hello Marco
For your amusement - I went to a 'Fancy Dress' party a year or two ago and the theme was 'Dress like an Icon' so yes, I went as the cooler king, Capt Virgil Hilts aka the legendary Steve McQueen. I wore an Eastman A2 (OK no VHilts name tag) had a blue Gap sweat shirt that I cut the sleeves off and some Dockers K1 chinos plus a pair of Red Wing boots which yes, were probably not right but looked OK. I even took a baseball mitt and ball the throw at the wall if needed - all that was missing was the motorbike!!!

When someone asked my wife who I was meant to be (can you believe it) she said...............

"Oh, he's George Clooney as he appeared in 'The Great Escape' "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

regards
Wayne

howdy.........george........

glad that you could make it to the forum.....after the great escape

 

[Andrew]

The big joke here is that the Great Escape was composed of a variety of troops from the UK and Commonwealth, also from Norway and Holland. Funny how we remember the fantasy of the film and not reality.

I was thinking the same thing John, and was going to post something about Art imitating life, or life imitating art imitating life but got confused and gave up. This thread would be better named "the great escape" movie kit.

That's Hollywood for you and the times, James Coburn was the token stereotypical Aussie with bad accent- I guess they do it in reverse these days with Poms, Kiwis and Australians playing Americans.

 

[jacketimp]

That's Hollywood for you and the times, James Coburn was the token stereotypical Aussie with bad accent- I guess they do it in reverse these days with Poms, Kiwis and Australians playing Americans.

now we have discussions of brat pit and george clooney (that'll be john wayne, right?) going forthe lead in MY FAIR LADY.

that's americans doing a brit accent......upper class and all posh.

the phrase........having a shite in reverse......

 

[Anonymous]

The big joke here is that the Great Escape was composed of a variety of troops from the UK and Commonwealth, also from Norway and Holland. Funny how we remember the fantasy of the film and not reality.

To be fair to the movie, Americans were involved in some of the early tunnel works as all allied aircrew officers were originally lumped in together. However, as the number of Yanks in captivity grew, they were put in their own camp. So they did contribute and some must've been initially gutted they weren't involved in the escape attempt but later relieved.

At least that's how Paul Brickill has it in the book.

Also worth noting is that Steve McQueen didn't wear the standard uniform of the period. As king of cool he had chinos of the slimmer 60's cut rather than the old baggy bottomed WW2 ones.

There are lots of inconsistancies between the movie and reality but it's still great entertainment. For greater accuracy and a more period feel, stick with the 50's black and white movies made much nearer the time and starring people who actually served in the war albeit it not necessarily in the actions they starred in.

J_H

 

[John Lever]

All but two of the escapees were later shot on the personal orders of Hitler. I think two, surnamed Churchill and Nelson were spared.

 

[marco77]

Anyone knows what kind of aircraft Hilts could pilot ? I'd he's a fighter pilot but ...

 

[johnwayne]

McQueen was a bomber pilot, B25 I think, in 'The War Lover ' but surely Hilts iwould have to be a P51 or P38 pilot, two of the coolest planes ever, although in real life he owned and flew a Stearman. Tom Cruise owns two P51's - thats greedy!!!

 

[jacketimp]

waht about collectors who have 150+ jackets........

is that classify as greeed.....or passion??

 

[asiamiles]

There are lots of inconsistancies between the movie and reality but it's still great entertainment. For greater accuracy and a more period feel, stick with the 50's black and white movies made much nearer the time and starring people who actually served in the war albeit it not necessarily in the actions they starred in.

The film mixes Hollywood escapism with Wartime heroics and the result is an enduring classic; great story, stellar cast, stirring music, all brilliantly employed by John Sturges who shot and co-directed some WWII documentaries. Somewhere near the top of my top twenty films list.

 

[Chandler]

McQueen was a bomber pilot, B25 I think, in 'The War Lover '

B-17 pilot in the War Lover. Smack into the white cliffs.

Chandler

 

[John Lever]

England footie fans know and love the music very well...

 

[Chandler]

There are lots of inconsistancies between the movie and reality but it's still great entertainment.

Agreed. Awfully presumptuous to think none of us read actual history. In my own case, it was movies like this that drew me to history and built my enthusiasm on learning more. And more.

Chandler