Category: History

Posted on by

PRC-6 JHY-3B4 Electron Tube Package

Before Fair Radio went out of business, I had the opportunity to pick through it a bit. Much of the WWII stuff was gone, but they did have a few PRC-6s.

I was able to find enough parts to complete the unit, including the mic and antenna.

The one thing it was missing was this JHY 3B4 tube. I found one on ebay for 9 dollars in Jan 2024. Below is what the box looked like. It was 4.5in long (from one end of the box wings to the other) and 2in high. You can download a pdf of the box if needed.

It was also missing the primary crystal, CR-23/U Quartz Radio Crystal HC-6/U, and the spare. I bought two for 32 dollars in Jan 2024. It did not come with box.

Posted on by

WAAC Documents

Below are some documents related to the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps.

WAAC Admin Memo 14 July 19th 1942 –

Tentative WAAC Drill Regulations CH 1 General –

Tentative WAAC Drill Regulations CH 2 School of the Soldier –

Tentative WAAC Drill Regulations CH 4 Drill For Foot Troops –

Tentative WAAC Drill Regulations CH 9 Ceremonies –

QM 3-2 WACs and Nurses Clothing and Equipment: Circular No 4 Revised Oct 1943 and including Change 1 of April 1944 – First published in Oct 1943 and then updated in April 1944. A list of clothing and equipment items for Nurses and WACs.

For the June 1946 version, see: Armed Service Forces Catalog, Quartermaster Supply Catalog QM 3-2. List of Items for Troop Issue, WACS’ and Nurses’ Clothing and Equipment. Headquarters, Army Service Forces.

Morning Report HQ % 3341 Signal Service Battalion Dec 11th 1944 – An example of a morning report. This report comes from the % 3341st Signal Service Battalion, which was made up of Women Army Corps soldiers (WACs).

The % isn’t a typo but a way to designate on paper that the unit is WACs. The battalion operated what was likely the largest message center outside of Washington DC.

Posted on by

WW2 Reenacting Food and Drink and Ration Printables

This page will outline food box and label printables associated primarily with the US Army or the homefront. Other countries are listed if I have a box or label for them.

For a listing of wartime recipes, the 1940s Experiment has a list of 100+ British recipes. You can also see my Red Cross recipes post.

Drink

Vat 69 Blended Scotch Whisky – A whiskey label to print off on standard 8.5 x 11 printer paper. Then, glue the label to the Whiskey bottle. I’m not sure what kind of glue is needed, but you’ll likely need an original VAT69 bottle. Attributed to ChrisNZ.

For the stopper and the wax seal stamp, you can 3D print it using this guide. Use black for the stopper and red wax.

The bottles are green in color, and you can pick them up at various places online like ebay.com or etsy.com, etc. Google Images is a good place to start to see what’s available, as well as the old advertisements to see where the label parts get placed. For a short history of Vat 69, see A History of VAT 69.

While not Vat 69 for an overseas cocktail recipe that could pass censors, see the Ration Recipe Section Cherry Jar Cocktail.

Food

WW2 Wrigley’s Army Ration Cinnamon Chewing Gum Wrappers – A Pdf that shows two styles of the gum wrapper. The top is model ODC-1, and the bottom is ODC-2. I have not printed these off or tested the size.

Note that with this pdf you may need to play with the .doc file (that I’ve included) to find the right size.

There are also better options, such as buying the wrapper from an online source that didn’t exist when I first attempted to make these.

Wrigley’s developed Cinnamon gum because the mint gum that was included in K-rations made everything taste like mint.

Poor Man’s D-Ration: When I first started WW2 Reenacting back in the late 1990s, there wasn’t much way in the authentic rations. This was a broke kid’s attempt to make a D-ration.

Essentially, print off the wrapper on brown cardstock. You may need to adjust tones (half-tone seemed to work in the past).

Trim, cut, and fold it. Use a few dabs of Elmer’s school glue to glue the sides together.

In the past, I used Hershey bars as the D-Ration, which is just ridiculous. These days, I might either make the D-ration myself or buy some protein bars, wrap them in wax paper, and stick them inside.

Once you have your ration inside, use a few glue dots to close the lid. That way, you can re-open it without damaging it and continue to re-use the box.

If you want to make edits to the image size, you can download the document file here.

You can also refer to the Ration Recipes D-bar section for another.

This is what the box looks like when printed

Poor Mans C-Rations: When I first started WW2 reenacting back in the late 1990s, there wasn’t much way in the authentic rations.

The unit I was with, 88th Infantry Division, 350th RCT, came up with a poor man’s way to make rations. We were all poor high school and college kids trying to make it work.

Essentially, buy two 12oz cans. One can, the “M” unit, would be an off-the-shelf Pork n’ Beans. The other one, the “B” unit, would be a cheap 12oz can. You then take a can-opener that doesn’t leave rough edges and cut the top till you have about a fingertip left. The idea is that you could open and close the can and reuse it.

You then fill the “B” unit with biscuits (wrapped in wax paper), 3-5 caramels, a few sugar packets, and travel-size instant coffee.

You then print the label using gold-colored/foil paper, wrap it around the can, and glue it.

There are better places to find more authentic c-rations. Etsy appears to have a few that make them. But in a pinch, if you’re just starting, this could work.

Another way to make the units can be found in this document: Making WW2 C-Rations for Reenacting.

You can also refer to the Ration Recipes C-Ration Biscuit section for more information.

German

This will show a listing of German boxes and labels. For an example of a recipe, see Ration Recipes, German Goulash for Field Kitchen.

Butter-Keks are a brand of crackers. Wikipedia goes into more detail on the brand’s history. Looks like you can print it on cardstock. I’m unsure how many crackers go into the box. I would also guess the crackers would’ve been wrapped in some kind of craft or wax paper.

Posted on by

World War Two Civilian Magazines and Newspapers

This will be a collection of WWII-era Civilian magazines and newspapers. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, War Time Press has a selection as well. However, it appears you only get a digital file.

If you would like information on Army Talks and Combat Lesson publications, see World War II Combat Lessons and Army Talks.

For Army magazines and newspapers, see: WW2 Reenacting Army Newspapers, Guides, Pamplets, and Bulletins.

For information on Men’s Adult Magazines, see my post: WW2 Men’s Magazines.

Popular Mechanics

Popular Mechanics – The 1940s versions are available for viewing in Google Library, but you do not seem able to download them. You can download the 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, and 1945 years via the Internet Archive. My guess is that you could print this on an 8.5×11 standard piece of printing paper (though back then, it appears to have been closer to newsprint?)

Collier’s Magazine

Collier’s is another popular American Magazine. This one was weekly, so there are a lot of issues to look through. Like other magazines, this one also captures the products available during the War years. You can find the full collection at Unz Review, though they don’t appear to be downloadable.

Below are the editions with Wartime Covers

April 21th, 1945
March 24th, 1945
February 3rd, 1945

November 25th, 1944
September 30th, 1944
June 24th, 1944
May 6th, 1944
March 4th, 1944
February 19th, 1944
February 5th, 1944
January 3rd, 1944

July 31st, 1943
February 20st, 1943

Posted on by

WW2 SCR-300 Original Radio Images

Below is a group of original SCR-300 radio images (though some images are also of field phones and switchboards as they are commonly seen together with a radio, especially in a command post type setting). These were collected by Chad Phillips on Facebook and reposted here to get it out of their walled garden and searchable on the broader internet. You can download the complete photo collection here.

For a holistic review of the SCR-300 see: The SCR-300 for WW2 Reenactments.

LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
Posted on by

French Repacked BD-71 Switchboard

Advanced Guard Militaria offered a French repacked switchboard for $250 dollars, shipped. When I saw that I pounced on it as it was a good price and I wanted to rebuy the BD-71 switchboard I once had. I bought that one for $80 dollars at an auction in 2011.

The switchboard came in a large box and a smaller box contained the accessories.

Unpacking the switchboard was like peeling back an onion. First I had to peel back some paper coverings and open the box.

Next, I discovered some kind of canvas, metallic-backed waterproof bag. When I opened it up, I probably should have done it outside to be safe as the bag appeared to be vacuum sealed, and yet when I opened it, I heard gasses escaping.

Who knows what kind of gas might have been pumped into the bag prior to sealing? At any rate, I got a lung full of 1968 French air.

When I opened it up, there was another box!

When I opened the box, the switchboard finally came into view. It was packed tightly up against cardboard (which left packing lines on the unit). It also contained this weird brown cloth-like packing material (if anyone knows what that is let me know!) –

The accessories were all in waxy and gummy waterproofed cardboard boxes. I had to use scissors to cut it open.

The results look great! I really like the switchboard, the white/tan cardboard lines not so. If anyone had an idea on how to remove them without damaging the wood let me know!

When I began to open up the switchboard, there were documents and manuals. There was a French inventory list, a French wire and circuit test, a wiring diagram, and a field manual, TM 1-330.

The wiring diagram can be downloaded as a pdf here and is 7in x 9in. The material isn’t quite computer print paper, but not cardstock. I’d say if you could find a lightweight cardstock, that’s probably the best, or just printing it off on white computer paper would also work. The diagram would be glued or taped (unsure which) to the inside access panel in the back of the switchboard.

Now to make the switchboard more historically accurate to WW2, I bought a data plate and swapped it out. I kept the old French one and just added it to my bar as kitsch.

Posted on by

WW2 Reenacting Ordnance and Firearm Printables

The Ordnance Soldiers Guide – This is a booklet an Ordnance replacement soldier would have gotten at a replacement depot. It’s designed to be a quick refresher of content they would’ve learned in basic training.

Converting an Ohio Ordnance Works BAR into a WW2 BAR – Ohio Ordinance Works no longer sells BARs but if you come across one you can use this guide to help swap out parts for correct works to make it period correct. This is not a WW2 document but a helpful one for reenactors.

M1917 Ammunition box plans – Plans on how to create the wooden M1917 ammo box used to hold different kinds of ammo

60mm M2 Mortar Firing Tables – FT60-D-2 – Print on ivory-coloured A4 paper (approximately 100-120gsm). Print on both sides to produce one Firing Table.

M1a1 Bangalore Torpedoes and Crate: There are a few guides out there such as one from the US Militaria Forum, one from a group of reenactors out of New Zealand, and another one out of Belgium. However, these guides are very brief and don’t provide quality step-by-step instructions or a pdf.

See Bangalore Torpedo Training on YouTube for a great video on how they work.

Denver Arsenal 30 cal – Prints off 10 little cards that get inserted into a bandoleer. Print on brown card stock.

1/2 Pound TNT – Prints off two types of labels. A white one and a yellow one. I’m not sure which is more accurate. You can follow this 3D printing guide by ChrisNZ to print off the block and then wrap the paper around it.

1 Pound TNT – Prints off a white label. You can follow this 3D printing guide by ChrisNZ to print off the block and then wrap the paper around it. My guess is you need to print off two 1/2 pound blocks and then put them together and wrap the label around it.

Chemical Warfare Identification and First Aid Pocket Reference Gas Guide inside and outside | Describes what to do during a gas attack

5th Army Engineer Training March 1943 – Looks to be a cleaned-up version of a quick primer on how to lay a minefield using the Hawkins mine.

The M-E5 Series Flame Throwers May 1944 – A tactical discussion of the E5R1-5 and E4-5 Flame Throwers in tanks. E5R1-5 is installed in light tanks and the E4-5 is installed in medium tanks.

The doctrine is to use the flame throwers where infantry units are likely to cluster such as in bunkers, heavy underbrush, and basements in an urban setting.

Posted on by

Leonardo da Vinci’s Resume

Resume as seen here

โ€œMy Most Illustrious Lord,

Having now sufficiently seen and considered the achievements of all those who count themselves masters and artificers of instruments of war, and having noted that the invention and performance of the said instruments is in no way different from that in common usage, I shall endeavour, while intending no discredit to anyone else, to make myself understood to Your Excellency for the purpose of unfolding to you my secrets, and thereafter offering them at your complete disposal, and when the time is right bringing into effective operation all those things which are in part briefly listed below:

1. I have plans for very light, strong and easily portable bridges with which to pursue and, on some occasions, flee the enemy, and others, sturdy and indestructible either by fire or in battle, easy and convenient to lift and place in position. Also means of burning and destroying those of the enemy.

2. I know how, in the course of the siege of a terrain, to remove water from the moats and how to make an infinite number of bridges, mantlets and scaling ladders and other instruments necessary to such an enterprise.

3. Also, if one cannot, when besieging a terrain, proceed by bombardment either because of the height of the glacis or the strength of its situation and location, I have methods for destroying every fortress or other stranglehold unless it has been founded upon a rock or so forth.

4. I have also types of cannon, most convenient and easily portable, with which to hurl small stones almost like a hail-storm; and the smoke from the cannon will instil a great fear in the enemy on account of the grave damage and confusion.

5. Also, I have means of arriving at a designated spot through mines and secret winding passages constructed completely without noise, even if it should be necessary to pass underneath moats or any river.

6. Also, I will make covered vehicles, safe and unassailable, which will penetrate the enemy and their artillery, and there is no host of armed men so great that they would not break through it. And behind these the infantry will be able to follow, quite uninjured and unimpeded.

7. Also, should the need arise, I will make cannon, mortar and light ordnance of very beautiful and functional design that are quite out of the ordinary.

8. Where the use of cannon is impracticable, I will assemble catapults, mangonels, trebuckets and other instruments of wonderful efficiency not in general use. In short, as the variety of circumstances dictate, I will make an infinite number of items for attack and defence.

9. And should a sea battle be occasioned, I have examples of many instruments which are highly suitable either in attack or defence, and craft which will resist the fire of all the heaviest cannon and powder and smoke.

10. In time of peace I believe I can give as complete satisfaction as any other in the field of architecture, and the construction of both public and private buildings, and in conducting water from one place to another.

Also I can execute sculpture in marble, bronze and clay. Likewise in painting, I can do everything possible as well as any other, whosoever he may be.

Moreover, work could be undertaken on the bronze horse which will be to the immortal glory and eternal honour of the auspicious memory of His Lordship your father, and of the illustrious house of Sforza.

And if any of the above-mentioned things seem impossible or impracticable to anyone, I am most readily disposed to demonstrate them in your park or in whatsoever place shall please Your Excellency, to whom I commend myself with all possible humility.โ€

Posted on by

WW2 Signal Corps and Communication Paperwork

Below is a collection of Signal Corps-related paperwork for use in WW2 Reenacting.

Radio

Templetone Model BP2-A5 Log Card – The Templetone Model BP-2A5 seemed to be some kind of morale radio for the troops. The log card would be placed under the front-cover so it would show when the cover was opened. Not sure why a morale radio would need a station log card?

Print in medium-weight beige cardstock. Print on both sides of the media and cut at crop marks to produce one Station Log card.

For a good history of the radio see: Templetone Model BP2-A5 “Morale Radio”.

Courtesy of Antiqueradio.com

BC-611 Frequency Card – This is the card that would go into the small window of the BC-611/SCR-546 radio

Form 138 Operators Number Sheet – Front and Back | Print front-to-back pages on natural or ivory paper and stack+trim to the same size. Run a few beads of rubber cement along the top edge to have a tear-away stack.

I’m not sure what this form was exactly used for.

Form 159 – Number Sheet | Print pages on natural or ivory paper and stack+trim to the same size. Run a few beads of rubber cement along the top edge to have a tear-away stack.

I’m unsure what this was exactly used for.

Telephone

Signal Corps Station Log – Signal Corps paperwork to record traffic at what appears to be a telephone station. Form number unknown.

Print pages on natural or ivory paper and stack+trim to the same size. Run a few beads of rubber cement along the top edge to have a tear-away stack.

Other

Form 158 – Route Delivery List – Signal Corps form for delivering messages. Print 25 pages on natural or ivory paper and stack+trim to the same size. Run a few beads of rubber cement along the top edge. You’ll have a tear-away pad of 50 sheets.

A “route delivery” seems to connect more points.

M-209 Sheets: For use with the M-209 cipher.

Form 160 Local Delivery List – Signal Corps form for delivering messages. Print 25 pages on natural or ivory paper and stack+trim to the same size. Run a few beads of rubber cement along the top edge. You’ll have a tear-away pad of 50 sheets.

A “local delivery” seems to connect fewer points.

Message Book M210a Front and Inside – A printable pdf file for the M201a message book. This book would be used in a message center. It would be unlikely to appear in a map case. You can download the front+back here and the insides here.

Print on regular paper and then trimmed to size. The book has overall dimensions of approximately 6-1/8โ€ณW x 4-1/4โ€ณH x 1/2โ€ณ thick. Inside the book are 25 each triplicate message forms for regular use, three each duplicate forms for carrier pigeon use, and 25 sheets of tracing paper. The back cover has an extension that can be placed under the topmost form, so that it can be filled out without marking the carbon-copies of the following forms. The book also includes instructions for its use and a list of authorized abbreviations.

For best results, print on 8-1/2โ€ณ x 11โ€ณ US letter-sized paper with no scaling. Finished forms should be 4.75in wide by 4.25in tall.

When cutting it out, save 1/4 inch of space on the left-hand side. That way the staples donโ€™t go through the message part.

I’m not sure if anyone is reproducing these, but if they are, I’ll add a link. Note that this only includes a single blank message form and not the carbon copies or map overlay.

Now there’s also an M 210-B message book, which looks like it came out in late 1944. This is according to the Signal Corps Technical Information Letter Nov 1944 No 36. The major differences are some measurement tools on the front cover, the removal of the pigeon forms, and map overlays. This was all done to help speed up the message processing, as it was found that soldiers experienced difficulty removing the copies in the M210a book.

There’s also an M-105-A message book. I’m not sure what the difference is. If I find out I’ll write about it.

Signal Corps Technical Information Letters

Signal Corps Technical Information Letter No 18 – May 1943. Outlines new training methods, procedures, and equipment. One interesting story is how local police captured an illegal pinball den and donated the machines to Ft. Monmouth to be used as needed.

Signal Corps Technical Information Letter No 36 – Nov 1944. Outlines new training methods, procedures, and equipment. Discusses the fungi and moistureproofing techniques (which is some kind of lacquer spray), as well as the Silica Gel, used to pack equipment, and an anti-radio jamming exercise, among other interesting and nuanced signal corps minutia.

27th Signal Company Switchboard Trailers – During the Phase 1 Nansei Shoto Operation on Okinawa, the 27th Signal Company of the 27th Infantry Division created a special trailer to house a BD-96 switchboard and it’s BD-97 panel, test sets, EE8 field phones and other incidentals required to operate a BD-97 switchboard in a combat operation. The BD-96 is used to run up to 40 lines into it.

The trailer was used to be as mobile as possible during the operation. Being mounted in a trailer makes it so.

This type of configuration may have been used at the Battalion or, more probably, at the regimental level.

BD-96 and BD-97 images come from: TM 11-487B Directory of Signal Corps Equipments: Wire Communication Equipment.

Basic Wire Communication: Lineman’s Handbook: Wire Training Section Central Signals Replacement Training Center, Camp Crowder Missouri – This is a printable booklet and gives a very quick review of wire splicing, terminology, and organization

TM-184a Terminal Board Fabrication – This is a pdf that shows the schematics of how to fabricate the TM-184a terminal board. It is used as a terminating or test point in tactical field wire systems.

TM-184 T1 and T2 replace this. You can view the instructional manual for them here.

TM-184a T1 and T2 hold 7 pairs of wires. TM-84 holds 5 pairs of wires.