[Jungles]

Sigh...don't get me wrong - the show looks like it was great as usual: I've been reenacting since 1976 - Rev. War, Civil War, WWI, WWII but pictures like these remind me why I've basically done very little of it in recent years. Too many reenactors (and I include myself in this lot) are too old and too "robust" (fat) to put on a realistic impression. When I was 22, 30 pounds lighter and with no gray hair, sure...I could do any impression and look great (and I did).

+1 on that. Some of these guys don't just look like they need an extra large uniform, they look like they need a extra large trench.

Don't mean to sound harsh, but to me, a reenactor should at least present a reasonable approximation of a "lean, mean, fightin' machine". That was one of my pet peeves about Bert Werner's recent and non inexpensive book about the arms, equipment and uniforms of the AEF in WW1. The reenactor photos in the book (which I believe included the author) contained far to many over-age, over-weight "soldiers", nothing like what the typical "real" doughboy looked like. Couldn't they have at least found some men of suitable age and physical condition, if they wanted to dress people up for color photo similations?

 

[Jungles]

Oh, come on, sure you do.

Yeah, I'm just a stinker, I guess...

Actually, though, I was just having a little fun with it. And the guys in some of the shots really do look pretty good.

You hit the nail right on the head about the expense factor keeping out most of the younger ones. The ones who can tend to be the more prosperous, both in terms of bank account and, all too often, appearance.

FWIW, I turn 60 in July, and am, shall we say, somewhat under-height for my weight. Back when I did look more soldierly and was of military age, I collected mainly Civil War, and did toy now and them with the idea of joining a reenactment group. But I could never quite convince myself that running around in a wool uniform in 90 degree weather fit my personal definition of "having a good time." But, each to his own!

 

[Jungles]

Uh-oh. Time for an annoying nitpick. The US and British guys are wearing their gas mask cases backwards. The flap and fasterners should be toward the chest, not the front. That way, if the soldier has to crawl while wearing the gas mask, the top edge of the open case doesn't scope up dirt and mud along the way.

 

[Jungles]

But it's fun to nitpik!

The French guy looks very good, BTW.