I think one of the guys who attended the NSC event said the 'proper' uniform colours are from the Polish military, which I assume is what these chaps are wearing?

These colours seen much paler/lighter than what the actors seemed to be wearing in the movie, or would that be down to low light levels?

If the Polish colours are correct, I found this website that sells combat fatigues in Polish colours:-

http://www.military1st.co.uk/bl-bdu-cr- ... esert.html

or is there a recommended supplier of your uniforms?

_________________
PFC Andy Rowlands. Comtech.
A05/TQ2.0.62126E1
1st Battallion, 13th Regiment, Freebooters

"...we got knives, sharp sticks..."

Polish are the closest we found off the peg to screen used though not 100%, there are vendors that produce BDUs that are closer me im happy with the polish as I was not in the squad Sent to LV 426

_________________
SSgt Kris "Bloodsucker" Kobus, VAS.
A09/TQ2.0.12136E1

The Polish Desert BDU is a common alternative. Feel free to use any Camo pattern you like.

More Screen accurate rebuild are available from
Rob (viewtopic.php?f=14&t=14970)
and from Spat (http://spatcave.com/spatstore2.htm) to list a few options.

_________________
Sgt. Frank Peters 'reload' Smartgun Operator
A03/TQ3.0.12136E1 "It will be no picknick!"
AL Colonial Admin. - Sergeant at Arms (SgtA) -- 2020-2022
GERCM - Executive Officer (XO)
UKCM Foreign Legion: The Deviant Dragoons

The screen used camo has no "real world" counterpart. It was made specifically for the film.

(senses deja vu)

There is some reference to it being termed "frog and leaf", and based roughly on the old Vietnam era ERDL pattern.

I find the frog and leaf description a little erroneous as I can see neither frogs nor leaves (but then maybe it's a Rorschach test!), and I think F&L was used to describe some WW2 Pacific theatre pattern???

But as it stands, it's a completely stand alone camo.


The Polish Desert camo that you've been told about is about as close as it gets with the current sets of available "real world" camo patterns.
Stuff like Multi-cam and MTP can also be used to reasonable effect.
It's entirely up to you at the end of the day.

Military First are a good company. I use them for my airsoft gear.

_________________
You don't have to be pitilessly sadistic to work here.... But it helps.
http://www.chefs-creations.co.uk/shop/index.php/colonial-marine

http://www.kgbairsoft.com/wordpress

That's a neat photo as the Marine on the left has screen accurate camo, the two on the right have Polish camo, and Marine in the middle has a third variety I can't identify. Together though they look cohesive and badass. What a great visual of how this group operates!

_________________
My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Thanks for your help with this guys, much appreciated. I'd already identified the big fella with the beard is in the Polish camo as the patterns are the same as the shirt pic in the link I included. If Chef thinks Military 1st is a reputable company then that's the way I'll go, as I'm afraid the options Mr Peters offered are way out of my price range

By the way I'm progressing my Football shoulder-pad conversion, with the over-the-shoulder light just about finished now apart from painting. It won't be anything like screen accurate, it's just something I made from pieces of steel I cut last week to make it adjustable, and my intention was that it represent an earlier version than the existing square ones. I mounted a bright LED bicycle light on it which seems to look reasonable. Pics to follow probably tomorrow.

_________________
PFC Andy Rowlands. Comtech.
A05/TQ2.0.62126E1
1st Battallion, 13th Regiment, Freebooters

"...we got knives, sharp sticks..."

The marine is wearing Multicam/MTP

Liz and I use good old British desert DPM! It does the part quite nicely and dosent cost the earth!

_________________
Chaplain Sgt Hohenkerk,
Executive officer - 69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes

Does not help,
Does not clean,
Will have sex with anything!

I have just bought a pair of Polish camo ready for my first drop!

They are waiting fo rme to collect from the delivery office. I was out this afternoon

_________________
Pvt. Robert E. Davies

69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes

A08/TQ1.0.02129E1

Forgive me Mr Hohenkerk, 'DPM' is not a term I'm familiar with, could you advise please what it is?

_________________
PFC Andy Rowlands. Comtech.
A05/TQ2.0.62126E1
1st Battallion, 13th Regiment, Freebooters

"...we got knives, sharp sticks..."

Disruptive Pattern Material

Although with Banana man it could be Damp prove membrane

The thing I love about this group is all of the above are correct! It's up to you to personalize your marine, we are not strict on screen accuracy. It is all up to you to decide.

Polish desert camo is the best real world option and only a trained eye would know the difference.

_________________
PFC Mike Rizzuto MVM
USS Blackhawk
3rd Batt 12th Regt

Thanks again for your comments and suggestions. I just found this image on 'tinterweb which does indeed show the Polish colours seem to be the closest available. It's rather bizzare I'd never noticed this before, despite having watched the film umpteen times!!

_________________
PFC Andy Rowlands. Comtech.
A05/TQ2.0.62126E1
1st Battallion, 13th Regiment, Freebooters

"...we got knives, sharp sticks..."

While Polish isn't exact, it has a number if things going for it. It's inexpensive, durable, readily available, and provides a great contrast from the camo paint on the armour. That's a really important part of what makes the USCM look distinctive.
I started out with a set of Polish and sold it to get my Spat camo. Sometimes I miss it! If I did Airsoft I'd get another set for sure.
There are a few simple conversions you can do to make the Polish BDUs more screen accurate, like a mandarin collar and moving the thigh pocket on the right leg of the trousers to the center. It's not hard to do and makes the costume more distinctive.

Hope that helps!

_________________
My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

When you say 'Mandarin collar' do you mean cutting the upper part of the collar off, the part that folds down over where you would have a tie?

Also, what colours should the armour be? I was thinking to spray my shoulder pads in patches of green and brown like 'normal' Brit camoflage, but the guys at the NSC seemed to have much darker, almost black, armour.

_________________
PFC Andy Rowlands. Comtech.
A05/TQ2.0.62126E1
1st Battallion, 13th Regiment, Freebooters

"...we got knives, sharp sticks..."

A mandarin collar is an upturned collar with rounded front edges.

A standard collar as you are probably more familiar with is folded down, and the front edges are sharp cornered, so you basically need to take these corners off.


Paints wise.. It's still a bit of an on-going debate. We recently saw Harry's Screen used armour at the NSC (you'll have seen it too), so there was a bit of head scratching over the colour match.

This isn't a (and here's one for Matt and Simon) "definitive" list by any means. But some of the more widely accepted colours.

They're all Humbrol colours. Tins are cheap and last ages.


30 Matt Dark Green or
80 Matt Grass Green

91 Matt Black Green

33 Matt Black (for the name stencil only)

63 Matt Sand (but probably more likely to be 94 Brown Yellow)

98 Matt Chocolate or
160 Matt German Camo Red Brown

147 Matt Lt Grey (but possibly something a little darker, like 64 or 140)

The whole thing is then darkened down with a rubbing of "grate polish"


For more on that debate, take a look here.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14627&p=230056#p230056

_________________
You don't have to be pitilessly sadistic to work here.... But it helps.
http://www.chefs-creations.co.uk/shop/index.php/colonial-marine

http://www.kgbairsoft.com/wordpress

Cheers Chef. I looked at that link you provided, and unless the bolt heads visible are huge, the patches of individual colours must be minute, and looks like it would turn into a real time-intensive labour of love. I was thinking of getting two or three spray cans of 'camo' colours and doing it that way. I guess as my armour is based on American Football pads rather than scratch-built stuff, it might be good enough? As my armour won't resemble anyone else's, I suppose I could say I was drafted from another unit?

_________________
PFC Andy Rowlands. Comtech.
A05/TQ2.0.62126E1
1st Battallion, 13th Regiment, Freebooters

"...we got knives, sharp sticks..."

http://www.harryharris.com/armour.htm
http://www.harryharris.com/armdiet.htm

click on the small pictures for larger images to give you more idea of the camos scale. Not really minute patches of colour.

I'm sure A man with your great model making skills could do a fine job with a paintbrush?


Some more good reference shots in this thread, go past all the dead image links to find them
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12729

_________________
Martin 'Victim' Victory
A86/TQ3.4.49421E3
UKCM 13th Regt. 1st Batt. Freebooters


you can't take the PUNK outa Spunkmeyer

Haha, flattery will get you...everywhere Thanks for these links Martin, very helpful. It looks like the base colour of the armour is green, with patches of the other colours, which shouldn't be too difficult to reproduce.

_________________
PFC Andy Rowlands. Comtech.
A05/TQ2.0.62126E1
1st Battallion, 13th Regiment, Freebooters

"...we got knives, sharp sticks..."

Love the pic ( can you send me the full size image please ) I'm the marine second in from the left I'm wearing British multi terrain patten (MTP) as I couldn't get polish in time for the drop (My 1st one and l loved it) but I think they are a good compromise if your struggling just put them in the wash a few times to fade them

_________________
Cpl, Steve " Lab Rat " kelly
A01 / TQ1.0.52145E1
H.M.S VALHALLA
1st Batt 13th Regt
" FREEBOOTERS "

I say we take off and nuke the whole place from orbit .......................................................Only way to be sure

Sure no worries Steve, just let me know your email address.

_________________
PFC Andy Rowlands. Comtech.
A05/TQ2.0.62126E1
1st Battallion, 13th Regiment, Freebooters

"...we got knives, sharp sticks..."

Apologies it's the (until recently) standard British camo pattern and is regularly avaliable in surplus stores.

It could also stand for Does Poke Mentors but we are told to be polite to the seniors....

_________________
Chaplain Sgt Hohenkerk,
Executive officer - 69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes

Does not help,
Does not clean,
Will have sex with anything!

The Polish BDU shirts are apparently out of stock at Military1st, and may not be available until it's too late for the Telford event in February, so I looked at other options on their website, and came across these Special Forces ones -

http://www.military1st.co.uk/bl-sfu-cr- ... esert.html
http://www.military1st.co.uk/sp-sfu-cr- ... esert.html

which seem to be very similar to the BDU colours but are in stock. What do you think gents?

_________________
PFC Andy Rowlands. Comtech.
A05/TQ2.0.62126E1
1st Battallion, 13th Regiment, Freebooters

"...we got knives, sharp sticks..."

As you wrote is still is a good alternative.
Just keep in mind that the Ripstop fabric version looks slightly different than the standard cotton.

_________________
Sgt. Frank Peters 'reload' Smartgun Operator
A03/TQ3.0.12136E1 "It will be no picknick!"
AL Colonial Admin. - Sergeant at Arms (SgtA) -- 2020-2022
GERCM - Executive Officer (XO)
UKCM Foreign Legion: The Deviant Dragoons

Other than material, the cut on them is different. If the less accurate slanted pockets (instead of straight) doesn't bug you, then go for it. The color pattern is the same.

I think the difference in the pants, besides material, is slips in the knees to install knee pads.