Type 100 20mm HE Round

I picked this up at a local show because it looked like something a Marine may have picked up as a battlefield souvenir.

This is type 100 20mm HE round for the Type 98 machine cannon.  These would have been used in a ground and anti-aircraft role.  When I bought the round it had already been previously properly de-activated for display.  Still retains all markings including the often missing stamps on the brass shell.

USMC Pack Impression - Guadalcanal

The goal of this pack was to make something that represented what the Marines would have used at Guadalcanal.

I needed to find the earliest USMC Depot made components for this one, and I was lucky to find an e-bay an estate seller who was selling the following components as one lot:

-DQP Pack with D rings
-DQP pack straps, and a set of
-M1941 flat buckle suspenders

When I received the pack it was covered in dust, dirt, and spider webs and required some careful vacuuming and cleaning but the end result was a nice authentic and complete pack.  A nice bonus was that all the parts were named to the same Marine.

I re-assembled the pack to the proper configuration and added the following parts:

-Early OD USMC shelter half (No frog camo for Guadalcanal)
-WWI Surplus USMC blanket
-Depot made shovel cover

I may add a bayonet, lower pack, or early OD rainjacket in the future but for now I'm happy with the overall of this layout and calling this one ready for a mannequin display.

USMC M1941 Flat Buckle Suspenders

These USMC M1941 suspenders with flat buckles are from the first year of production and are most appropriate for early to mid war USMC impressions.

The later curved buckle M1941 Suspenders can typically be found on e-bay very cheap but this variation requires more patience. It's a good idea to grab this flat buckle variety when available if you're planning on doing some early USMC rigs.

USMC M1905 Bayonet and DQP Scabbard

This USMC bayonet consists of a WWI M1905 bayonet refurbished for WWII with USMC Depot manufactured scabbard.  The bayonet was original made by Rock Island Arsenal in 1918.