Kitbash: US Navy Night Watch.

Just found yet ANOTHER Cotswold pea jacket among my spares. I'm pretty sure this is the last one! LOL

So a quick kitbash of the Action Sailor kitted out for sentry duty, wrapped up against the cold night air in his nice warm pea coat.

cap, shirt pants and boots from the GI Joe Action Sailor basic figure.



Pea coat by Cotswold Collectibles.



Modelled on a 40th Gi Joe. The 40th Joes are my favourite head sculpts of all out of any GI Joe or Action Man, vintage or repro. They have a nice chiselled, slightly leaner look to them and the slightly smaller eyes give them a somewhat steely-eyed look.



Carbine and ammo belt are standard Hasbro/Palitoy issue. And before anyone yells "Wrong gear!", contrary to popular Action Man practice, US Navy sailors were kitted out with standard GI issue weapons and, belts, etc, and were not kitted out for combat with white rifles and white cartridge belts.



Those were dress uniform items and were not used for everyday duties such as combat, guard duty, etc.

The big hint was the card they came on being entitled "Navy Dress Parade", except we didn't get the navy 'dress blue' uniform here in the UK for Action Man to complete the set.

That is a sharp-dressed sailor, even among your crew of sharp-dressed sailors! Well done!

Surely ship-shape and Bristol fashion....!

very cool

the_pauley wrote:

Those were dress uniform items and were not used for everyday duties such as combat, guard duty, etc.

The big hint was the card they came on being entitled "Navy Dress Parade", except we didn't get the navy 'dress blue' uniform here in the UK for Action Man to complete the set.

The standard "square rig" (or "cracker jack") uniform is nearly identical in the RN and USN. This is due primarily because the US Navy (like nearly all fleets) copied the Royal Navy's attire. Just replace the painted "Dreadnaught" cap with a dixie and the undershirt with a plain white one and you are pretty much there.


-Nate

Or, better still go for the GI Joe dress blue uniform.

You can NEVER have too many Cotswold pea coats!

Glidah Drivah wrote:

the_pauley wrote:

Those were dress uniform items and were not used for everyday duties such as combat, guard duty, etc.

The big hint was the card they came on being entitled "Navy Dress Parade", except we didn't get the navy 'dress blue' uniform here in the UK for Action Man to complete the set.

The standard "square rig" (or "cracker jack") uniform is nearly identical in the RN and USN. This is due primarily because the US Navy (like nearly all fleets) copied the Royal Navy's attire. Just replace the painted "Dreadnaught" cap with a  dixie and the undershirt with a plain white one and you are pretty much there.


-Nate

Absolutely correct. My Dad used to have one of the old style sailor hats, which read "U.S. Navy" across the blue band. We borrow much tradition from the Royal Navy. Including ceremonies, uniforms, and professionalism. Officers I knew who served exchange tours with the RN enjoyed it immensely. And the OP is also correct about using green pistol belts and standard rifles and sidearms during most duty - and during combat. The white stuff only comes out for inport quarterdeck watches, and for shore patrol, and other duties requiring dress duds.

It always amazed me, (and still does) just how those sailors managed to keep those dress whites absolutely pristine in a ship full of grease, oil and other grime, where every thing you touch, or brush up against will leave a mark.