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Pencil on Bristol Board
Price: $500.00
Limited Edition Print
Price: $45.00
Airborne
The idea of dropping heavily equipped troops from aircraft's was proposed by Billy Mitchell in October of 1918. The idea sat idle for many years until the German Luftwaffe dropped paratroopers, and used gliders to seize key positions in Holland and Belgium in 1940. In that same year at Fort Benning the US Army began their own Airborne program. On 15 August 1942 the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions were officially activated. In this drawing we see a battle hardened member of the 82nd. Wearing a jeep-cap under his helmet his face is framed by a heavy growth of whiskers. His uniform is the M1942 jump suit, a light-weight unlined cotton set of a jacket and cargo pocketed pants. The elbows and knees are reinforced with a heavy canvas cloth to withstand the jump. He carries 2 bandoleers of .36 06 ammo, and in his hands the famous workhorse of World War II the M-1. I have this uniform, equipment, and M-1 in my personal collection.
Category: Military
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