ITALIAN ROYAL ARMY REENACTING
BASIC EQUIPMENT
WORK IN PROGRESS
WW1 PRIVATE
WW2 PRIVATE - CONTINENTAL
WW2 PRIVATE - COLONIAL
WW1 - PRIVATE
(1916-1918)
Uniforme Mod. 909
Giubba Mod. 909
Pantaloni unificati mod. 1916
Pants
WW2 - PRIVATE
BASIC EQUIPMENT
(1940-1943)
ELMETTO METALLICO MOD. 33
Adopted in 1933 to replace the short lived Mod. 31, these helmets were modern, efficient, easy to produce and mantain. The Italian Army used them non stop from 1933 to 1993, when they got (slowly) replaced by Kevlar PASGT (SEPT2) helmets.
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The WW2 features you absolutely need are:
- Greygreen color (Usually RAL 7009 suits fine early war colors). Postwar the army adopted a kaki color both for leather gear and helmets, so you'll have to refurbish that.
- Leather chinstrap, several artisans produce conversions kit for relatively cheap. Avoid at all costs to keep the postwar fabric chinstrap.
- If you want to go specific even on rivets, try to get helmets with rivets showing a thin "step" around them. But really, these are minor minuteries for collectors.
- The rear of the leather liner was sewn together with two parallel lines, after WW2 it has a diagonal line, forming a Z
- the leather liner top doesn't have metal eyelets, but just leather, with circular leather reinforcements behind every hole where the rope pass.
- Squared and short chinstrap swivels, avoid trapezoidal postwar swivels at all costs.
LEATHER GEAR
GIBERNA IN CUOIO GRIGIO MOD. 907/26
These were a semplification of the previous mod. 907, with a single strip of leather to cover the front and the sides, instead of the three sewed squares of the old model. Another distinctive feature is the extra rivet placed to reinforce the closing lace, which was already used on older model since the early 20s.
CINGHIA REGGI GIBERNE IN CUOIO GRIGIO MOD. 907/36
Adopted with Circolare N. 431 of May 27th 1936, with a standard length of 1166mm, this new iteration got rid of the older buttons and buttonholes behind the neck, leaving it as a simple strip of leather regulable by the hooks.
Old Mod. 907 suspenders were ordered to be converted to the new standard length with Circular n. 45M, June 16th 1936, by sewing the two parts into a single neckstrap.
CINTURINO MOD. 907/26
​With Circular n. 681, 1926, Belt and buckle got further simplified by adopting a buckle with double prong, and shortening the leather belt by using some regulation holes instead of the previous hoops and loops system.
BORSA IN CUOIO GRIGIO PER
SCIABOLA-BAIONETTA MOD. 91
E BAIONETTA-PUGNALE MOD. 38
Mod. 91 "Saber-bayonet"
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Mod. 38 "Dagger-Bayonet"
GAS MASKS
MASCHERA ANTIGAS MOD. 31-33
Mass produced gas masks produced to substitute entirely the british SBR adopted in 1917.
It was contained in a squared bag, with an adjustable strap with a quick deployement button (in order to position it steadily either on the chest or on the side, as the SBR were), and with two leather straps on one side, whose purpose was to host the mod. 31 water flask.
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Formally replaced by the T 35 after 1935, it was overall considered a valid gas mask and hence you're going to see it rather frequently on the hips of all kind of units, both first line infantry and support units.
MASCHERA ANTIGAS T-35
Adopted in 1935 as a cheaper and more effective substitute of the mod. 31-33 gas mask system.
It was hosted in a tubular canvas container, with a strap only adjustable to stay in position on the hip.
Came in three size, I was the bigger, II the medium and III was the smaller.
BORRACCIA TIPO UNICO MOD. 33
Adopted in 1933 to replace and unify the different mod.31 canteens, differentiated in Foot soldiers model (with short strap, suspendable on the belt) and Mounted soldiers model (with long strap, in order to be carried on the hip, with the strap across the back.
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The Mod. 33 was with a flat base in order to be easily leaned on the ground or on a shelf, and with a unified long strap, adjustable, in order for all soldiers to carry it on the hip.
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Completely made out of Alluminum, it was covered with a greygreen wool cover, in order to insulate the alluminum. Once dampened with water, the wool helped keeping the water cool for a longer period of time.
The cheap canvas strap, was prone to quick deterioration, and even today it's fairly easy to break.
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2 LITERS CANTEENS
The 2lt canteens are part of the "Standard" equipment for troops in colonial theaters (But 1 lt are fine nonetheless in such theaters).
There's a widespread Legend that Alpini received them too, but no pics nor documents emerged so far about this. As far as we know and as far as pics show, Alpini got bigger mess tin kits but standard 1lt canteens.
STIVALETTO PER ARMI A PIEDI MOD. 32
As the name implies these boots got adopted in 1932 as the standard "unified" boot for all foot soldiers. These boots were slightly lower than their ww1 Mod. 12/16 counterpart, with similar construction methods overall.
The Alpini received these as replacements/fatigue boots, but their main footwear issue were the Mod. 29 Mountain Boots we'll see in their specific section.
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These boots were made of good quality leather (Vacchetta conciata al vegetale), with the "Light, reinforced" hobnail pattern, defined mostly during WW1 as standard for all troops. It consisted in a half circle of triangular shaped "Fly wings" hobnails, with several rows of "Almost semi spherical" circular hobnails to save the sole from the ground. lastly, the heel was surrounded with "truncated pyramid" hobnails
FASCE MOLLETTIERE MOD. 28
Adopted in 1928 to uniform and standardize putees for all units, in order to overcome the issues of old WW1 supplies mostly composed of straight putees, difficult to wear without proper methods.
These "banana shaped" ergonomical putees were far more easy to wear and far more effective in their intended purpose.
CAMICIA DI COTONE
Officially categorized as "underwear", these shirts were to be worn under the tunic or by themselves in summer or hot spring/autumns.
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Beige/green were distributed... rather randomly, so it's up to you! IMHO I prefer the beige ones, they have a far cleaner touch in the overall uniform. But that's up to your unit! The most important part is to get as uniform aas possible as a unit!
CAMICIA DI FLANELLA MOD. 39
Officially categorized as "underwear", this Flannel shirt were to be worn under the tunic or by itself in Winter or in cold environments.
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With the Mod. 37 the ideal flannel shirt to use would be the Mod.35, which had a ziptie instead of buttons and removable collar, but it would take some work to obtain that properly!
WW2 - PRIVATE
CONTINENTAL UNIFORM
(1940-1941)
GIUBBA MOD. 37
Adopted in 1937 to replace the previous mod. 34, it differed from that for the black collar, the "batwing" pockets and the more elegant belt.
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Unit Mostrine (collar tabs) were slightly larger and longer than the following mod. 40 ones.
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These tunics are going to be seen with all units, mostly during 1940-1941, while the mod.40 modifications were either applied on former mod.37 tunics or distributed brand new as replacements.
Mod. 37 tunics will be seen all the way into 1943, but after 1941 mostly to second-third line units.​
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PANTALONI MOD. 35
WW2 - PRIVATE
CONTINENTAL UNIFORM
(1941-1943)
WW2 - PRIVATE
COLONIAL UNIFORM
(1940-1941)
WW2 - PRIVATE
COLONIAL UNIFORM
(1941-1943)
Uniforme Mod. 40
Giubba Mod. 40
Pantaloni mod. 40
Pants