WWII Historical Reenactment, Rockford Illinois

[wilkersonstudios]

Hello, My name is Jim Wilkerson, and I am from Decatur, Illinois. I am filming a short, 4 minute film, centered around WW2. I am trying to find authentic WW2 combat uniforms/helmets/guns, etc...

I am in need of one American outfit and one German outfit. I'm not having any luck finding anything around here. Would you have these things I could borrow for a week? Or could you point me in the right direction?

My best direct email is: jim@day40.net

Thanks for any help you can give!

[catwoman815]

Correct me if I am wrong but at these re-enactments some battles are won by the Germans and some by U S A.. The important thing to remember is why the war was fought in the first place.

[MrCarlos9367]

When you think of ww2 you think of us and Germany

[KrazyTaliban]

Germans=halftracks panzers hetzers motorcycle tank things. Americans= tanks jeeps motor scooters planes. polish= jeeps tents. British= anphibious beach landing vehicles

.....Russians= a bycicle :P

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

@KrazyTaliban What's your point?

[unclebanana]

@DARIVSARCHITECTVS Russians=not very well represented!

[KrazyTaliban]

@DARIVSARCHITECTVS just fummy that the only thing Shown by the Russians were a man on a bike

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

@KrazyTaliban yep.. That's all that showed up at that event. At some events the Russians have huge numbers of reenactors representing them. My brother is one of them.

[KrazyTaliban]

@DARIVSARCHITECTVS yeah ive only seen the russians at huge amounts but ive only been to americans vs germans events. its funny how there are never events were the germans win beeing a soon to be German reenactor :P

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

@KrazyTaliban At tactical events the German win as often as the Americans. I've participated in several successful assaults.

[KrazyTaliban]

@DARIVSARCHITECTVS yup because people would be offended if the germans would win in a public event ive also never seen an event where there was german air support

[ACE3709]

would love too but i cant i live in US and im only 13

[JagerpanzerIV]

hello ive been looking for a reeanactors group to join i have uniform and some equitment but dont have groups in my are do you have a web site

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

@JagerpanzerIV Google Historical Reenactment Society (HRS) and start there.

[JagerpanzerIV]

@DARIVSARCHITECTVS HELLO its been awhile sense you told me to go to that website which i did i like to THANK YOU because now i do reenacting THANKS AGAIN

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

@JagerpanzerIV You are welcome!

[SonderKraft100]

@DARIVSARCHITECTVS Can you wear Officer uniforms or do have to be a soldier?

Because i have a German Heer Generals uniform and i just need to wait a few more years till i am old enough to reenact.

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

@SonderKraft100 Some of the reenactors are officers. Rank is generally distributed according to the amount of participation and work organizing events that members do. I elected to stay at a lower rank, suitable for the weapons and equipment I carry.

[djay72]

What is the name of the German song...I can't remember for the life of me?? BTW..great shots.

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

@djay72 "Westerwald"

[SSsoldat1]

since im 13 would i be able to help out with things there for the germans? like set up tents ,camps , gear,ect . i do have waffen ss load out with all the things i need and is athentic but im to young to fight . maby like a hitler youth thing?

[humjiky]

i went to this one

[1995marines]

dzekuje ze uzyles polski hymn (thank you for using the polish hymn)

[5Zylinder]

Ich bin deutscher und STOLZ drauf!

Danke für das Video!

[andrewronholt]

wow that was a good reenactment. i live out in oregan and we dont have that big of a reenacting group. the only vehicles we have are some jeeps and a truck and a painted slug-bug.

[TheGermanDiablo]

lol slugbug from ww2

[MrBgb82]

how did you get back there

[citizensnips83]

The American stuff looks so gay compared to the Germans. I am a American and I would never reenact for the US lol, Germany all the way!

[Finpetel]

You can own a working tank on US? :O

[Thornyspikey]

the tank at the beginning sounds like a TIE Fighter.....stormtroopers - SturmHeer (not directly translated)

[sandiego48]

They used buggy's in WW2?

[zXBurningHaloXz]

i believe that Germans made the buggy for Hitler in the late 30's and early 40's sandiego48

[sandiego48]

oh... so the buggy is a german vehicle?

[zXBurningHaloXz]

Yeah there German. there pretty neat cars to ;)

[redswaniv]

Wow, this is a great vid! I love everything about WWII. I wish i can see all of those vehicles lol! If i wanna get into this event, what do i need to do?

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

Just GO there. Look up "WWII Reenactment Rockford, IL Midway Village". GOOGLE is your friend!

[redswaniv]

Thx a lot =) Do i need a uniform and gears to join? What about weapons?

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

The event is for the public to view. If you want to join the reenactors, you must be 18 or over and own the correct firearm, blanks, and accurate replica uniforms and equipment. It costs LOTS of money. No postwar junk is allowed to be used. Reenactors can help you find the gear you need.

[redswaniv]

Nice! I'm over 18 and its my dream to do something like that. I have a Tommy gun (my dad gave me for my birthday). I'd love to join the reenactors. Do i need to get trained for that? =)

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

A Thompson? That is a kingly gift. Blank adapting a Thompson is a permanent change that lowers it's value, so it is not recommended. Using blanks with bolt action rifles or automatic guns with threaded muzzles that allow blank fire adapters to be used is recommended. Serach the net for a reenactment group near you and to to their meetings for info. You cannot attend events as a participant without some training.

[redswaniv]

Ok, will do. Thanks for the info, ill keep that in mind =) I live in Kansas but i dont know that there's any WWII reenactment around here. I've seen some civil war reenactment but i dont like it. I'll try to search for it. Again, thanks for the info and good vids.

[airsoftkid65]

Me and my dad want to get into reenacting we live in South elgin and would like to be in this plz let me know how to get in.

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

Find a local reenactment group by googling "WWII reenactment", joining a forum, and posting messages asking about events in your area and where to find uniforms/equipment.

[Nick64e]

r u in the second panzer? i plan to join it next year as soon as i am 18

[no8do2008]

COOL! these people have some imagination! where is this?

[CoolDog202]

What? Some of those battles are based on what happend in real life idiot. Holy shit that jagdpanther is fucking awesome

[no8do2008]

Dude...I get your point.. the jagdpanther was aweosme

[ludo8rh]

it was a hetzer  a smaller version of it

[patpat122]

I went that was my first time there and i worked near doll house selling tickets and only saw the mager battle and a scremish

[THEPaintballKidd]

hey im in sycamore illinois and i was wondering what waffen ss group that was like whats there website cause im 13 and im gonna get into reenacting and i wanna see some of there SS equipment and what not

[Nick64e]

srry body u may have to wait a little im 17 and they would not let me join. in know how u feel i wanted to join when i was 17

[wizart49]

great video and i loved the music.

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

You're welcome, and THANKS!

[WWIIfanatic28]

cool i hope to go this year

[chiefarooney]

What are the dates for this year? My family would have a great time. Is there a picnic area?

[kfinnguy]

Was that the German national anthem at the time of WWII playing during the German sideshow?

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

No it was an old folk song "Westerwald", which was also used as a marching song.

[grandtheftauto4123]

the last song was the polish anthem! POLSKA!

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

The Polish Army was well represented at this event! Great guys!

[EnjoyIllinois]

Wow, this is pretty cool. Do you guys do this every year? If so, is the event open to the public?

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

Yes, it's every year at Midway Village in Rockford, IL. It is a PUBLIC event. That means that everyone is invited. We put on a great show. At non-public events, called "tacticals", reenactors fight scenarios using an honor system for kills. Those are also great.

[captainporpoise]

You are seriously the coolest guy I've ever seen on youtube.

[blindsniper79]

The plane at 4:15 Looks like a German made Fi-156 Storch, correct me if i'm wrong?

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

Actually it's a WWII US scout plane. I think it's a Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper, designated by the USAAF as the O-57A. It's a two-seater that flies at 65 mph. It and one other recon plane circled us all day overhead. Wish I could have gotten copies of the reenactmeent event pictures they took from up there.

[DEATHANGEL533]

no offense but are you that stupid theres an american flag on the side

[blindsniper79]

well actually, say i take an F4F wildcat and put a nazi sign on the side + the squadron symbol of jaeger gruppe 11 III (JG 11/III which would happen to be a lions head)

well anyway, say i take those and put them on the side of an F4F, does that mean it's German?? i think you should rethink that

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

blindsniper79, I've already told you what the airplane was. I was there you know and I made the video... It's NOT a Storch.

[blindsniper79]

erm dariv i was talking to DEATHANGEL533, sorry for any mistakes or misperceptions

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

No problem. It's sometimes hard to tell who is talking to who on here.

[fritzlange76]

I wish to be there! damn so good

[alexselig33]

ha i live about a half hour away from there i should join when im older i love the waffen ss because of my greatgrandpa he was in the 3rd ss or totenkopf as they say

[tankerrobM1a1]

Anyone here know a Kurt Steffeter?

I was in 2nd Pzr with him and then went to 25th Pzr with Kaz, Andrew L. and the others.

[drall60]

That FG Field office looked great, nice video

Kurt.

Thanks

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

I sure you you will be there next year, because I will be!

[steingunner53]

what, didnt bother to put in the men of the 401st? how daree you? just kidding nice vid by the way

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

401st? Don't they suck? Just kidding.. Wish I had more time to take more pics. Too busy having fun I guess.

[Kubelwagen]

Wow, there I am with my unit 5th SS Wiking, we where by the Hetzer.

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

I was a Heer Soldat mixed in with the 1st SS. DIdn't get more video time, since I had to grab my MP-40 and join in the assault. You might have seen me laterthat day as a motorcycle dispatch rider on a DKW motorrad riding around. I'm in one of the pictures in the video.

[petrwarry]

nice one *****

what model is that german 4x4 armored vehicle which roughly looks similar to sdkfz221 (1:54)?

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

I don't know the varient of this armored car. It could be an improperly shaped varient of the sd.kfz. 260/261 command car.

[matthewjdenn]

Nice video, Kurt.

[Therewasatime109]

That's 2nd Panzers, It's a Sd.kfz 247 recon command car. They can fir 8 guys in that thing!

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

It looks like a mockup, with the engine up front instead of in the rear. What can you tell us about the origin of that vehicle?

[Therewasatime109]

I'll have to look it up in my German vehicle catalog, I don't actually know much about the mechanics of the vehicle. Just it's model. I've got some close up pictures of it from the event last year that I can share with you if you're interested.

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

That's okay, I was just wondering what kind of vehicle it was. It was very impressive.