What Price Glory M1938 Dismounted Raincoat
Review Date: 4/7/2011
Updated: 11/10/2012
Author: Chris Guska
(Photo from NARA, courtesy of Tom Kelly)Infantrymen of Company D, 399th Infantry Regiment, pass under as railway sign as they advance through Schirmeck. November 25, 1944.
Foreword:
The humble raincoat is an item every reenactor should own. Over the years, several "non original" alternatives have popped up, with the most common being the French surplus raincoat. Until the past couple of years, no true "reproductions" were available until WWII Impressions and What Price Glory came out with their copies. We've been hesitant to use anything other than originals due to the obvious differences in the French coats as well as high price of the reputable reproductions.
This was the rain garment of the ETO, with ponchos being in the vast minority - showing up late to the party.
Update 11/10/2012:
Unit member Lee purchased one of these raincoats a few years ago. He's had it folded up in his 28 pack - until at Carslike Barracks this September. A rainstorm rolled through, so he pulled it out to put on - and both sleeves promptly tore off.
WAH WAH! Sad trombone. WPG FAIL.
We were able to fix the raincoat, but it was something we shouldnt have had to do...
Ordering:
On 2/28/11 Steve placed an order for a reproduction M1938 Dismounted Raincoat via the What Price Glory e-commerce website.The order shipped directly from the WPG warehouse in the United Arab Emirates and arrived approximately one week later.
Cost: $85
Shipping: $18
The product, as received from What Price Glory:
Overall, I think it's a good, usable repro of the first pattern dismounted raincoat. I'll get to the detractors and issues further on down, but I think Jerry Lee did ok on this one.
As you'll notice through the photos, the colors seem to change. This is a prime example of the impact cameras, monitors and light sources have on how we view color. More stuff you never wanted to know about color here - at our "Uniforms and Gear in depth: Color Primer"
Lets get into the comparisons:
Original Left, Repro Right:
Color is well within the "acceptable" color shade range. General shape and appearance of the garment is pretty good from a side by side. Of note, is that the Original to the left is a SMALL and the Repro to the right is a 2XL.
Neck Detail:
Original
ReproLapel Detail:
Repro Left, Original Right
Original - Later pattern
Repro - Earlier patternStorm Flap Detail:
Original Left, Repro Right
Original Left, Repro Right
Manufacturer’s Label Detail:
Button Hole Detail:
Pocket Detail:
Original Left, Repro RightNote, the pockets on the repro are significantly smaller than that of the original. This may be a pattern variance from early to late raincoats, or it just may be a goof from WPG. I'm not sure at this point.
Underarm Vent Detail:
Original Left, Repro RightBack Cape Vent Detail (Repro Only):
Inside Details:
Original
ReproNone of us have seen an original with a black / dark lining like the repro. Also of note is the spot on the inside right pocket where the WPG label was removed. Also on the inside left storm flap is the country of origin tag.
Walk Around:
Summary Pros and Cons:
Pros:
Good Cut & Color - most of the details are right
Buttons are actually sewn on - didn't pop off with first use
Material is thick and waterproof
None of the seams were loose
Rivets were pretty decent
The garment is serviceable
Cons:
This thing is super heavy and stiff. Its noticeably thicker than any original we've handled. Unless the coat is warm, it is very stiff.
The lining is black / dark - in a way we've never seen on an original.
The pockets are smaller than the original we compared them to.
The coat is not sized like originals. It is sized like a modern jacket.The arms fucking fell off and the pockets tore out. (11/10/2012)
Conclusions:
Overall, I feel that this is a “decent” reproduction, and no one will get called a farb for using it in the field.
It should hold up nicely, and does not appear that it will fall apart the first time you touch it.It will fall apart because they used really crappy glue.At the current pricepoint of $85 I think it is a "Good" buy for quality and authenticity for the money.Dont roll the dice on this turd. Just spend the cash and get one from WWII Impressions.To my knowledge, this is the only reproduction of the early pattern dismounted raincoat. WWII Impressions reproduces the later pattern without the cape / vented shoulders.
ORDER a size or two larger than the size you currently wear to accommodate your field jacket underneath. Originals were sized very large / generously. An original small will easily fit a 40R to even 42R individual. Mediums will easily fit 40-44R - maybe 46R. In this case, the WPG reproduction 2XL was a good fit for a 46R/48R.
Based on prior experiences with WPG repro clothing, our expectations were pretty low on this one. We were pleasantly surprised to receive what appears to be a good quality, fairly accurate reproduction. It does have flaws which cannot be corrected - namely the color of the lining and size of the pockets.
We'll check back in after a year or two of use and report back on durability.Turns out that history holds true. I wouldnt reccomend this reproduction. There is probably a reason why they're on sale and have been for over a year...
Here's how we fixed this raincoat after the sleeves fell off...
