Over the weekend I spent an inordinate amount of time on updating the Fallschirmjager Gear Page. It started out as a bit of reorganization but then I kind of went wild with image maps. I figured out the best way to display gear was as ‘in context’ as possible. I think that this helps to avoid a lot of textual explanation and is a more natural way to understand. So let me know what you think…
Here’s one of my images from that experiment…
What ended up taking the time was the mapping and linking. I made the picture into an image map, so that when you place the mouse cursor over an item in the image it shows a tooltip text that provides some description of that item. If you click on the item I’ve provided a link to deeper information on that item. It took a fair amount of time to find the very best web sites on each item, and I’m still in the process of finding new websites.
I may have included a few Easter eggs for the more inquisitive…
der Feld…
The “reenacting season” is just getting started… our first event here in Texas is October 3rd. We’ll kick off the season with a tactical even at Brownwood TX recreating the evacuation of Sicily. Fallschirmjagers will fight a delaying action and gather up stragglers as the Allies try to push us off the island. Should be an interesting event. We’ll have small squads with light weaponry plus a few surprises, a 20mm Flak 38 and a 105mm recoiless gun. That should slow them down a bit.
Our Flak 38…
Herr Hauptmann explaining the operation of the 105…
The Allies will have the usual slew of jeeps mounting MGs as well as a White Half Track mounting 50s. The event information is on the TMHS web site.
Following that it seems that every single weekend there is something going on! Looks to be a full and fun season!
As Fall approaches we are preparing for a lot of reenacting events here in Central Texas. To start things off we’ll be hasting a tactical battle “Messina” recreatign the retreat/delaying actions of the Fallschirmjager in Sicily. The event details are here at the Texas Military Historical Society. This one should be a lot of fun, the Amis have half tracks and a plethora of Jeeps. We have our wits, mobility, deviousness, a 20MM and a 105 recoiless gun! We’ll have both day and night battles as the Allies try to move up on two roads across the island.
The very next week a few of us will dress up in our walking out uniforms and join in the hanger dance at the Fort Worth Vintage Flying Museum. Should be fun to jitterbug.
I added a new page to Fallschirmjager.net on the BMW R-71 motorcycle. I have a clone bike (a CJ-750) and am interested in making mine as close a replica as possible as well as maintaining it in top shape. To that end I’ve been collecting as much technical information as possible. The new page can be found here http://www.fallschirmjager.net/Motorcycles/BMWTechnical/BMWR71.html.
Hope you find it helpful…
‘der Feldwebel
