My Lizard-pattern TAP 47/56 Jacket

[earlymb]

Just for Show & tell, this TAP 47/56 jacket in Lizard-pattern camouflage was given to me by a friend recently. It's a large size but with the short sleeves that seem to be common with these jackets. A nice original example made by Pauwels. The matching trousers should be heading my way when my buddy digs them up. Two of the four pocket flaps are in a slightly different colour-tone than the rest of the jacket, as can be seen in the pic.

 

 

I have decked it out with the following equipment on a torso stand (all original):

 

- Mle.50/53 belt with press button and 2nd type buckle;
- Mle.50 suspenders;
- A pair of WW2 US M1 Carbine pouches, modified by the French army by adding a D-ring at the back;
- Mle.51 bidon (canteen) with the early brown cap in a Mle.52 carrier with 2 snaps;

- Jump wings, made by Drago of Paris (un-numbered);

- Camouflage 'sniper' veil/scarf, a French-made copy of the WW2 British veil;

- Not in pic: a few pairs of Mle.52 'buckle' boots, 2nd and 3rd patterns.

 

I have some more equipment on my wishlist to add, like an Mle.49 chapeau de brousse (either khaki or green), M53 bandage pouch marked 11/48, a pair of 'Pataugas' (jungle shoes) and a pair of ammopouches for the MAT49 SMG.

 

Some of those items are hard to find, some very easy. My buddy said he also has an Mle.51/56 TAP helmet and some webgear for me so I'll see. The Pataugas are still being made by the original contractor (Palladium) as sneakers, so I'll buy a new pair if I can find them in the correct colour and size.

[Boy Howdy]

FYI- Today's Palladiums are made in China.

[earlymb]

They copied the model fairly soon, it was also the standard model used by the NVA during the Vietnam war and I believe the Chinese military still issues it. Palladium itself is still in business with slightly updated versions of the original design