Small wall tent?

Question and opinion regarding Living History / Reenacting.
Post Reply
42GPW
G-Brigadier General
G-Brigadier General
Posts: 2243
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 6:31 pm
Location: Mt.Vernon, MO (southwest area) Driving the Jeep
Contact:

Small wall tent?

Post by 42GPW » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:57 pm

I have a small wall tent type.
5'wide
5'high
7' long
2' walls
4 side ropes, 1 rope on apex ends. Only opens on one end. Olive drab. Ww2 US Military small wall tents measure bigger with 40+inch side walls and are longer and wider. Any idea of what i have? I cant figure out how to upload photos with my phone.

Matt R
1947 cj2a
1956 dj-3a dispatcher
1946 t3c
U.S Army (11C3P2B) 1989-2006
82nd Abn, 1st Gulf War Vet
101st Abn oif/oef Vet
2ID Korea
40th Inf
45th Inf


Mark in Tucson
G-Command Sergeant Major
G-Command Sergeant Major
Posts: 202
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2003 6:56 pm
Location: Tucson , Arizona

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by Mark in Tucson » Sat Mar 04, 2017 5:45 am

Sounds like a Boy Scout tent.

42GPW
G-Brigadier General
G-Brigadier General
Posts: 2243
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 6:31 pm
Location: Mt.Vernon, MO (southwest area) Driving the Jeep
Contact:

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by 42GPW » Sat Mar 04, 2017 5:54 am

All military hardware on it
1947 cj2a
1956 dj-3a dispatcher
1946 t3c
U.S Army (11C3P2B) 1989-2006
82nd Abn, 1st Gulf War Vet
101st Abn oif/oef Vet
2ID Korea
40th Inf
45th Inf

User avatar
Quartermaster
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 436
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2003 8:07 pm
Location: Waynesboro, VA

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by Quartermaster » Sun Mar 05, 2017 4:28 am

There's no evidence of any tent, like you describe, was ever included in US military tent inventories. But there are always surprises!

The small wall tents earlier than the WW2 version did have only one end opening but were about the same size as their WW2 cousins, had the 5 lines per side, had the stove pipe/ventilation door flap plus an interesting ridge pole configuration.

Your example could possibly be some sort of commercial production where the manufacturer either obtained military hardware as surplus or had it copied. (BTW what hardware do you refer? Grommets and/or rope tensioners? Pictures please.)

Pictures might reveal some insight. Include labels, stencils and detail shots like how the doors close, sod cloths etc.
Dwayne
1943 Willys MB
1945 Bantam T3

42GPW
G-Brigadier General
G-Brigadier General
Posts: 2243
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 6:31 pm
Location: Mt.Vernon, MO (southwest area) Driving the Jeep
Contact:

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by 42GPW » Sun Mar 05, 2017 5:09 am

Its the rope tensioners, and side wall stake loops. there are no stencils or grommets. Also about the size of a shelter half. But in the shape of a wall tent. As stated in my initial post. Im using my cell (android) and can not figure out how to post pics. I dont belive this to be a boy scout tent. Rolled up its pretty heavy and about the size of a 5 gal bucket.

MattR
1947 cj2a
1956 dj-3a dispatcher
1946 t3c
U.S Army (11C3P2B) 1989-2006
82nd Abn, 1st Gulf War Vet
101st Abn oif/oef Vet
2ID Korea
40th Inf
45th Inf

User avatar
Quartermaster
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 436
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2003 8:07 pm
Location: Waynesboro, VA

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by Quartermaster » Sun Mar 05, 2017 7:18 am

What are the tensioners like? Pre war they were bronze or brass hollow cylinders with a partial opening on the side to create the friction of the rope to hold it, WW2 tensioners were typically the steel version with a loop on one end then a several inch straight shaft followed by a coil of turns to hold the rope, post war had the "dog bone" style - first in pot metal and then in plastic.

Military foot stop loops were short loops of rope, formed with a knot, pushed through a metal grommet exposing the loop on the outside to accept the pin.

Military tents either exhibit various size grommets to accept the pins on top of poles or ropes ---- either in a all metal style that we are all familiar to or the older style where an iron ring was placed where the hole in the canvas was punched then stitched around the ring in a star pattern - very distinct and probably rather time consuming to produce.

I am thinking that you might have a commercial tent - maybe not Boy Scout - but possibly sold to the public after WW2 during the camping craze that spread by the vets across the country.

Can't wait to see the pictures.
Dwayne
1943 Willys MB
1945 Bantam T3

42GPW
G-Brigadier General
G-Brigadier General
Posts: 2243
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 6:31 pm
Location: Mt.Vernon, MO (southwest area) Driving the Jeep
Contact:

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by 42GPW » Sun Mar 05, 2017 9:06 am

If you can post pics for me ill email them to you.
1947 cj2a
1956 dj-3a dispatcher
1946 t3c
U.S Army (11C3P2B) 1989-2006
82nd Abn, 1st Gulf War Vet
101st Abn oif/oef Vet
2ID Korea
40th Inf
45th Inf

PK-Dallas
G-Corporal
G-Corporal
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2016 3:48 pm
Location: Dallas, TX

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by PK-Dallas » Sun Mar 05, 2017 3:13 pm

Here are pictures of the tent in question.

Image
Image
Image
Image
1945 Willys MB

42GPW
G-Brigadier General
G-Brigadier General
Posts: 2243
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 6:31 pm
Location: Mt.Vernon, MO (southwest area) Driving the Jeep
Contact:

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by 42GPW » Sun Mar 05, 2017 3:58 pm

Thank you sir. If i can tomorrow. I will put it back up next to a pup tent.

Matt R
1947 cj2a
1956 dj-3a dispatcher
1946 t3c
U.S Army (11C3P2B) 1989-2006
82nd Abn, 1st Gulf War Vet
101st Abn oif/oef Vet
2ID Korea
40th Inf
45th Inf

User avatar
Quartermaster
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 436
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2003 8:07 pm
Location: Waynesboro, VA

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by Quartermaster » Mon Mar 06, 2017 4:21 am

From your pictures, it looks like the only thing US military are the tensioners.

Those items have long been available on the loose as surplus. I have purchased bunches of them when I have rehabbed numerous US Military wall, pyramidal and command post tents. Currently they are also available as reproductions.

The views don't show the foot stops you mentioned.

Without any sewn in or stenciled specs, no US stencil, any other attributes of a US tent plus not being listed anywhere in the QM catalogs of US tentage, I would guess it's either commercial (you're probably correct - I don't remember any vintage Boy Scout tent that looked like that) or, as a long shot, some other country's military tent.
Dwayne
1943 Willys MB
1945 Bantam T3

ng19delta
G-First Lieutenant
G-First Lieutenant
Posts: 654
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2010 9:36 pm
Location:

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by ng19delta » Thu Apr 06, 2017 1:49 am

Looks like a scaled down version of the officers two-man small wall tent... Wonder if maybe it was something for a special purpose- maybe a decoy cantonment area or something...

Scott

User avatar
David
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1968
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2002 5:43 am
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by David » Thu Apr 06, 2017 4:21 am

It seems similar to a British Officer's tent?

User avatar
Lee Bishop
G503 War Correspondent
G503 War Correspondent
Posts: 2740
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 6:46 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest USA, via North Florida

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by Lee Bishop » Fri Apr 07, 2017 3:19 pm

Does anyone know the exact dimensions of a small wall tent? Outside 'footprint' and height would do well enough.
I want to make a couple models of them for my model train layout and don't want to wait until June to measure the ones I know I'll see set up in our group's display...
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former US Army Captain and REMF :mrgreen:

User avatar
RobL
G-Major
G-Major
Posts: 912
Joined: Sun Dec 15, 2002 12:57 pm
Location:

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by RobL » Fri Apr 07, 2017 4:35 pm

Hey Lee, I texted you two images from the Tents and Tent Pitching Manual with the measurements you seek.

Rob L.

User avatar
Quartermaster
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 436
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2003 8:07 pm
Location: Waynesboro, VA

Re: Small wall tent?

Post by Quartermaster » Sat Apr 08, 2017 5:29 am

Lee,

Attached are two links that should help you out.

The first is a PDF version of FM 20-15 Tents and Tent Pitching 1945 (revised 1947) the update ought not interfere with what you are seeking.

The second is a handy reference of all US WW2 tents with dimensions.

http://www.easy39th.com/files/FM_20-15_ ... g_1947.pdf

http://users.skynet.be/jeeper/tentage.html


Hi Rob! Sorry if this somewhat duplicates your help but you know I love my tents!
Dwayne
1943 Willys MB
1945 Bantam T3


Post Reply

Return to “Living History / Reenacting Knowledge Base”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 34 guests