28.11 2005 03:43 | Band of Brothers Authentic Costumes & Weaponry

About Band of Brothers

Groundbreaking, 10-part miniseries tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Starting with their rigorous training in Georgia in 1942, it recounts the achievements of the elite rifle company, which parachuted into France early on D-Day morning, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and captured Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. Based on Stephen E. Ambrose's acclaimed book of the same name, BAND OF BROTHERS chronicles a unit that took 150 percent casualties and became true American heroes.

Following link contains great article from About.com describing the detail costume proppers of Band of Brothers went to create as realistic outfits as possible. Includes useful information for re-enactors and collectors.

Authentic Costumes And Weaponry: The realism of "Band of Brothers" (External link)

WWII infantry small arms seen and used in the Band of Brothers series

As the series follow closely US airborne infantry company Band of Brothers doesn't contain any surprises when it comes to infantry small arms, all primary weapons being the most famous examples of their respective categories. Band of Brothers movie armorers used exclusively real guns, but modified to fire blanks, expending on most active production days in excess of 14,000 blank rounds. Non-firing weapons were custom made with special technique originally invented in making of Saving Private Ryan film. The technique involved use of hard rubber, wood and moving parts to create prop guns for extras who were not firing their weapons. All of the infantry small arms seen in the movie are available from wwiiguns.com as blank PFC firing model guns, model guns or airsoft replicas:

M1911A1 pistol
Thompson M1A1 submachine gun
Browning Automatic Rifle M1918 (BAR)
M1 Carbine
M1 Rifle "Garand"
Kar 98k rifle
Maschinen Pistole 40 (MP40), submachine gun
Maschinen Gewehr 42 (MG42), general-purpose machine gun

Official Band of Brothers website
The Band of Brothers website contains an arsenal of information about the HBO series, World War II, as well as a Living Memorial with real stories and tributes by and about the generation that lived through the war.

Information about the series
Watch trailers, read synopses, go behind the scenes, and learn about the characters of Easy Company as they progress through war-torn Europe.

Six World War II Experiences
Using archival photos and authentic audio broadcasts, experience what it was like to be a pilot in the Battle of Britain, a new recruit in basic training, a young child in Nazi occupied Holland, a tank gunner in the invasion of Sicily, a woman on the homefront, and a paratrooper on D-Day.

The Living Memorial
The generation that fought, struggled and sacrificed in WWII changed the world forever. Submit your WWII story or a tribute tosomeone who lived through the war. Discover stories from visitors to the site, along with letters, photos, and documents.

"Band of Brothers" Official Website

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