Camo Pixie Oversuits

[Johnny Canuck]

Hello Ron

The Holy Grail of British/Commonwealth tankers has appeared again in DML's new offering of the Camo tankers oversuit.
I tried researching the Pixie suit but there seems to be a dirth of information on the regular version let alone the camo version.
The tan tankers oversuit was first issued in 1943.
One site I was on that catered to the reenactor claimed that the camo version was issued during the last 3-4 months of the war in the ETO. It was in response to reports from the combat units in mid 1944.
Canadian Soldier site reports that there is no documentation that Cdn armoured units were ever issued the camo version. Bummer! Although if it was out there that doesn't mean that some Canucks didn't get their hands on some.
David Gordons "Uniforms of the WWII Tommys" has a detailed description of the oversuit and numerous pictures (a majority being the camo) but doesn't give any dates for issue.

If you don't mind walking through a minefield what are your thoughts?

Geoff

 

[Tony Barton]

The Camo Pixie oversuit:

Alas , Geoff , there’s no evidence that it was never issued in any significant numbers : no-one has yet found any photos showing it being worn in NW Europe before VE-Day . Since the announcement of the DML figure , there’s been a fair amount of discussion about it on the British forums , and no evidence of its use has been found .

The Camo Pixie exists in quite good numbers now in collections perhaps for that very reason , and of course collectors can therefore buy it , but that shouldn’t make us believe that it was issued .

If anybody can come up with some clear pics , I will eat Humble Pie in Public .

The plain drab version was of course in widespread use , and there are countless pics to prove it .
About Pixies ( the plain drab ones ) and Tank Crew uniforms in general : Pixies were issued in the field from late September ’44 : they were NOT worn in Normandy . I have this from a tank veteran , whose experience was probably typical : he loved the Pixie when he got it in the Autumn, but before then he wore Battledress or the Denim Overall , which was worn quite a lot in Normandy , generally over a shirt and underwear when it was hot .
Photographic evidence certainly confirms his remarks .
The Denim Overall is described by Brian L. Davis ( The Bible on British Uniforms ) as being ”authorised from 23rd Sept. ’44 “: this is one of his text typo blunders , since the Denim Overall can clearly be seen in dated and located Normandy pics in June and July : I’ve found 22 in one book !
Alas it’s not yet made in 1/6th.
The main uniform for Tank Crews was always the Battledress : the Pixie and the Denim overalls were extras , worn on top or in stead of , but never replacing the BD .
I’ll leave aside the fact that the camo on DML’s new camo Pixie is wrong anyway …

It's a crying shame that DML have been so very provoking on this topic : they must be aware that what everyone wanted was the plain drab version , but they always know best , don't they ?

_____________________________________________________________

 

[Johnny Canuck]

Alas hope fades that a repaint of the camo pattern would suffice to bring the Pixie up to standard. Well I guess I'll have to figure a way to paint the damn things tan.
From the pictures I've seen the denim oversuit seems to be of the same general cut. Perhaps I'll paint some of them green.

What a bunch of dorks!

At least the Pixie from the Davies' figure are really cheap, less than the current cost of a 37 BD. Let the experiments begin.

The pity is that DML will create a myth that Allied figures don't sell due to this F/U and will make us suffer for being critical of their stupidity.
Please buy as many of this figure as you can afford, dig a hole in the backyard and bury the damn things, Perhaps we can create the illusion that it was a sellout!

The Dragon stumbles again!

Geoff

 

[jepy]

Well sure, DML went totaly gay on the pixie suite. But overall (so to speak) he is a Brit, he has a decent BD uniform and the usual DML high grade kit.
I'll get as many as I can, but I'll just bury the pixie suite and put the figure to works with the rest of my Guards Armored guys.

J-P

 

[Johnny Canuck]

DML really doesn't do any adequate research. The drop down holster was not in favour late war as it constantly got hung up on the protrusion in a tank, although very well done it's about as appropriate as the camo oversuit. Alas the Canadians were issued Browning Inglis automatics, the compass pouch is a nice treat for the Brit basher. The BD is nice, but again the Canucks didn't use the 1940 pattern, but he is a Brit so fair enough. The one golden piece for me is the binoc case as that hasn't been produced before to my knowledge.
Hopefully it will surface that the 11th Armoured Division were issued the camo oversuit and they can wear them proudly as they race around NWE in the final days of the war in their brand new A34 Comets.
Overall not a classic release, some nice items for the parters but not a sellout the way a regular tan oversuit would have been.
I think "Dorks" pretty much sums it up.

JC

 

[ActionMan]

Hopefully it will surface that the 11th Armoured Division were issued the camo oversuit and they can wear them proudly as they race around NWE in the final days of the war in their brand new A34 Comets.

JC

Even if the proof emerges, it's still the wrong pattern camo Geoff.

In their wisdom, DML have used their Denison-type camo instead of the more block-like camo similar to the 1:1 windproof.

 

[Johnny Canuck]

Camo wrong! This is a travesty! I'll have to write Dragon Models Limited a letter and inform them of this grievous error immediately. Perhaps it's not to late and they can do a recall to fix this aberation of a suit!
Tony hellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllp!

JC

 

[Spanner 28]

One little ray of hope is that at least one picture of such a creature being worn exists, alas, it is in Korea. Their is the possibility that Canadian Tankers wore them in Korea but I have not seen a pic. The pic of the Brit one is on the IWM website (search under Korea). Most documentation of the period referes to Windproofs and there is the possibility that this may be such with Gear covering the join.
A true pity that DML know best. Maybe they mau do another down the track in a Khaki one.
Why they need to keep using the Denison Cam on things that weren't made in it (Windproofs, Cam Tank Oversuit) when there are precious few good Denison Smocks to be had is beyond us mere mortals.
They could have done a late war Sniper, Marine, more Airborne etc. No shortage of REAL uses.
I could live with the mistakes if they were one of's but they repeat them over and over again.
Cheers
Al