"Ultimate" Parachutist First Aid Kit

After I has respectfully corrected by F/502 veteran Dan Mcbride that the first aid kit I was wearing was the wrong shape and size I set out to create the most historically accurate (while at the same time cost effective) reproduction I could make. 

Each first aid kits includes-

1. Sealed rubberized cotton pouch sized off an original.

2. Contents of the pouch are molded directly off of original contents to guarantee the exact size and shape of an original pouch

3.  Slight dirt ageing giving the pouch an accurate (as issued look) 

To make these pouches, we first tackled the task of recreating the proper construction of the pouch itself.  We used the proper cotton fabric with rubberized backing to match the original packet.  We coupled that with the proper width HBT webbing ties.  Next came the contents. 

Rather than filling the pouch with "real" first aid contents (which would have increased the cost of the kit significantly) we did the next best thing.  We took and original bandage, an original torniquet, and a morphine syrette box bundled them together, wrapped them in a protective coating, and cast them in silicone rubber.  From there we could recreate the exact size and shape of the pouch contents in a dense material that won't crumble inside your pouch even after years or intense use.

After we seal the proper sized and shape contents inside the cloth packet we proceed to age each pouch by hand.  The reason that we decided to age the pouches is because these first aid kits were rarely being issued in "as new condition."  Because these pouches contained morphine (which was a closely regulated substance do to its addictive properties) these pouches were supposed to be collected from each paratrooper and aircrew member whom they were issued to after they returned from the combat area.  Then when the unit was being deployed on another combat mission they would reissue the first aid kits.

The Parachutist first aid kit was originally designed for pilots and aircrew but were quickly issued to paratroopers and can be seen being used by them as early as Operation Torch (1942) and were used throughout the war.