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Airborne Clicker - News Page:Airborne Cricket in the News, snippets of information relating to the D-Day Cricket. If you come across any information we have not listed feel free to contact us with the details and we will get it listed.
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Original Marketing Advert
We were lucky to find a very early advert for the ACME clicker. Notice the markings are different to the later versions. This is most likely the first advert produced for the clicker range of products. |
ACME Cricket Advert
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Tactical Black textured Brass Airborne Crickets
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Contemporary Tactical Black Textured Brass & Steel Clickers
We are pleased to announce that we can now supply Modern Black textured Brass Airborne Crickets with or without hole in new or aged condition. For the modern military person or outdoors person, a great signalling device where whistles may be too obtrusive! More Information >> |
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ACME Cricket in Distressed Brass - Without Hole
We are pleased to announce that we can now supply our Brass WW2 Crickets without Hole, in distressed finish. These make great birthday presents or presentation pieces and do not look too dissimilar to our fully aged brass crickets, which means you could use it during Living History & reenactments etc. More Information >> |
Cricket in Distressed Brass - Without Hole
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WW2 German Issued POW Identification Dog Tags
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Reproduction WW2 German issued allied POW (Prisoner Of War), dog tags.
Our reproduction dog tags are made of solid zinc, just like the originals, they are the same size and form of originals. Worn round the neck with a chain, cord or string on the two hole side, the idea being that if a POW died the dog tag would be snapped off and the side with one hole is kept with the POW's records and the two hole side kept with the POW. Perfect accessory to your Airborne Clicker No 470 - available in new or aged condition! Get yours here! |
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Acme Clicker No 470 Replacement Metal Tongue.
If your Acme cricket is missing its metal 'tongue' or no longer clicks because the 'tongue' is fatigued after years of use, this is the perfect replacement. Available in new and aged condition. Get yours on this link! |
Acme No 470 metal Tongue Replacement
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Antique Brass Clicker with Hole
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ACME Cricket in Distressed Brass - With Hole
We are pleased to announce that we can now supply our Brass WW2 Crickets with Hole, in distressed finish. These make great birthday presents or presentation pieces and do not look too dissimilar to our fully aged brass crickets, which means you could use it during Living History & reenactments etc. More Information >> |
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Some comments from one of our customers:
Firstly, let me thank you for this wonderful service to the world of reviving this piece of history in its original form, right down to the box it came in. It is a pity that you don't have a review page. So I am giving you permission to use this comment and my name on your page. The "clicker" is a little pricey compared to knockoffs. But, that is always the case for comparison of original to copies. Worth every dollar or pound of the difference. The order process was simple. It arrived in perfect condition in 5 days. It was carefully wrapped in tissue paper placed in an original cardboard box and then wrapped in a reused outdated advertisement for a previous military show. It was apparent that the entire operation was carried out with respect and caring for this historic piece and the men who used them. I highly recommend that others buy this priceless item for a veteran or family member(s) and tell them the story of how this simple device saved so many Allied lives and helped win the war. Don't forget to buy one or more of the books giving the history. My name is Joseph Badame. I am an American retired architect who was born exactly a year before "D-day" June 6, 1943. Read about my wonderful late wife in my free e-book at Smashwords.com: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/483616 All 39 of my books are free and all have life lessons that I learned from my friend, teacher, mentor, and wife of 45 years. God Bless you who were responsible for reviving the memory of those who gave so much for our freedom today. One little observation: The loudness of the "clicker" can be dampened by placing your left thumb on the steel plate when operating. The harder you press your left thumb, the "softer" the sound - just in case the "enemy" is nearby. Oh, I am an engineer as well with an engineer's mind. Perfect design. |
D-Day Invasion Clicker
Brass Clicker with Hole
'The ACME' stamping.
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Acme No 470 Clicker in Gold
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ACME Cricket in GOLD - No Hole
We are pleased to announce that we can now supply our WW2 Crickets in 9 carat Gold plate, without the punched hole. These make great birthday presents or presentation pieces and do not look too dissimilar to our brass crickets, which means if you wanted you could use it during Living History & reenactments etc. More Information >> |
Campaign to Find ‘The Lost Clickers’ of the D-Day Landings 2019 - 75th D-Day Anniversary:
Campaign to Find ‘The Lost Clickers’ of the D-Day Landings
We are calling out to D-Day veterans and their relatives to find what have been coined ‘The Lost Clickers’ of the D-Day landings.
Supported by The Royal British Legion and marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, ACME Whistles is searching for original ‘Clickers’ issued to the American Airborne Division as a vital piece of survival equipment. Paratroopers were dropped into darkness behind enemy lines on the night before D-Day, if they were not alone when they landed, or later detected someone close by, they were to click once. Two clicks in reply meant friend, no response meant something else.
If/when the Clickers are found veterans, friends and family who take ownership of them will be invited to a special commemorative day, hosted by ACME Whistles. Please email us if you think you have a genuine cricket.
We are calling out to D-Day veterans and their relatives to find what have been coined ‘The Lost Clickers’ of the D-Day landings.
Supported by The Royal British Legion and marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, ACME Whistles is searching for original ‘Clickers’ issued to the American Airborne Division as a vital piece of survival equipment. Paratroopers were dropped into darkness behind enemy lines on the night before D-Day, if they were not alone when they landed, or later detected someone close by, they were to click once. Two clicks in reply meant friend, no response meant something else.
If/when the Clickers are found veterans, friends and family who take ownership of them will be invited to a special commemorative day, hosted by ACME Whistles. Please email us if you think you have a genuine cricket.
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Chris Pratt in Jurassic World
The main character in the film Jurassic World uses an airborne cricket to attract the attention of the Raptors who were chasing a pig. The use of the cricket is a reflection of the use of our cricket in training dogs and other animals! A far cry from its original intention in the 1940s. |
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Genuine Airborne Cricket
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Genuine WW2 Cricket with provenance
We were contact by a customer in France. He supplied pictures from every angle as well as dimentions and weight. After analysis we were 99% sure this was a genuine cricket. On receipt of this news he advised us "The cricket was given by a injured paratrooper 101 airborne to a french volunter women wich working like nurse in an evac hospital in Normandy after d-day. I know the name of the nurse at 100% and I have paper of his family to prove it. I have also his helmet. At this time I have the name of the paratrooper and I’m looking for to found him in Nara." So in summary this customer has a very rare and valuable piece of WW2 History! |
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Amazon film Golitah uses Airborne Clickers
The Airborne Cricket is the main prop in the Amazon series Goliath. A disgraced lawyer, now an ambulance chaser, gets a case that could bring him redemption or at least revenge on the firm which expelled him. Starring Billy Bob Thornton, William Hurt, & Maria Bello. |
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Airborne Crickets with choice of punched holes
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WW2 Replica Crickets in Aged Brass and choice of hole placement.
We are now happy to announce that you can choose where we punch the hole on our aged brass crickets - either top tight, middle or bottom right. Many originals had holes punched into them using nails, bayonets or sharp tools. This allowed the Paratrooper to string string through it to attach it round his neck or hang from his equipment. You can get your cricket here. |
WW2 Cricket in Gold Plate
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ACME Cricket in GOLD
We are pleased to announce that we can now supply our WW2 Crickets in 9 carat Gold plate. These make great birthday presents or presentation pieces and do not look too dissimilar to our brass crickets, which means if you wanted you could use it during Living History reenactments. |
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Great Gift for Customers attending WW2 Normandy Military Tours
They may throw away your paperwork but will be unlikely to throw away this gift! Simple smart Battlefield Tour Marketing. Feel free to contact us if you would like more information or bulk buy our crickets. www.airborne-cricket.com |
Airborne Cricket - Perfect for Military Normandy Tours
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Cricket Noise Maker
The original cricket noise maker was a child’s toy made by the ACME Whistle Company in England. But for D-Day, paratroopers were issued much more serious brass versions. With soldiers scattered willy-nilly behind enemy lines, the troops needed some type of stealth audio signal to identify each other in the dark of night.
Operation was simple: If someone approached, you clicked your cricket, making the most innocuous of night-time sounds. If the passer-by clicked back, you knew you had encountered a friendly comrade.
Operation was simple: If someone approached, you clicked your cricket, making the most innocuous of night-time sounds. If the passer-by clicked back, you knew you had encountered a friendly comrade.
Paratrooper Cricket Toy - worn on M2 Helmet
Paratrooper Cricket on M2 Airborne Helmet
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Here is another example of the Paratrooper Cricket being worn on the M2 Jump Helmet. This image comes from the pamphlet "The Legendary Cricket of D-Day. Paperback Booklet", available here.
A great combination of helmet and clicker to ensure the cricket does not get lost. The airborne Infantry alway come up with ways to optimise their kit! |
Original Paratrooper Clicking toy - cricket recovered in Carentan
Paratrooper Clicking Toy - Cricket
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This cricket was sent in by one of our customers. It was recover in Carentan, Normandy.
Carentan was defended by two Ost battalions and remnants of other German forces. |
Paratrooper clicker - Carentan Normandy
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The 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division, ordered to reinforce Carentan, was delayed by transport shortages and attacks by Allied aircraft. The attacking 101st Airborne Division, landed by parachute on 6 June as part of the American airborne landings in Normandy, was ordered to seize Carentan.
In the ensuing battle, the 101st forced passage across the causeway into Carentan on 10 and 11 June. A lack of ammunition forced the German forces to withdraw on 12 June. The 17th SS PzG Division counter-attacked the 101st Airborne on 13 June. Initially successful, its attack was thrown back by Combat Command A (CCA) of the U.S. 2nd Armored Division.
There are no markings on the Airborne Cricket and the hole has been made with a knife, nail or similar device. The steel metal base plate has most likely corroded over time.
Courtesy of Rafa - Spain.
In the ensuing battle, the 101st forced passage across the causeway into Carentan on 10 and 11 June. A lack of ammunition forced the German forces to withdraw on 12 June. The 17th SS PzG Division counter-attacked the 101st Airborne on 13 June. Initially successful, its attack was thrown back by Combat Command A (CCA) of the U.S. 2nd Armored Division.
There are no markings on the Airborne Cricket and the hole has been made with a knife, nail or similar device. The steel metal base plate has most likely corroded over time.
Courtesy of Rafa - Spain.
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Engraved Nickel Airborne Cricket
A customer sent in a picture of his engraved Airborne Cricket in nickel. We think it looks outstanding and is a great way to remember your airborne military service. He like this so much he purchased another one and a signed copy of the Airborne Cricket pamphlet. |
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Airborne Helmet with Cricket
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WW2 101st & 82nd Airborne Helmet and Collection
One of our customer sent in his WW2 101st & 82nd Airborne Helmet and accessories collection including our airborne Cricket. In our customers words 'It looks awesome' and we totally agree a great little Paratrooper display. Courtesy of J. Dizon. |
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We are pleased to announce our new D-Day Stripes Framing service for your Airborne Crickets.
You can select and display your cricket in framed D-Day stripes and miniature rivets and authentic distressing. Each one is hand made to order and therefore unique to you! You can get more information here. |
D-Day Stripes Mounting with Airborne Cricket
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Airborne Cricket Announces Engraving Service.
We are pleased to announce our new engraving service for your Airborne Crickets. Several WW2 USA 101st Airborne Veterans had their crickets engraved at the end of the war. We offer a similar service and you can choose from several fonts and turnaround is usually within one working day of order. Engraving temporarily suspended till new engraver found. |
Airborne Cricket Engraving Service
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Nickel Clicker in display case with USA Flag and WW2 Airborne Wings
It looks like our customers display case below has kicked off a few more display ideas! Pictured is our nickel paratrooper cricket in aged condition (but cleaned up), with the USA flag and WW2 Paratrooper Award Wings. The customer has painted the frame & background olive drab and mounted the paratrooper clicker behind the glass finish. Please keep these coming - we love these displays for our crickets. |
paratrooper cricket
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D-Day Cricket display case
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Home Made Display Case for our Paratrooper Clickers used on D-Day
The picture opposite has been sent in by one of our customers who purchased the full range of Airborne D-Day Crickets: Nickel, Brass with hole, Brass without hole, Nickel Aged, Brass with hole Aged and Brass without hole Aged. He has mounted them in a deep wooden frame which has been spray painted olive drab. The background has been 'corked' to give a helmet effect and again painted Olive drab and finished off with a piece of genuine WWII helmet net. This reflects crickets having been worn on helmets during the Normandy invasion. Some paratroopers did wear the clickers attached to their helmets and other pieces of equipment. This has given us a great idea - stay posted for further information. |
D-Day Cricket strapped to chinstrap of M2 Airborne Helmet
The picture in the book 'American Paratrooper Helmets' by Michel De Trez and is available through Historic Collections. It shows a D-Day cricket attached to the chinstrap of a Paratrooper M2 helmet. The helmet belonged to 2nd Lt. Gibson B. Kennedy assistant platoon leader of 3'd platoon 'C' Company, 326th AEB.
The picture in the book 'American Paratrooper Helmets' by Michel De Trez and is available through Historic Collections. It shows a D-Day cricket attached to the chinstrap of a Paratrooper M2 helmet. The helmet belonged to 2nd Lt. Gibson B. Kennedy assistant platoon leader of 3'd platoon 'C' Company, 326th AEB.
European Paratroopers Association - Airborne Crickets Discount
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The European Paratroopers Association are now offering 5% discount for Airborne Crickets. They run the following courses: Basic Airborne, Counter-Terrorism, Parachute Rigger and SWAT, as well as holding several other military related events.
Sign up and attend your course and you are entitled to 5% discount on our Paratrooper Clickers bought through our site. More Information. |
EPA - Discount on Crickets
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Legion of Honour Holder uses Acme Cricket
The French Legion of Honour was awarded to U.S. Army Col. Dave McNeil the on June 6 2014 in Sainte Mere Eglise, Normandy, France. Retired Colonel McNeil served 30 years on active duty in the U.S. Army, serving in multiple Airborne, Ranger and Special Forces assignments.
Since he retired from the Army, he formed a company named Normandy Systems, which is dedicated to preserving and teaching the history of D-Day. In addition to the young soldiers who he leads in Normandy each June, he now also leads groups of corporate executives to Normandy throughout the year to teach senior-executive-level leadership based on the leadership lessons of D-Day. Dave is a stickler for accuracy and therefore only uses our genuine Acme Cricket as part of his tours.
Since he retired from the Army, he formed a company named Normandy Systems, which is dedicated to preserving and teaching the history of D-Day. In addition to the young soldiers who he leads in Normandy each June, he now also leads groups of corporate executives to Normandy throughout the year to teach senior-executive-level leadership based on the leadership lessons of D-Day. Dave is a stickler for accuracy and therefore only uses our genuine Acme Cricket as part of his tours.
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2015 Signed Cricket Books
We are please to announce that we now have signed copies of the clicker history book. The Legendary Cricket of D-Day. Copies of these are limited so buy them while you can. Nous veuillez devoir annoncer que nous maintenant avons signé des copies dulivre d'histoire de clicker. Le Legendary Cricket du Jour J. Des Copies de ces derniers sont limitées ainsi achetez-les tandis que vous pouvez. |
Airborne Cricket Book
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Paratrooper Clickers
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Cricket Advertising & Crickets from the 1940's
Some original cricket advertising with some genuine paratrooper clickers, some with replaced steel plates. All the crickets are WW2 period genuine but some have replacement plates. Some lovely pieces of airborne history. |
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The toy that saved lives - 101st clicking toy
For 13,000 World War II paratroopers, a humble little toy—the Acme No. 470 clicker—meant the difference between life and death. The D-Day pre-dawn flights of June 6, 1944, were shaping up to be as nerve-wracking as American paratroopers had expected. Heavy fog, missed drop zones, marshy swamps, darkness and enemy fire faced the brave men of the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions as they floated to the French countryside. |
101st Clicking Toy
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A Boomer’s Guide to D-Day
Seventy years ago — on June 6, 1944, commonly known as D-Day — World War II took a dramatic turn with the Allied invasion of Normandy. The Allied landings — overseen by General Dwight D. Eisenhower — were conducted in two phases: an airborne assault shortly after midnight, and, beginning at 6:30 a.m., an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armoured divisions along a 50-mile stretch of the French coastline. |
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