How do you set up a Montgomery Ward Western Field tent?

Answer 1

I would guess that there are many different models of Montgomery Ward Western Field tent. I just set up a large (8'x12') tent from 1975 with a total of sixteen aluminum pole segments. Lay the tent out on the ground. You'll need a good eight feet of room in front of the tent for the awning and the awning ropes, but you won't need any room behind or to the side of the tent for ropes. The poles include: Six vaguely hockey-stick shaped segments which fit together to form three /-----\ shaped poles. One pole is slightly shorter than the other two. Two rubber-footed extendable poles. Four spike-ended extendable poles. Four narrow pole segments become two awning poles. You will also need nine large tent stakes and two ropes of at least ten feet each. Four stakes for the corners. One spike for the center of the rear and side walls, and two spikes to secure the ropes used for the awning. Make sure all the extendable poles are collapsed as far as they can go. Put the hockey-stick segments through the four loops each along the right and left top corners of the tent. Attach the spike-ended extendable poles to them and put the spike-end of the poles through the grommets attached to the tent floor halfway between the center door zipper and the left-and-right ends of the tent. The same placement is on the rear of the tent. Do NOT extend the poles yet. This is really tricky to do - the poles tend to flop this way and that. There's a reason this sort of tent was supplanted with dome tents.... After the exterior poles are in place, put the center pole in place. There are a few ties along the ceiling to attach to the pole. The three poles end up looking vaguely like this when viewed from the front or rear of the tent: \ | / Needless to say, I'd rather upload a picture than resort to ascii-art.... Once all the pole are in place, extend the poles until the tent takes shape. The closer the tent gets to being finished, the easier it becomes. Once the tent is properly shaped, put the narrower awning poles vertically and secure them with the awning and light rope tied to the stakes. dless to say, I'd rather upload a picture than resort to ascii-art.... If you email me at dpriven at Yahoo dot "com" I'll email some photos of my 1975 tent to you. That may help.