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Found on a British Car group, Spitfire project which is a bit different from what I was expecting on a car group..

Well, here's mine, the poor man of the family...repro cockade as the cap came without one.anyone know the maker? Looks like 1942 stamp, but a bit faint.

Hi All, Here are some photos of my 1940 Lago Berlin made tropical peaked cap and it is about as DAK as you can get. The original owners name is written inside the cap. These early caps are extremely sort after and the prices are very high right now. This cap has an early type of tropical cockade and an not often seen smaller size early tropical cap eagle. D

Google for Belgian beers (just about anyone of them!)...my favourites!

A friend of mine used to be in 3 Para, he was also very involved in taking parties out to Normandy on tours, One such tour was at Merville Battery. He let the party wander around the site and went into the main casement to see the new exhibit, he had a book with him and was looking through it. There was an old gent standing next to him and happened to ask him if he was interested in what really happened, My mate said he was and so this chap walked through the whole area with him explaining what happened and where My pal thought that this guy must of been there during the battle as some of the facts that he was stating had,nt been heard of or written about, so he asked his name, LT Colonel OTWAY , the man that led the raid, Well my pal was in military heaven and later throughout the years was invited to many reunions with the survivors of the raid, In fact two of the Paras were within two miles from his home and one of them was the guy who threw the grenade into casement no/1, and you hear this in the re-enactment in the museum in casement 1, His name was Sid Capon and my friend spent many years and hours with him up until he died. Another interesting point is that before the Battery was opened as a museum, my pal and a couple of others went there. It was mainly overgrown but was being gradually cleared. He tripped over something in the long grass, it was a Bren gun, and he later donated it to the museum after a few years, and you can still see that there. One of the people he was with had to take a leak and when he looked down there was this German Belt buckle, but that was kept. When I went there with him I had all the various actions of separate soldiers related to me

I,d call it just plain getting old and eyesight playing me up........... Little joke, A very young Nun was having a bath in the monestery, there was a knock on the door, "Who is it" "Its the blind man" came the reply, she thought the chap was desperate for the loo, and her Christian duty to let him come in seeing he was blind, he came in ,said" Oh nice tits, where do you want these blinds"

I've been moving things about, always stuck for space..

Nice one Lenny! Good to see that sectioned one at the beginning as i got one last Thursday after ten years looking! Showed the assembly quite well. Loved the posters too in the background..

Ha Ha , I do like these old wartime advisory films from the" Ministre", we used to get ones on Atomic war when we were in the police, always narrated by the actor Patrick Allen, the 60s army films were good as well, we had them as cadets, How to use ranges correctly, Dangers of Ammunition and Ordnance etc, these went right through to the late 70s and were so outdated , the one i really liked was why you should,nt wear Ammo boots in an ammo or ordnance store!!!

Here is my first post and I figured I would put up some photos of my US WWI uniforms. I don't collect much outside of what would of actually been worn in the trenches, so my uniform collection is probably bland for those expecting to see unit patches and various other adornments that would of been added Post-Armistice. So first up is a rather interesting wool coat. This one in particular was made by Henry Sonneborn & Co., Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland. It is contract number 847 dated September of 1917. It is made of a heavier blanket style wool and does not have the cotton lining that is seen in earlier uniforms. The overall texture of the wool itself is rather soft compared to others that I own or have handled. Specifically, this tunic features the plain US and Infantry disks and a single corporal's chevron on the right arm as was the regulation during the war. So please bear with me as I am trying out a new camera and attempting to figure out the proper settings to get the best shot. So without further ado, here are the photos. Thank you, Mike

Got this one off eBay many years ago. I had been watching it, and forgot. It didn't sell the first time ($89.00 starting bid). Got it on the relist, but not for $89.00. I believe it to be a Med camo, as there are subtle browns in there, too. Apparently over-painted a festive green post-war, then that paint removed. A lot of paint loss on the rear and top but the liner is original to the helmet, and it is the early leather with the size (52!) embossed in the leather as well as on the aluminum band, and the liner band is the first model aluminum band (Schubert Werke 1937), and it isn't broken, amazingly. Shell is an NS60.

Ok, we know we're all into Militaria and military history, but what are your other interests/loves/hobbies? For me, apart from my family obviously, it's cars and guitars... Specifically Subarus and Les Pauls.

To increase member numbers, I'm thinking of an add on to the forum. Mail order Russian brides?

I feel for the young and new collectors!I Just hate these grave diggers,I understand that money is impoortant but what's wrong with getting a job? http://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-A-pair-of-boots-from-a-German-bunker-in-Stalingrad-WH-/222050712941?hash=item33b340fd6d:g:LCIAAOSwDuJWz0HL http://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-ORIGINAL-German-BOOT-HORSE-SHOES-HEELS-HOBNAILS-SET-BARN-FIND-from-KURLAND-/351678933328?hash=item51e1b2a950:g:ymgAAOSwB4NWxkTZ http://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-ORIGINAL-German-VERWUNDETENABZEICHEN-RELIC-of-30-Inf-Div-from-KURLAND-/351678973577?hash=item51e1b34689:g:dd4AAOSwwpdW6KHm http://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-ORIGINAL-German-TUNIC-BELT-SUPPORT-HOOKS-of-290-Inf-Div-from-KURLAND-/351678933330?hash=item51e1b2a952:g:hlYAAOSwUV9Wpq6H

Those things are awesome!

We will get you one mate D

Stunning!! I am sick to death that I sold the stripped one I had a few years ago, not knowing it's true value! This one is marvelous!

OK fellas, this is a question for you Europeans, can y'all recommend a "must try" beer that's brewed in your neck of the woods and may possibly be imported to the U.S.?

Wow oh wow, that cap is superb @DAK D, love it.... amazingly jealous....

how about your favorite top 5 you can think of?

Hi there, Lenny here, boss of the MCN. I've collected Militaria since I was about 10, my first item was an Imperial Iron Cross 2nd Class that my grandfather brought back from WW1. Over the years I've collected most things, from British cap badges, to helmets, bayonets, deacts, buckles, etc. etc. At the moment, nearly 40 years later, I collect German Belt Buckles and German Grenades. I'm a member of most of the web forums, and started up the Militaria Collector's Network in 1998. It had been in existence a few years before that on bulletin boards, Fidonet and then a mailing list and Yahoo Groups. It ran it's course and unfortunately fizzled out about 8 or 9 years ago. I had given up collecting for a while and it was only less than a year ago I started up the MCN again, this time as a Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/Milcol/ which now has over 10,000 members. Facebook has it's issues, they can be funny about certain things, and seem to close down groups for no good reason. Also, it's hard to find anything as there's no structure. Everything just ends up at the bottom when someone new posts. A web forum is ideal for this, it can be structured and split into different areas.I for one, am excited that it's back. Onwards and upwards... You'll see a selection of pics from my collection in the gallery.

Hi Lenny, I know you lost so much, but you do have some fantastic pieces still D

Oh Wow! I acquired these from the son of an RAF Bomb Disposal Officer a few years ago and have been meaning to get them framed. After a bunker clearout last week,i found them and took them to said framers. Got them back this morning. Some have stains on where they were repaired years ago with sellotape,but i think it adds to the character? Cant wait to get the place decorated,these are in the living room as ive no room left in the bunker! Enjoy!

Is it a Tommy helmet stuck on top of a crankshaft for an ironing board Or perhaps it's going to be a lamp? D

Hi @Bil4338, Based on what I see in your photos your M40 looks good and has an interesting liner, as it looks like two different red colours were used for the construction of the liner. Can you take some more photos of the liner, inside of the grommets and the underside of the sweatband please? Can you also take a front on view photo of the tropical eagle please? The maker is not one I have encountered before, but by 1942 there were so many different clothing factories making them and it would be interesting to try and work out who made it. The only thing I would do is restore the cockade with an original second pattern one Unless all members tropical caps are going to be posted here your cap deserves to be a separate topic. D

Nice looking lids you have.

It's worth nothing that the lowest SN on a 1939 BSW K98k as per Mr.Law's book is 1257.Mine is Nr. 874 without letters after the serial,hence it comes from one of the very first 1939 production batches!

Looks great @DAK D! Fabulous set!

Here is an nice RAC pair of printed titles D

Thank you for your kind words Bil. Yeah I know it needs a new liner. A liner is not something I've always had on my list for my collection so when I do see originals for sale I keep scrolling lol Once I get out for the semester here in a few weeks I will look into getting a new one and will post the results

...and all in BBC English too old chap!

I am sorry Manu but you are wrong. The thread you have linked is a group called Legenda, who have recovered and given a decent burial to more than 14,000 soldiers over the past 10 years. Every single item they find with these soldiers is re-buried with them, and any personal items sent on to the soldiers relatives. They work closely with the war graves organisations of both Germany and Russia and give their time for free, recovering soldiers and giving them a burial next to their comrades. You should not judge a book by its cover. Yes, there are grave robbers out there who think nothing of taking items from a fallen soldier to make money, and those people are the scum of the earth. However, Legenda are certainly NOT one of those. Legenda are the good guys, fighting to save these fallen men from black diggers. Before you cast judgement, learn about who you are referencing. Steve T

They are a scourge on the collecting world, if you find items on the surface then its not too bad but these guys are digging into graves and disturbing history of a site, for the only reasons ...Profit and greed, they show no respect for anyone who fought in these positions and probably died there

"Kurt my darling, when I said I fancied a nice bit of helmet tonight, I dont think you fully understood the art of sexual foreplay"

I think this is the 798328452nd time that Corporal Schickelgruber's own "Mein Kampf" is sold to some gullible soul! I've got German descent on my late father's side and last week I've found a piece of forniture from my grand-grand mother's house sold in Iowa (tongue FIRMLY in cheek)!Looks like US GIs have sent or brought home from Germany just about everything that wasn't either nailed down or welded!Kanzlerei desks and chairs,chandeliers from Carinhall,fire-doors from "der Bunker" and all that jazz!

Superb.

If I ever decide to sell it I will but right now for me I am okay with it Bought it for the helmet and the trench art not the liner I'd rather have a fake liner and original helmet then an entire fake helmet.

That "butter fly bomb" brings back some bad memories, but the incendiary is another matter, One of the coppers I worked with was sent to a local residential home for handicapped children. Some work was being carried out in the over grown garden and some new footings were being dug, They found something they did,nt like the look of, and so did the copper, It was a half buried German incendiary that was still intact. Instead of leaving it and calling for BDT, he grabbed it, pulled it out of the ground, walked all the way through the home with all the kids there and put it in the boot of the police car, then drove through a populated area brought it back to the station and logged it in and put it in the found property locker, right next to the main reception desk. Eventually someone realised what it could be and the station was evacuated and BDT was called, That copper was given a citation for bravery, he should have had his arse booted out,What made it even worse was that after my encounter with a live Mills bomb, I did,nt even get a thankyou, Very pissed off about that, even now, especially as this guy went on to be in charge of the firearms team, before being removed for dangerous behaviour and endangering other police officers, but I suspect it had something to do with his father being a Chief Superintendent in another force

Sometimes the rental thing goes haywire. I've heard of instances in which the rental model causes corrosion to the main spigot upon attachment, that in turn contaminates internal components, and exposure to mated interior plumbing systems will introduce the corrosion to the separate system, thereby necessitating permanent separation of both systems when TSHTF.

Czechoslovak Medals/Pins/Badges related to the former Military/Czechoslovak Communist Party (KSC)/ Czechoslovak Young Pioneers (There might also be some Chernobyl Liquidator Medals and Order of Red Banner of Labour)

Combat helmets of the 20th century, nothing high-end; strictly garden variety. Its a fascinating hobby which I enjoy immensely and, lucky for me, my wife is very good sport about it all.

A nice British WW2 helmet i used to own. Rough texture with insignia. Picked this one up in a local antiques shop.

Had these a few years. Not sure what era to be honest. All i know about them is im assuming the far right green one is from a medic perhaps?

Collecting a wide variety of WW2 memorabilia, from Kriegsmarine to SOE......medals, caps, helmets, badges, boxes.......anything WW2 that catches my eye.

Last up is a 78th Division wool Ordnance Sergeant's tunic. This one has the same 78th patch as the uniform above, but still retains the overseas and honorable discharge chevrons. For disks it has US National Army and the flaming ordnance bomb. No name so far, but I haven't had much of a chance to check it out. There is also some really great stitch work on the sergeant chevron, well until you get to the bottom where it looks like he got tired of messing with it and got a little sloppy. Overall it is a rather interesting tunic. The buttons are unmarked and are a little more shiny than the usual. It is tailor made from a lightweight wool and along with the buttons, I am beginning to think that it may be French made. I will have to do some further investigating to see what may be hidden somewhere on the coat.

Wow it has been a long few days. I have been away at the Show of Shows in Louisville, Kentucky over the weekend and picked up some uniforms that I will share with you all. First up is a World War I 78th Division Infantry 2nd Lieutenant tunic. This one is tailor made and features a 78th Division patch on the left shoulder. One of the things that is interesting about it is the LT. bars are directly embroidered to the uniform. It also came with a rather nice pair of matching breeches that have the button up calves, which I neglected to photograph. It is named and I will attempt to research it later on. The seller was pretty sure it was unidentified, even after showing him the tailor tag in the inside pocket. There is actually another neat feature about this uniform that I did not discover until after I got back to the hotel. Inside the breeches was an early Pennsylvania United States Volunteers dog tag in the pocket, which happens to match the name on the tailor tag. Which is pretty lucky for me considering I have only found tobacco and a dirty handkerchief in all of the others I have owned. Unfortunately it is missing one button and there is one that doesn't match and I will fix the missing one in the near future. If it looks like the bottom button is off, that is because it is. Apparently the veteran continued wearing the uniform after the war, and after gaining weight, and moved the bottom two so it would fit a bit better. Thanks, Mike

An interesting one, unlike the reichsbahn patches with gold piping. This one with silver piping is for the private/small railways not run by the reich. Nichtreichseigene Eisenbahnen. It's a 1941 pattern collar patch for wear on the closed collar tunics.

My collection got a bit better later... Still make me nearly cry to see what I used to have pre-divorce. Couldn't afford to replace it all now.