Peter_Suciu

F-22 Raptor Pilots Test New Flight Helmet https://news.clearancejobs.com/2023/04/17/f-22-raptor-pilots-test-new-flight-helmet/

Anyone happen to have any leads for me on where I could find a Lifeguards cuirass? Trying to complete a uniform display. I had a complete uniform and sold it, something I regretted ever since. Last week I was able to obtain pretty much the rest, but would love to have the cuirass.

To restore or not is a debate worthy of Shakespeare dialog. With YouTube we've seen some taking it to extremes. So is it preserving or destroying history? I asked some who do the restoring as well as collectors and wrote a piece for Forbes.com: https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2020/04/15/youtube-restoration-videos-preserving-or-destroying-history/

My piece for ClearanceJobs.com on how the U.S. military is replacing its aging (and even not so old) sniper rifles with the MRAD: https://news.clearancejobs.com/2020/03/10/the-u-s-military-sets-its-sights-on-multi-caliber-sniper-rifle/

This week I was able to do an interview with Ian from YouTube's Forgotten Weapons and he explained how he took his blog on obscure firearms and launched a successful YouTube channel: https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2020/03/10/how-videos-about-old-firearms-became-a-hit-youtube-channel/ It was a pleasure to talk with him about guns, and how it is challenging to discuss weapons into today's PC climate.

It looks like the British "Standard Pattern," which like most patterns the British had was anything but 100 percent standard. It could be police, but I've seen other examples that were used by the Royal West Indies Regiment. The thinking is that the regiment was raised in the West Indies, including Jamaica and these helmets were already available.

That is very helpful. Thank you Chris. Over the last couple of years I've bought up the white summer sun helmets that strangely are in use (or were used) by more police departments than I ever suspected. I never meant to be a police helmet collector but suddenly I have FIVE of these things.

I picked up a police sun helmet at SOS (Show of Shows) really cheap but I have no idea what badge this might be? I assume French but from where? Any idea?

Good illustration of the air tube helmet. I've seen two of these personally that are in the collection of colleague in London. The illustrations suggest these are much more like the later foreign service helmet than they actually are however. I tend to think these were inspired by the cavalry helmets of the era, and as I mentioned the spikes just appeared as a style change. Maybe everyone saw the point at the same time! :whistle:

My quick thoughts on the matter are this... uniforms of the mid-19th century were evolving. The Russians were actually the first to introduce a spiked helmet (Pickelhaube), and the Prussians (more accurately than Germans) adopted a similar helmet. The Russian helmet was in fact inspired by the Tatar helmets of the 13th and 14th century. As Stuart and I have also noted the air tube helmets originated in India, and those appear to have been based on the cavalary helmets used in Europe during the Napoleonic Wars. I like to think that the spiked helmets, which were used by dozens of nations in Europe, South America, even by the United States, were not so much everyone copying the Prussians/Germans as much as a shift away from one fashionable type of headgear, the shako, to something different. Much has been made that all these nations were so impressed by the Prussians victories against Denmark, Austria and France that nations wanted to adopt a similar look. I really don't believe it is as simple as that. One thing I see is that by the 1860s, when the spiked helmets were being introduced, is that the last of the Napoleonic Wars officers were old men or dead. The military planners in the 1860s were either very young men or missed the last great series of wars. Thus of course they wanted to leave their own mark. Likewise, the police likely wanted to keep in line with military fashion. The colonial pattern sun helmet was being used by the guardians of the British Empire, so why wouldn't the police at home use a similar helmet, one that matched their dark uniforms. This was industrial era Great Britain where the air was full of soot and dirt, and so a black uniform would be far more ideal than a white uniform or helmet. That's what I have to add. But I just think too much is made that the German pickelhaube inspired every other spiked helmet.

1) What types of militaria are you finding? How common is "militaria" even right now? 2) Is it too soon? Is it right to collect militaria while there are still soldiers enaged in battle? 3) Can collectors appreciate the militaria if the battles are still being waged? 4) Do the fakers - as well as just the guys who are looking to make money - know that collectors want this stuff and are making up items just for sale? 5) Does it put the soldiers in harms way? Should soldiers even be thinking of the value of items, given that they might risk their lives to get something to sell for profit?

I'm writing a piece on collecting from current wars, and wanted to see if anyone would like to talk to me about this topic. Send me a PM if you collect Iraqi, Afghan or other modern wars militaria.

This would be for Military Trader. It should be posted online soon.

The article was written and filed. I don't know if it ran yet. I've been a little out of the loop actually!

Thank you for posting. That is one museum I hope to visit eventually.

I missed this one earlier this year, and I'm sorry. This is simply a fantastic collection of sun helmets! Truly top notch stuff.

I also wrote an article about the second handgun I bought recently, the TT-33, which replaced the Nagant: http://www.firearmstruth.com/2010/gun-collecting-tt-30-pistol Here is a link to all the gun archive features that I have on my site: http://www.firearmstruth.com/gun-collecting-archives

Stuart-- My good friend, that photo looks like an ultrasound when it is blown up (the photo, not an ultrasound). I think we can determine this will be boy! But in all seriousness, I would step back and say, I don't know. There is no way of judging from the photo. What color uniform is the man wearing? Compare his tunic to the helmet. We know he isn't wearing a leather tunic. That is cloth. The texture (in my opinion) is similar to the helmet. We can assume the boots are leather and those reflect light a bit differently. What I need to see now is an example of the leather helmet. That would clarify matters. If we know there were leather examples and that no other Blue Cloth versions have appeared, and I've never seen a reference to one, then I would add that this suggests that Blue Cloths may not have been used. I know that is vague. I will do some more research.

Stuart-- Well, what I dismissed as fantasy could be reality. We still don't know enough but I would have passed that helmet by at a show.

Mervyn-- I would agree that the posts could appear on Google, and that moderation is the best course (Stuart knows me very well, and if I'm recommending moderation it must be serious). But I'm a journalist and writer by trade, so I understand libel. It actually only applies if anything is said that is untrue. Therefore if you make it about the helmets specifically and any communication then you are fine. Anything that is opinion based (e.g. "they are crooks") is what would get you in trouble. But if you are specific with the details, i.e, the helmet pattern never existed, the information about its history is incorrect, etc., then you are fine. Just my two cents on the matter.

As I told Stuart, this helmet is perfect for those who like Steam Punk (the science fiction genre centered in the Victorian Era). Both are absolute fantasy!

Hello- I'm hoping to pen a short piece on the history of Bearskin caps, but I'm finding very little has been written... maybe that's why my editor was interested in having me write up something. Would anyone care to talk to me about these. I have one in my collection. Lovely headgear. Cheers, Peter

I am starting to collect military handguns (a move from New York City makes it so much easier). My first purchase (I inherited several handguns from my great uncle) was a Model 1895 Nagant Revolver. I wrote a short piece on the gun's history: http://www.firearmstruth.com/2010/gun-collecting-nagant-model-1895-revolver

I always loved the M1917 .45 and I was pleased to read my friend John's take on it: http://www.firearmstruth.com/2010/some-wwii-collectors-prefer-rebuilt-m1917-45-revolvers I actually inherited one from my great uncle. I will treasure that gun always.

Fascintating Stuart. Simply fascinating. I've looked at all my "international" colonial pattern helmets and everyone single one has that North/South seam.