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. 

As I do I do put in the miles hitting a lot of shows each year, I wanted to share my recent article on the best shows for guns and antique arms. I hope this might be of interest:

https://www.range365.com/gun-collecting-hitting-right-shows-to-find-treasure/

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?

I recently was in New Orleans on business, and while the city is OK, the museum was impressive. I posted some photos:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2012/international-museums-national-world-war-ii-museum

I posted some photos - actually about 25 that really highlight the show. I had a FANTASTIC time. My father couldn't make it unfortunately as he needed surgery. He is doing fine, and will join me next year. But I dragged my wife and she was a sport since I don't sit still at the table for long.

Here are photos:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2012/sos-2012-photo-recap

Did you see the Remington Mosin Nagent! Now that is something truly impressive!

I'm getting excited about SOS (Show of Shows) in three weeks but I got a warm up with the Michigan Antiques Arms Collectors Show. With 500 tables this was a very impressive show. I posted a photo recap:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2012/michigan-antique-arms-collectors-show-photo-recap

Nice stuff, I wonder what kinda kick a M26 has mounted on an assault rifle???

You know, Chris I asked that very question. The answer was not as much as you'd expect. I think the bigger issue for me would be firing it off-hand. I can't imagine you'd switch hands to fire the shotgun.

I was at the SHOT Show this week - not a gun show, but rather the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show. A lot of modern firearms and accessories but plenty of other stuff. Here are my photo recaps:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2012/shot-show-recap-sights-from-las-vegas

The "star" of the show in my opinion was a .22LR... but no mere .22LR. This was the German Sports Guns GSG StG44 in .22LR. Available this spring:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2012/shot-show-recap-gsg-stg44

I did not see a lot of medal bars actually, but I'm sure the collection has some... only 7 percent is on display!

There are uniforms. Some of the photos didn't come out. I was really impressed by the amount of boots they had, and in one display the musuem has a tunic for each division that was there... patches were put on for the post-war parades.

I flew out to Kansas City for the day this past Tuesday to visit the National World War I Museum. It made for a VERY LONG day, as I left my house at 5:30am, flew to KC via Chicago, arrived at the museum around noon, had lunch (see the menu in my photo essay), was given a tour for a story I'm writing, took time to marvel at the displays and then returned home. Interesting sidenote, on my flight from Chicago to Detroit there were two National Guard soldiers returning home and I thought it was interesting that on their right sleeves they had the 1st Marine Division patches. They explained that they had been active duty Marines and retired and got the bump up in the NG. Never saw an "Army" officer with a "USMC" patch before!

Anyway, here is my complete photo essay (click the images for a larger view):

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2011/international-museums-national-world-war-i-museum-at-liberty-memorial

Other museums that I have done photo essays for as well:

Prague: http://www.firearmstruth.com/2011/international-museums-prague-military-museum

Athens War Museum: http://www.firearmstruth.com/2011/international-museums-athens-war-museum

SOS is such a better show in my opinion, but I am close enough to MAX that I suppose I'll go next year too.

The show was good, but I will go out on a limb and say I prefer SOS. I think the biggest problem with the MAX is that the current location means it is split into two (actually three) rooms. There is a banquet room with carpeting and there is a large convention hall (no carpet and high ceilings). This makes it feel like two different shows as soon as you pass from one to the other. The floor plan layout isn't the best. I've been to trade shows, conferences, seminars, conventions, expos, etc. The key to good floor plan is NOT to make people walk more.

I think the energy wasn't there either. Maybe it was because it Friday, maybe it was because the weather was simply awful, but it didn't have a ton of energy in my opinion. But I still had a good time. I bought an American 1898 pattern Spanish-American tunic.

I did a quick road trip to Pittsburgh. I was up at 6am and just home at 12midnight. But before I go to bed I posted the "Guns of the MAX Show" on FirearmsTruth.com:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2011/firearms-from-the-max

To add to Stuart's post (#11) here are two drawings based on actual photographs showing the tube vent helmet. These are from the Osprey, Elite series, #71, "Queen Victoria's Commanders.

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.

What are some of the foot notes that you are looking for?

Thank you

Lorenzo

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?