Jock Auld

If you weren't an artist then you would be a forger? That is a scary skill you have and leaves the newcomers to the hobby perhaps a little anxious? I know you are passionate about what you do so no worries but what if someone dodgy got a hold of your gear such as this. If they lost the decal then I think it would take a lot of the kids today. Do you like copyright them some how as your work? Perhaps something for the future if you are not decorating them with themes?

I see, no, there appears to be a border around the edge of your stars, I know that was not present on the one I had, so identicle except for the stiching around the star if that makes sense?

Paul, I have had a day at home with man flu so I have been downstairs. This is all I can find but I know I had/have a single board with the stars and red trim somewhere. This is all I can lay my hands on at the moment and there is a flag and 9 helmets, this spans both Gulf wars and Telic 8. I know I have more bits I just don't know where. Sorry!

Just some casual looting in between stuff. Nothing I'd be shot for!

Now is this your work or is it original paintwork?

Paul, I picked some similar up at the Naval technical College in Basrah. Not picked out like those, If I can find the stuff I liberated I will post it, since I viewed it as junk I swaped most of it directly after my return.

Steve, I think you are ahead of the game and have baled at exactly the right time and hats off to you! It will always be dificult to predict the next collectable for a new generation. I think we have all missed the boat, it will be computer based stuff early gamers etc? I see no kids joining us in our hobby? I have watched your progress on WRF with your new hobby and it is interesting just not my bag, I am a child of my time therfore the WW2 years are my interest, I can't help myself, LOL?

Steve, Strange that they have always been ahead of the game with kit. It is well designed and comfortable and I don't doubt efective too. While we moved away from tin to those horible green efforts. I am glad the lads and lasses finaly have something comparable with this in the Mark 7. This was with the uniform but it will be sold on as work clothing etc, as my pal said not many people wear these to work! Have you really shifted all of your WW1 & " stuff that you had on WRF? That didn't take long if you have.

some more

Guys, Going through the above and mentioned items were instituted according to the pages posted. If anyone wants any clearer pics of anything specificly let me know and I will do my best, it has to be photos as the book is about 4 inch thick and I am not the best with the camera!

Be interesting to see any with battle damage to see if they did 'what it says on the tin' so to speak. Bet it hurt your neck after a while.

Very interesting thread, I see a lot of these sort of post cards all the time but don't really pay much attention as it's not my bag. I pick them up now if they are inexpensive. Cheers.

Guys, Not much out there today but this was in the skip! This one has its cover and looks pretty well unused. Odd that the release catch on the chin strap states 'Press' in English? If any instruction is needed you would think it would be in German.

There are plenty out there of the various grades if you do a search and most at a fair price. They may be out of your grasp though as a lot of folks don't ship outside their own back yard? That is a lot of money, well over here anyway!

Guys, A gift from a pal that dabbles but to be honest I am not that keen on it. I don't like it from the back and the pin looks a bit blunt and the reverse looks just uneven and overall too squeeky?

The skill sets of the modern gun type fellow can be used to replicate an accepted font and style, his job done it goes to the next person that artificially ages the item creates the wear marks etc, I am sure there are many ways to do this with chemicals? You just have to look at 'Spasm's' skill in what he does. Nothing is impossible for the right price sadly. Perhaps the key to stopping forgery is not to pay so much over the odds for an engraved piece in the first place?

Guys, A skip rescue today, anyone any thoughts? Could it be post war BRD/DDR? It is made from that strange two tone material that I have seen used often on Police garments from the war? Stitching looks dodgy around the peak and the peak itself? Cheers

Chris, Yes FJ as well apparently the unit is a 5 or 6 digit number and the smaller number the roster number. I have just lifted all my images from a thread on WRF entitled 'some random tags'. Should I post them on here or is it duplication of data so to speak?

I was under the impression that numbers only is Luftwaffe air crew, coded as such that when shot down the unit is not revealed, so one of the numbers is unit the other the stammroll number? PW tags tend to have the Oflag, Stalag, etc, unit abreviation and they tend to be rectangular tags. Your observation that you can only see numbers qualfies its usefulness to aircrew? No unit.

Chris, There are some outstanding copies of this sort of 'boot' knive as they were marketed (early 1990s?). I believe some even have Luftwaffe waffenamt marks if I remember correctly. Perhaps a quick search for these copies for future reference.

Tony, for the most part the blood group was there, sometimes it is not for what reason I don't know. Perhaps his blood group was not known at the time of the disc production? I have heard said as well that SS discs don't have it since the members were tattooed with their blood group? Not much help if that arm was blown off though? You do see blood groups on SS discs as well. It is not the end of the world if it is not there, just a bit unusual.

Berhard, Thanks for sharing this personal image. I like the arm badge as well, I suppose they were miniture as well?

Bernhard, That too, but this is about Priens expliots, Royal Oak etc. I guess that is why it was such a victory in the Germans eyes, I never thought about that in that context the two event being so symbolic! Cheers.

Imagine the kerfuffle if that jacket turned up now!

Guys, This was todays best find? Notice no blood group?