Belaruski

Thanks again! Excellent stuff. Where did your friend find them?!

Mondvor, is that a Red Star for organising finances?! But what you siad about food is very true. For most the time the Red Army seemed to 'live off the land', and organising that must have been a war in itself.

Good to see you here too Doc! Thanks for the welcome! I think the frontofrussia site is useful because if you email them looking for things they don't have, they will look very hard to find it for you!

Interesting group! I've just noticed that the couple on the badge start off quite optimistic looking, and end up stern and grim.

Oops!! I just realised I posted the wrong link! Undertheredstar is great for visor caps! I meant to post www.frontofrussia.com They are based in Kirovograd in Ukraine, and have a very fairly priced selection of uniforms, including lots of copies of early gear. (Which are worth a look to see what is now being faked!) If you ask the for a motor rifles tunic circa 1989 to a colonel, they will get you one! Probably for less than $50 too.

www.undertheredstar.com Useful link. Email hima with your requirements! This is a good site to see what is being faked regarding ww2 uniforms etc.

Commonly the AVT does not have the grooves either side of the reciever for the scope mount.

Ebay is superb for the later issue stuff. It's too common to fake. The big risk is people putting all the wrong badges on things. If you see something you like, post a link to it here, and you'll get an opinion!

Hi Rob, thanks very much!! Any chance of a scan of the picture! Many thanks again!

You ought to be able to get a tunic from the late 80's for under $100.

..and what era!

Nice award! I have a very similar one! I did not pay 'silly money' for this badge, and the number on the plate was not an issue. Like I said, when I bought it, maybe 5 or 6 years ago, I just presumed they were all numbered like this. I think it may be constructive to answer the above question as to if this badge has any manufacturing differences, which could substantiate a different maker. (and thus an issue number).

Mr. Lumsden amazing! Is that a metal badge on a collar patch? (panzerpioniere you seem to have accidentaly got an SS tattoo)

With something as rare as this it's best to presume the worst! However if it's in your posession, I used to know someone who unfortunately faked ID disks very well (as far as I know only 'honestly for re-enactors), but his SS stamp was on a round edged stamp, and you could often see the imprint of a 'circle' around the runes. Have a look for this as it may be of use!

Just a quick one! I am curious of all the paramilitary freikorps,SA etc units as there are a real variety of buckles. But.. did the 'Reds' the German Communists, Spartacists etc. make a buckle of their own? Or were they not 'into' uniforms? Why I ask is that I remember being told years ago of a supposed 'Red' buckle and would be curious to know if is based on fact or rumour. Thanks!

When I had German items, I once found in the medical pouch of an infantry HBT tunic a Soviet several thousand rouble note of the RSFSR going back to the 20's quite why he had it I don't know, but he sure as hell couldn't spend it. (I kept the note and sold the tunic!)

The piping isn't as raspberry as on the picture you showed, or on othe frontier troops tunics of mine, but it's not as scarlet as in the sun bleached picture! I need to get a better photo. The piping matches the cap, which also is a noticably more red colour than the usual.

I hope you are all aware of this frightening website! http://capral.webzone.ru/mongol/mongol2.htm Their Soviet stuff is appearing all over ebay. Mongolian awards are not immune either! This kind of thing is good for filling a gap in a collection, but also is abused so much by dishonest sellers.

Rick, that's beautifuly put. I would like to add that the ideals of the fledgling Soviet Union were so inspiring too. No matter how it turned out, the whole 'brave new world' is a fascinating part of history.

I own the contentious piece and thought best comment! The badge is as I bought it, but that doesn't mean that the screwplate hasn't at some point been replaced or swapped. I notice that the award books are numbered so that doesn't rule out the possibility that some awards were. However if this is number 117,000 then surely someone would have found another numbered one? I always presumed they were all numbered because mine was! I think in cases like this it's best to err on the side of caution. Could the individual have done it to match the number on the certificate?

This is exactly how it was when I bought it, and I've no idea who the maker is.

Here's the reverse.

The Khalkingol badge. Numbered to the screwplate: 117,776.

Back of the buttons. They're all plain backed like this one. You can also see the 'salt and pepper weave to the fabric, and the greyish cotton from the edge of the top edge reinforcement to the pocket.

Thankyou both! It seems now is the time to buy then!