meffert

A couple of my M43 parade's have silk boards. Here an NKVD and a medical lieutenant. Can't really tell you how the back looks; I've never taken them off.

In color... Sorry it's out of focus. That's the picture sent to me by the owner

That is the biggest plastic ribbon parade mount I've ever seen. Did you notice, though, that one of his orders fell off. Hard to tell with glare but probably combat merit.

Wonderful set of photos. As a cloth collector, it's good to verify that orders were worn all types of uniforms and in many different ways (including showing how one might mix unconverted Pre-43 orders with newer ones) Colonel Jakovlevich's epaulets look like they once held corps devices (artillery, armor, etc.). What would be the reasons to remove your devices? Transfer to a different corps? Medical retirement?

Germans have a long history of miniatures to be worn on lapel pin or civilian suit. Of course, the US has them also. These are mine.

I paid $650 for a fake screwback ORB 2 years ago. I'll let it go for what I paid for it since, by this definition, it must be real. Any takers? That would be a bargain...if paying a lot for a fake made it real that is.

I do believe there really is a hungarian and trying to track that down. Otherwise here is ukraine, belarus, soviet, intial russian federation, later russion federation, korean, cuban, yugoslavian

I think the center looks recently plated, that there are grind marks around a rather odd looking serial number, and that is an exceptionally ugly fake patina. Sorry.

I'm not greedy. Can I just have one, please? Well, one of each if that's not too much trouble.

The hammer with adjustable spanner actually was designated by USSR PCD Order #33 March 10, 1936 for technical persons in all branches and corps.

Looks royal blue to me.

This color blue piping may make it an engineering branch of the NKVD (the "engineer" device for Air Force is a propeller/piston combo) in which case you would want a blue topped NKVD cap to go with it. I have this tunic's twin, here compared with a standard army engineer tunic.

"Looking forward to seeing the cap. " As requested...as well as in place on Yuri in our foyer. (I change out Yuri every couple of weeks. Wife says I'm playing with my dolls...cute.). For the purists, yes I know the M37 armband was superseded by the m43 tunic but I'm told the armband was occasionally still worn to denote the current station commander. Besides, it's beautiful and I want to see it several times a day as I walk past it.

Nothing special about it. Boards are tied in with period strings that I wouldn't be able to retie so hopefully this will do.

Inside of which kitel and underside of which boards? I have a cap for the lieutenant which I'll dig out on the weekend. I wish I had a cap for the director but I do have his pants, nothing for the other kitel regretfully.

Two tunics I have are RR troop M43 interesting for the fact that the stars are embroidered and a general's (or whatever the administrative equivalent is) M43 with unique trainsignal device and very interesting fabric. I have pants to match but if any of you all have a hat to go with this tunic...let's talk.

Don't see one of these every day. M36 Railway troops armband.

Nice bunch of uniforms and some interesting variations. I suspect the last was not in keeping with regulations and may have been a veteran unofficial use. (Since the guards badge replaced the rifles both on the uniform and in unit terminology the year before the epaulets came out.) On the other hand, the NKVD often did things different than everyone else so it may have lasted a little longer with them. Interesting to see.

The crossed rifles in a wreath was the symbol of a "guards" type unit as early as 1922. I'm not exactly sure when the target like thing was added but this symbol designating an experienced, elite unit was replaced by the guards badge in 1942. Attached photo is only one I have, from an infantry major comissar.

The black velvet (plush) I believe is for armor, not for officer per se. You will see that carried on into the 70's and 80's even as other colors and designs change. You will also find that same black velvet on collar tabs and the entire collar on the M55 parade. A plain black cloth band would be artillery. Both artillery and armor will be red piped. Original cap is fine for officer armor from 43 to early 50's.

Interesting bayonet. Looks like an svt40 blade welded to a mosin nagant mount. I suppose they used what they had.

I hate to say but on my monitor there appears to be a smudge after the last digit on the OGII. Are you sure a number hasn't been erased?

And this marshal appears to have a new model combat red banner and a combat merit. In looking through marshall pictures, there are more than a half a dozen that have mongolian combat red banners (and bunches of norwegian, polish, hungarian, chinese, rumanian, US, other foriegn medals) I suppose halgingol was where future leaders made their mark

Sorry to add to a stale thread but I'm new on this forum and catching up. Webster and nelson show a number of mongolian awards on their uniforms, acknowledging that there are a number of problems with their photos. Still, would you like to explain to Marshal Budenny that he's not allowed to wear mongolian awards on his uniform? (Old style combat red banner, third down on the left). Not sure how a major would have earned this rack of mongolian awards but at least the senior officers usually have at least one foriegn award, including Konev wearing a US legion of merit.

It was an M45 parade tunic for Marshal Kiril Meretskov. A bit moth eaten but that's the only way I could afford it. Have the hat, too, which is a beaut. A lower row of medals, all genuine for a change, will be joining it as soon as a victory over japan medal comes in. Still hunting down some good copies of suvorov 1st classes to put on the left and a norwegian St. Olav for the lower loops. Then I get to start saving pennies for a proper marshal star...and consider getting the moth damage repaired. Just joined your forum. Some interesting discussions. By the way, I tried to convince my wife that the smart thing to do would be to invest in some real order of lenins (I have two...only would need two more) to make a proper upper bar. Got vetoed in a big way.