Christophe

Close-up pic. Ch. Pic : ? Christophe ? ChR Collection

These awards can't fool anyone, specifically for the big breast stars and plaques, and the medal as well... For the lower classes orders, some are really nicely made. But, they are sold here as copies or repro, and if you take them in hand, no mistery about them. The real concern might be, as we said, when they are sold via internet... Cheers. Ch. Pic : ? Christophe ? ChR Collection

And here is one, fully gold plated, posted by Tony (Dreads) in the Soviet Awards Forum : http://www.soviet-awards.com/forum/soviet-...revolution.html It has been authenticated by Paul McDaniel. A real rarity!!! Cheers. Ch. Pics : Tony (Dreads) @ www.soviet-awards.com/forum

About the gold wash : The Order of the October Revolution was gold plated everywhere (including the rays of the star) but the pentagon with the Aurora cruiser. Hence, we often see this Order with traces of gold paint around the flag. I have one like this... You will find interesting the attached picture. It is from the book : "State Awards of the USSR", published by "Izvestia", Moscow 1987 (at the Soviet time!) Interesting enough is that this book has been made by the Department of State Awards of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. All photos in the book (1987 !!!! ) are of real awards. On the pic, you can clearly see that : 1. The Order is not entirely gold plated. See the flag with traces of gold paint. 2. the gold plating on the rays of the star is very thin, as it seems already to disappear on the right part of the order. Ch.

Christian, Congratulations!!! You are the winner!!! Your answers are perfectly correct. Just one detail to add, Belenko's MiG exact type was a MiG-25P (Foxbat). Bravo for your 26th victory!!! Your turn, now!!! Cheers. Ch.

Here is question #138 This specific Soviet aircraft is famous. 1. Which aircraft is this ? Exact type ? 2. Why is it famous ? Date ? 3. Name of the pilot ? His unit ? Bonus : Which conclusion did the Soviet drew from this event ? The winner is the first one to answer the three questions. Good hunt and good luck... Cheers. Ch.

Franck, Even if it is not a military document, it uses the military names. Cheers. Ch. Pic : La Puissance Militaire Sovi?tique - Bordas - 1984

More than 17,000 views for the Quiz!!!! A few stats : This small game has now been launched more than 21 months ago now (on 1 Nov. 2005), and since : * 137 questions asked, * with 1,610 answers, * This quiz has been viewed more than 17,000 times. * 33 Members of the Forum played, and 26 correctly answered at least 1 question : Nb of good answers : * 25 : Christian (Zulus) * 24 : Christophe * 11 : Bryan (Soviet) * 8 : Franck (Knarf) and Simon (Red Threat) * 6 : Auke (Ferdinand), Belaruski and Jim (JimZ) * 5 : Carol I and Ed (Haynes). * 4 : Wild Card. * 3 : Andreas (Alfred), Ivan (Piramida) and Kim (Kimj). * 2 : Chuck (in Oregon), Gerd (Becker), Jan (vatjan) and Order of Victory. * 1 : Dan (Hauptman), Darrell, Daredevil, Dave (Navy FCO), Dudeman, Filip (Drugo), Rick (Stogieman) and Steen (Ammentorp). This is a great achievement. Thanks to all for your participation. Now, let's continue to have fun with the 138th question... Mine!!! Ch.

Hi Frank, No pb... Your approach is the wise one. I am reassured to see we talk about the same base, even if the names differs. Good point you made. Cheers. Ch.

Thanks Frank!!! I really appreciate your questions, as they really are challenging and implies thinking before searching. This is great!!! Congratulations again for your question. About the secure communication line, this is really very interesting, as I had not a clue about it... Thanks agin for the information about it. Easy way to secure, but quite clever... Cheers. Ch.

I am wondering if the "Truppen?bungsplatz Hillersleben", former Soviet Union Red Army training area in the German Democratic Republic (GDR / DDR) north of Magdeburg is not the same base as Born. On a map they are exacly at the same place... During cold war this area was the location of the Warsaw Pact nearest to to the iron curtain (30 km to West Germany boarder, 125 km to Berlin, 165 km to Hamburg) where nuclear weapons (SS20) were in operation, the Soviet troops in and around this training area with about 50000 men (within 24 hours increasing to 500000) were ready for combat within 4 hours. Ch.

So, if it was the 47th Guards Tank Division, part of the 3rd Shock Army, the place was Hillersleben. Frank, no pb from our side... We just hope your car crash was not too serious, and nothing from your side... Cheers. Ch.

Hi Lee, Very interesting post and pics. By chance, would you have a better pic of his Suvorov Order ? Thanks in advance. Cheers. Ch.

Only 65 surviving Companions of the Liberation. We learnt these last weeks the death on 20 June 2007 of Roger Ceccaldi, Companion of the Lib?ration. Roger Ceccaldi, born in 1913, was before the war in Tchad, and commander of an artillery section in Faya-Largeau. As for 1940, he participated in combats in Joufra, with Leclerc. Then he fought in Fezzan, Libya and Tchad. He took part in the battle of Bir HaKeim in June 1942, and is wound there. He evaded from Italy where he had been transferred as a prisoner, and participated in the Italy and France Campaigns. After the war, he will continue his military carrer in Ivoey Coast, Indochina, Germany and Algeria until 1962. Here is his bio (in French) : http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/189.html After his death, there are now only 65 surviving Companions of the Liberation. Ch. Pic : Chancellerie de l'Ordre de la Lib?ration.

A map... Ch.

I think it is the 449th Missile Brigade in Arnstadt. But, still hesitating with the 448th one in Born... Cheers. Ch.

Thanks, Frank . I'm on the right way... Just need to scratch my head to find the right location... Cheers. Ch.

Our fate is in Frank's hands... Ch.

If it is not Weissenfels, I think the other base is Jena-Forst (also not far from Leipzig). Ch.

Hi Christian, Funny... We answered at the same time... Cheers. Ch.

Good round of questions during my one week absence for travels... Congrats to all!!!! Frank, I think the missile is the SS-1c, known usually as Scud-B. The system is also known as R-17 Aerofan. Its GRAU Index : 8K14 The base : I think it is the East German base of Weissenfels (not far from Leipzig). Am I wrong ? Cheers. Ch.

On 6 July 2007, has taken place a ceremony to celebrate the 60 years of the AK-47. Organised by Rosorobonexport, the Russian arm in charge of weapons export, it took place in the Central Armed Forces Museum, where a temporary exhibition is now dedicated to Mikhael Kalashnikov. The famous designer was there, and you can see him posing in front of the Victory Flag of Berlin. Here is an article about this event : "AK47s designer remembers 60 years of rifle By Mansur Mirovalev - The Associated Press MOSCOW ? Sixty years after the AK47 went into production, designer Mikhail Kalashnikov says he doesn?t stay awake at night worrying about the bloodshed wrought by the world?s most popular assault rifle. ?I sleep well. It?s the politicians who are to blame for failing to come to an agreement and resorting to violence,? Kalashnikov said Friday at a ceremony marking the birth of the rifle, whose initials stand for ?Avtomat Kalashnikov.? It was before he started designing the gun that he slept badly, worried about the superior weapons that Nazi soldiers were using with grisly effectiveness against the Red Army in World War II. He saw them at close range himself, while fighting on the front lines. While hospitalized with wounds after a Nazi shell hit his tank in the 1941 battle of Bryansk, Kalashnikov designed an automatic rifle combining the best features of the American M1 and the German StG44. ?Blame the Nazi Germans for making me become a gun designer,? said Kalashnikov, frail but sharp at age 87. ?I always wanted to construct agricultural machinery.? Since production began, more than 100 million AK47s have been made ? either at the home factory in the central Russian city of Izhevsk, under license in dozens of other countries, or illegally. Sergei Chemezov, director of the Russian arms export monopoly Rosoboronexport, said nearly a million a year are produced without license. The AK47 has been a mainstay in wars, coups, terrorist attacks, robberies and other mayhem. Its popularity comes from being rugged and easy to maintain, though its accuracy is not high. It proved ideal and extremely reliable for warfare in jungle or desert ? easily assembled and able to keep firing in sandy or wet conditions that would jam a U.S.-made M16. ?During the Vietnam War, American soldiers would throw away their M16s to grab AK47s and bullets for it from dead Vietnamese soldiers,? Kalashnikov said. ?I hear American soldiers in Iraq use it quite often.? The simplicity and reliability of the AK47 made it a favorite of rebel movements worldwide ? it even features on the Mozambique flag. Keen to support anti-colonial movements in Asia and Africa, the Soviets furnished the rifle, sometimes for free, to pro-Soviet regimes or insurgents. In 2005, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who styles himself as a leader of the fight against imperialism, ordered 100,000 for his army. ?The Kalashnikov rifle is a symbol of the creative genius of our people,? President Vladimir Putin said in a statement read to Kalashnikov at the ceremony in the Central Russian Army Museum. Kalashnikov is still active and prolific ? he tours the world as a consultant, helping strike new arms deals, and has penned several books on his life, about arms and about youth education. ?After the collapse of the great and mighty Soviet Union, so much crap has been imposed on us, especially on the younger generation,? he said. ?I wrote six books to help them find their way in life.? He said he is proud of his bronze bust installed in his native village of Kurya in the Siberian region of Altai. He said newlyweds bring flowers to the bust after their wedding ceremonies. ?They whisper ?Uncle Misha, wish us happiness and healthy kids,? ? he said. ?What other gun designer can boast of that?? Cheers. Ch. Pic : Misha Japaridze / AP

Thanks Christian . It's interesting to notice the docs I have bought are slightly different from the one I initially posted. Cheers. Ch.

Hi Christian, Last week in Moscow, I have bought these two medals (un-numbered) with docs (unissued but with official stamps). The medals are painted. Here is a first pic. I'll post better ones later. Cheers. Ch. Pic : ? Christophe ? ChR Collection

I fully agree, but I need this money for my summer holidays... Ch.