Hauptmann

This one is the medal for the 60th Anniversary of the Armed Forces of the USSR. Instituted on January 28th 1978. Again awarded to a whole bunch of folks. It's also made of brass and I believe the reverse inscription is the same as for the 50th.

Okay, this one is a "Jubilee medal" for the 50th Anniversary of the Armed Forces of the USSR. It was instituted December 26, 1967 with amendments on February 22, 1968 and December 19, 1969. It was awarded to a whole slew of individuals... I won't go into detail as I'll give you a link to a very good site at the end of all this where you can see examples and learn a great deal about Soviet awards. It's made of brass. On the reverse the inscription in the center reads "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR.

This one is the medal for the 40th Anniversary of Victory in the GPW. Instituted April 12, 1985. Basically the same requirements as for the other two medals. Made of brass. There are again three types: Type 1 - Military - "To the Participant of War" Type 2 - Labor - "To the Participant of the Labor Front" Type 3 - Foreign - Again with no inscription above the 40.

Okay, this one is the medal for the 30th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. It was instituted April 25, 1975 with an amendment on January 30th 1976. It was awarded to all 20th Anniversary recipients plus to all civilians who worked in the rear during the GPW as well as any civilians who were awarded any of the Defense medals, Victory Over Germany, Victory Over Japan, Valiant Labor during the GPW. It is made of brass. There are three types: Type 1 says - To the Participant of War. Type 2 says - To the Participant of Home Front. Type 3 has no inscription above the central lettering. This type is believed to have been awarded to foreigners. Again the XXX stands for 30 years. The type you have is a Type 1.

Hi Pat, Okay... let's start from the beginning here. This is the medal for the 20th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. It was instituted May 7, 1965 with amendments on August 16, 1966 and January 19, 1968. It was awarded to all military personnel, civilians, partisans, members of the resistance, who took part in the Great Patriotic War (GPW... ie: WWII) as well as everyone who was awarded the Victory Over Germany medal. It was also awarded to all military personnel of the USSR who were on service on May 9, 1965. It is made of brass. The reverse has the circular inscription: "20th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945". The XX in the center stands for 20 of course. Now on to the next one. Dan

Hi Pat, Many thanks! I've had it a long time and really love it... especially with the ersatz leather on the belt loop, etc. And sounds like your bayo has just been there and done that. If you check out my post called "A Tribute": http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7472 you'll see my dress bayo that sounds alot like your's might be. I believe it saw combat. Also, I just saw your post on the anniversary medals so I'm hoping to help you out a bit on that one. Thanks, Dan

Hi Dolf, Yup... go to Ebay motors... search for Messerschmitt and it's right at the top... for the low, low price of... drumroll please $21,300.00! Probably well worth it as it seems restored... but far, far too rich for my blood right now. Dan

Hi Dolf, Thanks! Sometimes Ebay comes in handy! Now... all someone needs to do is come up with the plane to go with it and get us back on track. Thanks, Dan

You can almost imagine putting wings, an aircraft engine and guns on this thing and going up against enemy aircraft. And actually quite a practical and clever way to switch over from their aircraft production to getting things back in gear in the German economy after the war. Dan

Hi Bob, Yeah... more or less. Although I always felt like they took the cabin part of the fuselage, added wheels, changed the controls in the "cockpit" to those of a car... very basic though, and off they went making cars.

Hi all, As for being let's not forget... Messerschmit did make cars for a time after the war! And they're pretty nifty looking too! Dan

Hi Dolf, Thanks! And I totally agree. I tend to love the older cars... when they tended to have curves and chrome, the occassional fin, third headlight or other unusual feature. When they drove (or drive) down the street there is no mistaking them. They make a statement... I'm an individual and I drive a unique car. I leave the "same old, same old" cars to others. The Lincoln Towncar they came out with a few years ago has nice curves and lines... very much on the verge of classic. I think that'll be a winner down the road as will the two or three specialty vehicles they've come out with around the same period. One that I wish they'd put into production was called the Chrysler Atlantic... a beautiful car with tons of curves... gorgious! Sadly it never went into full product but I think it would have been a winner. I just get sticker shock all the time... cars running at or more than what my parents bought their new custom corner lot home for back in 1972. Guess I'm just showing my age as everyone jokes that I was born an old timer. Dan

Hi Dave, I'm guessing the Me 109 was a fun plane and goes along with these fun cars. Dan

Hi all, I think that's the best thing about all such cars... they're FUN! Nothing stodgy about them... just plain, flat out fun. And they tend to make people smile and get happy really quick just seeing them go by. Long may they drive! Dan

Hi Don, Many thanks for sharing those on the uniform. Simply magnificent!!!! Absolutely love them both! Thanks! Dan

Hi Don, Ooooooooh! Enamel!!!! Me LIKE!!!! Thanks for sharing! Dan

About 3 feet 5 inchs long and 8 inches across the fins. Thankfully it's pretty much hollow as it weighs enough empty! Don't even want to imagine it filled with sand! She'll definitely hold down my reference library in a big wind, that's for sure! Thanks, Dan

Hi Chris, Not familiar with those books but many thanks for admiring my pretty! It's such an interesting pistol... the shells and mechanism being designed to make a tighter gas seal when it's fired. Has one heck of a trigger pull on them though... not for the limp wristed shooters of the world, that's for sure! I hope to get a few rounds some day and take her up to the range just to get a feel for how she performs. In the meantime she's just part of the overall Soviet collection. Thanks! Dan

Hi Michael, Oh how I needed that although I know it was in answer to Rick's question. Just the pick me up I needed and probably a large part of the answer to his question. Quartermasters can be fun! Three people you always need to meet and get chummy with in the service are: the Cook, the Chaplain and the Quartermaster. Thanks! Dan

Hi Rick, Ah yes, don't get me or "especially" Kim started on the idiocy of anti-gunners and the insanity of gun laws in this fine nation of ours! Number one, we used to do conservative talk radio down in Florida. Number two, Kim founded an organization called SAS (Second Amendment Sisters) which I may have mentioned to you. A pro gun self defense organization for women and families and we all went up against Rosie O'Donnell and the rest of that bunch in the million mom march several Mother's Day's ago up in D.C. That's the short version of a very long story believe me. Such wonderful rules like: You can put a bayonet on a Russian military made/marked SKS, as well as like all the Soviet Block ones as well, but you can't put one on a Chinese marked Norinco!!!! WHY? Does it make that one type more insanely dangerous than all the rest? But (my understanding), if you remove and replace 10 or more parts on it with the same U.S. made parts then under the law it's now considered to be a U.S. made and not an import gun and then one can put it on. Right... lets add more money to the equation. I'm so sorry I didn't get a Soviet block marked piece as that bayo and how it stayed on the gun folding and unfolding was one of the things I really love about that rifle. And how about when my Uncle Jack mentioned in my tribute post, brought back a beautiful Mauser Broomhandle... a rare one only two of which were in the country at that time that we know of... complete with the wood stock/holster. But he had to remove the attachment piece after the 60's gun legislation went through because having that on it (or even in ones possession) at the time made it illegal. But you could have it without that one piece. Then years later they let you have the "priviledge" of having and using the stocks again. How nice of them! Sadly my dad who had bought it from Jack, for some idiot reason known only to him sold it off and then regretted it for ages since it's one of like five guns I had begged him "not" to ever sell. And then of course I lose his entire collection, not only of guns but swords, knives, locks and keys, lighters, models and supplies, reference books, etc. which is a really long story but suffice it to say he did not do what he'd said he had as far as making sure I'd get it all as he'd intended. He left it to someone he'd trusted and she screwed us over royally. But that of course as I say is another really long story. But hey, at least we can own guns which sure beats alot of other countries who have totally or just about totally abolished them and ended up with higher crime than they know what to do with. Oh well, time to climb off my soapbox and simmer quietly. Oh, and to top it all off Kim just got called into work... albeit because the lady who is scheduled just had a bad scare over at the hospital... still not sure how that's going to turn out... good we hope and pray. But today is our 22nd anniversary and we'd planned to head out about 1 p.m. to go celebrate. No idea how that's going to work out. Fun! But back to the revolver... they likely made so many gazillion of these things that tons of them just sat in stocks even during the war... just had more than they'd ever need. Plus they'd gone over to the Tokarovs so sure that also helped keep a few of the older model in stocks. Needless to say sorry you missed that one. I believe they're still fairly cheap although I haven't kept up with them. But you can easily have your local gun dealer order one, assuming that you don't have FFL of any type. I was tempted but decided against it as just one more pain in the backside I didn't need in my life. I think I have like $250 in mine with no accessories. But again it was well before the wall fell and of course such things were pricier back then... who knew! I passed up a very nice British Webley to get this and then when they went for a song with all accessories years later I wished I'd gotten the Webley. Again I love my Nagant but just knowing I could get them with all accessories in mint condition for a song... arrrrrrgh! (Reaches for antacid tablets!) But if you ever find or decide to order one they are an extremely interesting pistol with alot of history and they tie in beautifully to any Imperial or Soviet Russian collection without a doubt! I'd highly recommend them. But if you get one as a shooter keep in mind they have a bear of a trigger pull and I "think" the ammo can be a bit pricey. But hey, you only go around once, right? Thanks, Dan

I take it they'd fill these puppies with sand and drop them out in the water on practice bombing runs. Then I guess they'd send divers out to recover them hence giving them practice as well. Needless to say it makes a very impressive display piece and comes in extremely handy when needing to hold down tons of papers in high wind conditions! I'd love it if anyone else who has anything similar would pop us some pics and also if anyone who has any additional info or perhaps worked with these would tell us the tale. Thanks for looking. Oh yeah, and GO NAVY!!!! Dan

Hi all, Okay... here's a nifty little paper weight I picked up long ago (nope, just not gonna say it cause you already know. ) in a little militaria/surplus store in Minneapolis-St. Paul. He actually had two more and I wish I'd gotten them all... they were only $15 each! And he'd have probably given me a break had I bought all three. But Kim already thought I was nuts and as we were driving a fully loaded down Chevy Blazer at the time it would have been even tighter quarters had I popped in two more of these.

Hi all, I mentioned this in my post about my Moisen Nagent rifle and revolver. Got this in a little militaria shop in Havana Florida shortly after the wall fell. Was told it was from a wrecked Mig 17 fighter in Afghanistan. No idea if it's true or not but no reason not to believe it. It's certainly got that been there, done that look to it, unlike most of the later catalog clocks that seemed to come out in droves in later years. Sorry about how dark that pic of the back is. I thought I had another one I'd done with flash but I couldn't find it. But if anyone would like a redo I'll certainly be happy to oblige. The old girl runs just fine and keeps very accurate time. It's a super piece and was another of my earliest pieces of Soviet militaria. Another of those "gotta have it" pieces I just couldn't resist. Thanks for looking, Dan

And here's my rifle. It walked into a little militaria store in Havana Florida that I used to frequent (no longer there, sadly the owner passed away years ago from what I understand). I was sitting with the owner behind the counter chatting and a fellow came in from over in Pensacola. His buddy ran a pawn shop over there and he sent over a few items for sale or trade, this rifle being one of them. The owner bought this one outright and I took a good look at it while they finished doing the rest of their deals. I don't know what it was about it, except perhaps the unusual way the stock fitted together... which was different than any rifle I'd ever seen. It's a very nice shape and was just one of those "gotta have it" pieces so as soon as the other guy left I worked out a deal and it was mine. This was like right after the wall fell so these were both early acquisitions. In fact all my first pieces came from that little shop including a really nice clock from a Mig 17 which is fully functional and looks great... one of those been there done that pieces. I'll have to do a post on that one too. It's not one of the ones that later was sold through catalogs and such. My understanding is it came out of a wrecked Mig in Afghanistan. No idea if it's true or not but got it for what I feel is a very good price... well under those later catalog deals and as with much of this stuff it was in trade and I had very little in the pieces I traded off. So I was very happy. Thanks for looking, Dan

Hi all, Hope these are okay here as they are indeed Soviet militaria. First is my Soviet revolver. Got it way back when (nope, not gonna say it! ) but in a way wish I hadn't as it was a bit pricey back then... and needless to say they dropped considerably in later years. However I do love it and hope to get the holster and other accessories for it at some point. This was actually my first piece of Soviet militaria and I got it before the wall fell.