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    • 4 weeks later...
    Posted

    A simple sew on star, presumably for the Albanian field cap. Made of that 'staybrite' plastic like material, and a very thin enamel.

    A very nice badge, Belaruski, and one that made me slightly green around the gills for a while. Albania is the only country in Europe which is not represented in my collection . Strictly speaking that is not true, I suppose, for I do have a modern, cloth beret badge, but I am not a fan of cloth badges and much prefer sometthing metal and more substantial. However, despite my efforts in the past I have never been successful in acquiring a cap badge of either the pre-1940 period or the communist era. I've written to uncle Tom Cobley and all, iin my efforts, including embassies, the present Pretender and even his mother, Queen Geraldine. at one stage. all to no avail, but that's the collecting game, isn't it?

    I had seen this scan of your previously, but thanks for drawing my attention to it once again!

    Brian

    Posted

    Thanks indeed, Belaruski! It will certainly fill a loing-standing gap if you can.

    Regards,

    Brian

    hello! this is the cap star worn by albanian army during communism. Both field (exercise cap and visor cap) carried the same emblem for officers petty officers and soldiers. navy and air force had slite difference, navy had one anchor and leaves and air force had a thin eagle. this star has three different versions. i have a supply in my shop of only one version, the one in the picture and in the meanwhile looking hard for the two other versions used early in the communist time. they are larger better quality. i also have one visor officer hat plus star and a soldier exercise hat plus star.

    • 5 years later...
    Posted

    The actual change of the system happened in 1992. But at that point we didnt have new uniforms. The star was replaced by the eagle, the rest remained the same. Afterwards we have a period of caos regarding the uniform and people that went abroad mainly in the west adopted some kind of the countries uniforms with Albanian badge and patches. After two or three changes in the uniforms in the last 15 years, now there is a new project to replace all uniforms. Draft has been made and this years will be implemented. So, what can I say? Which hat would you like to see?

    regards

    Posted

    Thanks for the interesting informations. I would like to see a cap for soldier and officer made in 1992.

    I have seen this officer cap on military headgear website: http://www.militaryheadgear.com/items/9010

    This cap is green and it has the star on the front and the buttons with the star. This one is really from the communist area ? There is no date written on the label. I ask you this question because if the caps remained the same, a collector could replace new insigna and buttons by communist ones. Thanks for your opinion.

    Posted

    The one in the picture is genuine Albanian communist era officer hat. This model is MOD. 75 When my father rejoined the airforce 1992 he wore this hat without the star and replaced by the eagle I mentioned.

    As i mentioned right after 1992 it was very chaotic regarding the military insignia. I have available some MOD.75 officer and soldier uniforms and pieces. Soon they will be listed on my store.

    The star also portrayed at the begging of this thread belongs to MOD.75 uniforms. Other stars have been used prior to this one. Better enamel and made of bronze and even earlier and in WWII war star made of fabric has been used.

    best regards

    Posted

    After 91 they continued to produce caps or they only use the stocks ? During communist area, the star on the caps was put by the soldiers or by workers in the factories ?

    Posted

    During communism Albania was a militarizes country with a large number of active and reserve force. So the stocks number was high and sufficient. Even today we are having trouble dismantling the weapons produced in that period. Stars were wore on the hat by military, not workers. Workers had a different system of insignia, such as badges, patches medals,orders, pins etc

    Posted

    Thanks again for all these informations. What I wanted to know in my last question is if the star was installed on the cap by soldiers themselves or if it was made at factory ?

    Posted

    Hello Artan Lame

    Many thanks for this photo with the different models of stars. Please tell me if the star on the caps was mounted by soldiers/officers themselves or if it was made at factory ?

    Posted

    hello!

    the caps I have from communist period are premounted in the factory. Maybe Artan has additional information

    regards

    Posted

    Hello albania

    Thanks for your answer. Can you show me an eagle mounted on the caps after 1991 ? Do you know if the buttons with the star on each side of the cap were replaced too ?

    • 1 month later...
    Posted

    Buttons with the star have been replaced too ?

    Hi Euronymous,

    The old type buttons were replaced only on 1994.

    Exist and other models and variants of buttons, but these are the principal types.

    Regards,

    A.

    Posted

    Hi Artan

    Thank you very much for the pictures about the buttons. If I understand all, in 1991 they stoped the production of uniforms and they only used their military stocks until 1994 (date of the creation of the new uniforms). Tell me if that's right ? Thanks again for your help.

    Posted

    Hi,

    The production of the old type of uniform was stoped in 1993, because the uniform M.91 was the old type M75 to which were added the shoulder straps.

    Regards,

    A.

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