Soviet Cap Stars plus

[shako_uk]

Rather than confuse the "Cap Stars" thread, as, perhaps, I did recently, I thought it better to start another. The scans that follow show three more Soviet badges which are puzzling to say the least. Comments will be welcomed, as usual:

The first shows a badge of the same design as the old Soviet Railway Troops collar insignia, but it was obviously a cap badge. Whilst the fasteners are missing, it was originally furnished with the standard "bend-over" strips used on cap/beret badges. The wingspan is 78mm. This badge came from South Africa and I was told it was "liberated" from Angola by a S. African soldier. True or not, I have not seen a similar one.

The second pair of badges is more exotic and, as Belaruski says of the query I offered under "Cap Stars", it may be the product of someone's imagination. I leave you to judge and comment.

The pair came to me mounted on a light-blue beret which had obviously had some use. The red star/wreath badge was first, with the pennant badge affixed to its right (or behind it if you are facing the wearer).

The star/wreath badge is a concotion of a normal other-ranks badge and an officer's wide-wreath badge, 100mm wide.

The Pennant badge looks to be hand-made, though well-produced. The pennant is cut from thin shhet brass, with a transucent red plastic overlay on which is mounted a standard Paratroops collar badge. The fixing is a single screw fastener, behind the para badge. Additionally, a needle-like extension at the exteme tip of the pennant ensures that it keeps position on the curve of the beret. The width of the badge is 130mm excluding the needle.

Many thanks for your views on my previous query.

Brian

[shako_uk]

I omitted to mention, in the above notes regarding the star and wreath badge which is coupled with the pennant , that, on the dust jacket of Otto von Pivka's book, "The Armies of Europe Today", a badge very similar to this is shown being worn by a Soviet Army bandsman. Could it be that the beret was worn by bandsmen of a para unit?

Just a thought . . . .

Brian

[RichieC]

I know little to nothing about "modern" stuff (I refer to post 1960), but your MTC emblem could very well be an officer's sleeve badge also.

[RichieC]

I know little to nothing about "modern" stuff (I refer to post 1960), but your MTC emblem could very well be an officer's sleeve badge also.

...or part of one?

In any case, shown here is an image of an MTC cap badge from the same era as the sleeve insignia I posted earlier. It appears to be about 75+ mm in width.

I do not understand why they are different though...

Again, my ignorance concerning "modern' stuff is at hand here.

Perhaps they changed the design to match the sleeve insignia at a latter date? Or, was the sleeve insignia deleted all-together in favor of a cap badge in a design such as yours?

???

[RichieC]

For reference:

[Belaruski]

Also have a look at my Albanian cap star in the Albanian section. The stars look very similiar in manufacture.

Edited February 5, 2007 by Belaruski

[Guest Rick Research]

If it came from Angola then the "Staybrite" type railways badge is probably a slavish Cuban copy of a Soviet design.

That type insignia has not been used in decades in the Soviet armed forces, and predates the flashed on finish aluminum type material.

[shako_uk]

Thank you, all, for your very interesting replies to my queries. I find these two-part badges intriguing and a change from the badges incorporating a coloured National cockade, such as many of the South American states use. The states of the ex-Soviet Union seem to have followed this "secondary" badge trend, though I have found information, from those states, not easy to come by.

I have a couple fo Soviet Honour Guard cap badges (scanned), from 1969, but I gather there was an additional pattern. This variation - if it was merely that - had a slightly different starburst and the centre carried the red star. I have only seen a picture of this badge (but not a photo!) and would be interested to know whether anyone can confirm its existence and, perhaps, explain why the variation from the more common (?) version.

[Denis R]