NVA "Cold War" Collection 1956 - 1990

[Fabe]

UPDATE:

Flächentarn camo backpack (for the y-strap in my earlier post here) and canteen have arrived - both are early NVA (late 50s - early 60s):



Early NVA buckle/belt is next! (I hope!)

Some more flächentarn camo NVA pics:

- note: the soldier in the middle has the "early type" chin-strap on his M56

[James C]

Great thread Fabe, I'll stay tuned to this one! I should add, Thanks for the credit for James and I, but James gets it full as the prick got me addicted!!! Good Work James C

thanks very much for that rene ,it seems we have more in common than i first thought aside from collecting nva items

[reneblacky]

thanks very much for that rene ,it seems we have more in common than i first thought aside from collecting nva items

Yep We do Mate

[reneblacky]

Great pick up, i've got to get some of that camo!..

me too!!!

[Fabe]

update:

I've been busy with buying 251 & stuka wheels, but slowly I'm returning to my cold war collection...
'Just picked this up... a nice early M56 helmet dated 1959, size II, with second pattern liner - this is my first second pattern liner helmet ( but probably not my last )
It was sort of inexpensive - 21 EU from the German ebay...



Cheers,
Fabe

[Fabe]

PS: I know this is BW - actually, my first BW hats - but I also picked these up yesterday for a laugh price:

- field cap - I think 1963 dated:


- and I had some trouble identifying this, but it seems, this one is a BW civil defense hat - no clue how old it is...I'm guessing, that it's not that old. I was wondering; was this manufact. maker around WW2 as well?



...maybe I'll need to open my own BW thread soon?

[James C]

UPDATE:

The lot of five M56 with WW2 style liners arrived yesterday...

Overall, I'm happy with purchase - no rust, liners are all complete and the leather is soft.

Some stats:

4 out 5 helmets are size I. with 54 and 55 size liners (smallest - there are three M56 sizes: I. small - II. medium - III. large)
1 helmet is size II. with a 57 size liner.
2 out of 5 helmets have the "early style" chin-straps (with thinner strap and no chin-protectors)
1 out 5 helmet has a complete "new style" chin-strap
2 out of 5 helmets has a "new style" chin-strap with chin-protectors either missing on both sides or on one side
1 out of 5 helmets have markings probably under the liner or one of the cushin pads - I couldn't find them, but will not take apart the helmets... safe to assume that it's between 1960 - 1964.

Dates: (I'll number the helmets 1-5)
helmet 1.: Size II. 1960
helmet 2.: Size I. 1960
helmet 3.: size I. 1963
helmet 4:: size I. 1964
helmet 5.: size I. ???

Here are some (not so great) photos of helmet 1. - check the early style chin-strap around the neck - liner size: 57
Attachment 663715Attachment 663717Attachment 663719Attachment 663721Attachment 663722Attachment 663723Attachment 663727Attachment 663728

Again, the difference between early and new style chin-straps - top strap is new, bottom strap is early:
Attachment 663724

Reference photo of M56 helmet with early liner and chin-strap:
Attachment 663729

hi fabe ,hope your well ,ive just noticed your helmet stamp has the number 8 below the size just remind me what this denotes again ,i think my example has number 5

[Fabe]

hi - I belive that's the month of production (your helmet is MAY)

hi fabe ,hope your well ,ive just noticed your helmet stamp has the number 8 below the size just remind me what this denotes again ,i think my example has number 5

[HPL2008]

- and I had some trouble identifying this, but it seems, this one is a BW civil defense hat - no clue how old it is...I'm guessing, that it's not that old. I was wondering; was this manufact. maker around WW2 as well?

It's not from the Bundeswehr, but from the Technisches Hilfswerk (THW). Founded in 1950, the THW is the Federal technical emergency relief corps (the present-day TENO equivalent). [see: Technisches Hilfswerk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ]

I cannot comment on exact age. Certainly pre-1993, as the maker's address on the sweat shield still has a four- rather than five digit postal code.

Yes, the maker was already in business during the Third Reich era: The company was founded in 1920 and is still in business today. Here is their website: http://www.kempf-muetzen.de/index.htm

Here is an example for another FRG-era cap by the same maker - The German Red Cross cap that I wore back in the nineties:

[Fabe]

A rare new pick-up:
I've been a bit busy with WW2 German and Hungarian gear (let's admit, WW2 stuff is still more "fun" to collect) - and of course my finances do have limits every month - but I just picked up my second NVA bread bag - another early one with "russian lettered" markings. This one looks more stone-grey colored, my other one is more of an olive-brownish bag... The price was 13 EU.

Cheers,
Fabe