Other Post Militaria Expo?

NebrHogger

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I'll be at the big militaria expo in Ciney, Belgium Sunday, April 30. Any of you gents going? It's a fun day searching the tables! SW

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I'll be at the big militaria expo in Ciney, Belgium Sunday, April 30. Any of you gents going? It's a fun day searching the tables!

Unfortunately not, your a lucky man wish I was there
 
Belgium 1 and 2 034 (1024x614).jpg


We hit 2 museums in the Ardennes today - both dedicated to Battle of the Bulge. Took a BUNCH of pics which I'll post later after I get them all edited. Here's a teaser - King Tiger. What a monster!! I was able to see just how thick the armor is. I would NOT want to be on the wrong end of one! Ironically, Pieper went back to German lines with none of them - ran out of gas & had to abandon them.

I read up on the fight to see Sepp Dietrich's 6th Panzer Armee set out with only a fraction of the gas they needed. Their operating plan was to capture American gas to continue the fight.

I've never really understood what their ultimate goal was. Even if they broke through to Antwerp, there was pretty much nobody to reinforce them. Worked for us, though! Off to bed now! SW
 
That is a monster of a tank for its day. Sounds like you are having fun mate.
 
Hope to go there myself one day, looking forward to hearing more about it and seeing your pics
mil-smile11
 
I meant to create an album so I could ID some obscure items, but that didn't work out too well. Only 10 pics.

I'm off to bed right now but will try again tomorrow. The expo went very well. I'll post pics of that, too. SWa
 
What weapons are they in the last photo?
 
What weapons are they in the last photo?

The odd-looking device with curved magazine is a "combat simulator". I can't fill in more details than that.

The chainsaw is the biggest honking chainsaw I've ever seen!! Must have been for making bridge timbers or railroad ties from whole trees. You would need an extra bowl of cereal for breakfast to run that monster all day!

The knife was made from something - possibly a Ka-bar. Threads don't look right for a German dagger. Some soldier went to a lot of trouble to make the sheath decorations. As far as the various ration items for Commonwealth troops, you guys will have to fill in. I took pics of Commonwealth stuff specifically to post here.

I'm hitting the rack now to fly home early in the AM. I'll post more stuff when I get home. SW
 
Hmmm... I meant to post these in a certain order... well, they need captions anyway...

1) Old gaffer had a heart attack right in front of me. Happily, medical staff was Johnny-on-the-spot & attended him. He was gesturing last I saw when he was rolled out the door.

2) George Patton's French love child was there. ;) We thought he was trying to sell autographs @ 5 Euros each. I wanted a better pic but feared he might want money for it.

3) Full auto at a militaria expo??? In Europe??? "No, sir - they are airsoft!" the cutie said with a smile. How could I have missed that? :cool:

4) I didn't think anyone would mind if I included a cutie pic! :D

5) I thought this was odd - a 4' kukri. Never heard of one before. Ceremonial use? He let me see it & it appeared to be vintage.

6) Need spare track links for your WW2 panzer? Nje problema! I think they were 100 Euros a whack.

I had to have all my loot mailed back & it might be 10 days or so before I have it in hand. I grabbed a German RR cond kepi - French colonial artillerist's kepi - WW1 Senegalese Tirailleur (sp?) fez & a couple medals. Saw more way cool stuff but it was all over budget. I can legally mail an antique rifle to my home from there, but air freight would be 200 - 300 Euros. Then American customs would forget they had it until they decided how much excise tax to stick me.

Overall, it was a fun day! Can't go next year - younger daughter thinks she will get married (hope not!). Maybe 2019... if I'm still kicking then. SW
 
Had time to edit a few more... top to bottom.

1) The objects shown in front are bore brushes for scrubbing tank cannon barrels. There was a long, segmented pole - part of which is visible in the background - used to accomplish that. The muzzle brake appeared to have catastrophically separated from the rest of the barrel. No doubt quite a story with that.

2) There were several displays of various items that have been collected by farmers and hunters over the years. Of interest in this frame are the "iron knuckles" which were no doubt for close combat. I have a pair of those around the house somewhere.

3) The variety of items recovered from the battlefield is truly amazing. In the right side of this frame is a catcher's mitt. Barely visible is a pile of toothbrushes. No word from which side.

4) A different angle of the king tiger. It had been smacked twice by an anti tank gun which displaced a little metal but that was it. Now that would be the stuff of nightmares! Smack an oncoming tank with your best shot & it keeps coming.

5) Your basic kettenkrad. I've never fully understood the need for these.

6) This Sherman was killed by 3 hits, all of which penetrated the armor. The glacis plate is completely shattered.

7) Another display of recovered items. I would be uneasy about handling unexploded ordnance. One rotten fuse and... *poof!* SW
 
Your basic kettenkrad. I've never fully understood the need for these.

Me neither mate but I would love to own one. The last time I checked they were asking about 30,000 euros for one completely restored.
 
ID for the pics top to bottom...

Top - not military = a German Railway kepi. I also collect Euro RR stuff.
2) Italian medal from the facist years. I'm still researching it - possibly from il Duce's "black shirts"
3) French Colonial artilleryman's kepi
4) WW1 Senegalese fez. Saw 3 at the expo & was finally able to haggle the price down on this one. Seller told me (quietly) "ni**er hat!" A marketing genius, he was! :rolleyes: But the price was right so I grabbed it. Native levies from Senegal did serve on the western front. From what I've read, they fared poorly in the cold and most were transferred to Indochina.
5) Reverse of a colonial medal
6) French colonial medal. This soldier was gone to he** & back all over N Africa. No doubt an "oldweat!"
 
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