Bulgarian Model 36/C Helmet "Kaska 36/C"

I had the chance to pick up a vintage Bulgarian helmet at an "extremely attractive" price, so how could I pass that up?........... I didn't! The helmet arrived yesterday in a pretty dirty and dusty condition, but completely intact. It has definitely been sitting in some sort of storage for many years. I gave it a good cleaning, re-oiled the leather liner and got it ready to take its place alongside the other helmets in my collection.

Bulgaria adopted this helmet in 1936 and issued three versions, A, B. & C. This one is a model 36/C. Known as the "Kaska" in Bulgaria, all of these helmets saw service with the military through WW2 and into the 1970's when this helmet style was replaced with a "Russian" styled steel helmet.

A WW2 Photo showing several versions of the M-36 Kaska in use.

During WW2, the Bulgarian Army was originally an ally of Germany and saw action against the Allies when Bulgaria declared war against the US and Britain in 1941. This resulted in heavy Allied air assaults with bombers and fighters against Bulgaria. The war with the Allies took place in the air and no Allied ground invasion actually occurred. Bulgaria also occupied portions of Yugoslavia, Greece and Serbia. Bulgaria sent troops into Bosnia and engaged in heavy fighting there on behalf of Croatia. In 1944, Russia moved into Bulgaria without opposition, and Bulgaria then switched sides and joined Russia in their fight against Germany. The Bulgarians fought the retreating Germans all the way into Austria. This helmet was there for all campaigns, seeing service for both sides in the same war!. After the war, Bulgaria became part of the Communist Block and at that time, a red star was painted on the front of this helmet.

New Kayak Launching, the "Bonnie Lynn"

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful Winter day out here in Port Townsend....... cool, clear, and calm. A perfect and most auspicious day for the launching of a new boat, and that's just what happened down on the beach at the new NW Maritime Center at about 5:30 pm.

After somewhere around 500 hours of work, our good friend Dale, finished the construction of a Redfish Kayak, Spring Run L model. The boat was designed by Joe Greenley of Redfish Kayaks here in PT, and built entirely by hand by Dale. A truly amazing and beautiful boat that has been christened the "Bonnie Lynn". Bonnie Lynn is a strip built kayak with some pretty amazing features and lines.......... a truly beautiful boat!

http://www.redfishkayak.com/

After giving a short introduction, a blessing and naming of the boat, Dale climbed in and paddled her for the very first time. I'll let the photos speak for themselves!

Congratulations Dale!

Victorian Time Travelers

Well Halloween has come and gone, but the photos of that day still linger........ how's that for an attempt at a very "literary introduction" to today's posting?

The Whole family dressed up for a house-warming Halloween party over at a friends house in Sequim on Sunday. The pugs as pumpkins, Sharky and Sweet Pea as Victorian Time Travelers, steam punk style.

We'll let the pictures speak for themselves................

Spanish Grouping, Spanish Helmet Model 42/79, Spanish Mauser Bayonet M44 Cuchillo Bayoneta Standard Modelo Alemán con Guarda, Blue Division Spanish Volunteer WW2 Medal

This is a posting of a group of Spanish Army items from my collection that are all Spanish, but not specifically from the same historical period. I just recently did the research on these items to find out the details on each one......... so here goes a quick and dirty look at each of the three:

Spanish Helmet Model 42 / 79

The Spanish Army was originally issued with German made stahlhelm helmets before World War Two, when Germany sent troops and equipment to help out Franco in the 1930's during the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish Army used the original helmets until they manufactured their own version in 1942. In 1979, they made more of the model 42 style helmet shells and outfitted them with a newer style canvas and leather liner. These were designated as model 42 / 79 helmets. These were used through the 1980's until Spain retired all of the old helmets and issued the newer NATO style Kevlar helmets. Up until the old metal helmets were retired, all three helmet models could be seen in use at the same time.

Here's a shot from the 1980's showing a Spanish soldier wearing a model 42 / 79 helmet:


Medal: Spanish Blue Division, German Army, WW2:

This medal is an original WW2 German issued medal that was awarded to the Blue Division of Spanish Volunteers that Franco sent to the Russian Front to fight with the German Army. Spain was overwhelmed with volunteers who wished to go fight with the German Army and Franco ended up sending a full division to fight (almost 18,000 officers and men). This division was officially designated as the 250th Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht. Over 45,000 Spanish soldiers ended up fighting with division through the course of the war. After the war, Spanish veterans still serving in the Spanish Army, who had served with the Blue Division in WW2, were allowed to wear their German medals and awards on their service uniforms (complete with swastikas!). Nearly all of the Spanish officer corp and command in post-war Spain had served with the division and their German awards can be seen in many of the old photographs. I guess this an often overlooked bit of WW2 history.

Here is a picture of a Spanish bicycle soldier from the Blue Division serving with the German Army outside of Stalingrad during WW2 (1942).

Spanish Mauser Model 44 Bayonet, Cuchillo Bayoneta Standard Modelo Alemán con Guarda:

This last item is a Spanish Mauser Model 44 Bayonet. I picked this bayonet up at a yard sale many years ago, but only figured out what it was this last week! As the model number indicates, the Mauser rifle that this goes to was first manufactured by Spain in 1944 and was used up through the 1950's and maybe later.
The bayonet was manufactured at  the Fábrica de armas de Toledo (Toledo Arms Factory).  
These M44 bayonets are quite rare and hard to find.  Very few of them were produced and issued!  The bayonet is missing its scabbard, so the hunt is on for that one (while I'm at it, I ought to pick up a Spanish Mauser as well!).

Swedish Army Bicycle Medic Bag

While on my usual "patrol" for vintage military bicycle gear, I ran across this little gem........ A genuine, un-issued, Swedish Army, canvas medic's bag designed to be carried over the fender of the standard military service bike. I don't know much more than that. I'll be doing more hunting and research for actual photos of the bags in use or some sort of written documentation. It does appear to be 1970's or newer though.

This baby is BIG and heavy, about 3-4 pounds! The "red cross" emblems are actually sewn on, not printed. All of the straps are heavy cotton webbing with metal buckles. As far as I can tell, there are no military numbers, dates or makings on it anywhere.


I'm not sure how I'll use it yet........ I suspect that it will be destined for another bike restoration. Until then, here are some pictures of the new addition:

WW2 Swedish Soldier with Mauser M94 Carbine

I ran across a great picture of a WW2 Swedish soldier firing a Swedish Mauser, Model 1894 Carbine, just like mine. The picture shows a great view of the entire rifle and the attached carbine bayonet.

Who knows, this could be the rifle that I now own :)

US Army Desert Camo Jacket

This last Sunday, Sweet Pea and I headed over to the local Goodwill Store in Port Townsend for their once a week, .99 cent sale. The items that are on the racks are color coded with tags depending on how long they have been in the store. Just before items are pulled, they go on sale for .99 cents each!

I picked up a "vintage" US Army Desert Camo Jacket in 3 color camo for .99 cents! Oh yes, and it is actually my size............What a deal!

The jacket is from an unknown service member (name patch removed) with the following insignia and patches:

Captain and Transportation collar tabs
Army Element, United States Central Command shoulder patch
Parachute Wings
Air Assault Badge
US Shoulder Flag

The 3 color desert camo pattern replaced the original 6 color ,"chocolate chip" ,desert camo that was used from 1985 - 1999. The new desert digital style camo came out in 2002, so this jacket dates from that time in between, around the 1999 to 2002 range.

Here are a few closer shots of the jacket:




The mission of the US Central Command is:

"to promote and protect U.S. interests, ensure uninterrupted access to regional resources and markets, assist regional friends in providing for their own security and regional stability, promote the attainment of a just and lasting Middle East Peace, counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other transnational threats, and rapidly deploy joint and combined forces to support the full range of military operations."


Their area of responsibility includes 25 nations, ranging from Egypt in the west to Pakistan in the east, and from Kazakhstan in the north to Kenya in the south.