"...look for... the 'Union' label!..."-- Soviet Uniform Labels

[Rick Research]

Another exciting and thrilling topic for you-- I know, I know.

Still, these small details may help.

This is the label inside a M1935 tank corps officer's overseas cap of particularly fine quality, as made and worn 1936-41.

"NKMP RSFSR 'RevTrud' Sewing Factory c.(ity of) Tula" and size "57." The NKxx found on anything from this period stands for Narkomat-- "People's Commissariat" and the xP there is for the state ministry of relevant Industry charged with regulating uniform making. RSFSR is the designation of the Russian "Republic" within the Soviet Union. Note the 1920s "moderne" style of the label design. The "RevLabor" factory did good work!

[Rick Research]

This style of leatherette sweat diamond is found into the 1950s. This is the inside of a wartime M1943 Police (Militia) general's cap. The label reads

"Ts.Ye. P. Kombinat" with worn/rubbed initials of the government industry regulating body (in a wartime flat tank officer's cap, also by this "Combine," I can read it as "UVOS GKUVS"-- these changing authority initials may help in much more closely dating caps) and location "Moscow." Wartime clothing rarely has a year date marked.

This particular factory seems to have produced most of the best quality/wartime officers' caps I have seen, with the "Red Warrior" factory taking over after the war. Size is usually painted in like this, "56."

[Rick Research]

This VOKhR officer's cap was made by the premier later cap maker, the "Red Warrior" (central banner) Sewing Factory (inner top of star) of Moscow(below). Their stencilled maker mark changed over time and again, may help date caps when details like this 1959 date (unusual, since there is no "r." year suffix and the 195 are larger than the final 9) are worn off. The size is "60," and the industry control authority here is the "M.L.P." of the "R.S.F.S.R." across the top of the star, and the "M.G.U. L?/P?. ?." below.

[skip]

I must say that you have some straaaaaange topics Rick.
But interessting all the same.

Skip

[Gene]

Rick,

I'd like to see some pics of the tanker pilotka if you can post them