The DDR reenacted

[RedBaran11]

Glad to see a fellow Grenzer!

I myself still need to get one of those flashlights.

[Adler69]

My DDR gear

[Grenztrupper]

Hallo Genosse!

What would be the standard issue equipment for one using the purely defensive RPK weapon system? I have seen drum pouches, which appear to be just the regular MPi ones but with the divider removed as to fit a drum magazine.

I imagine it would be the same for a regular EM with an MPi, with the exclusion of a bayonet and other equipment that cannot be used with the machine gun.

[Viktor]

Hallo Genosse!

What would be the standard issue equipment for one using the purely defensive RPK weapon system? I have seen drum pouches, which appear to be just the regular MPi ones but with the divider removed as to fit a drum magazine.

I imagine it would be the same for a regular EM with an MPi, with the exclusion of a bayonet and other equipment that cannot be used with the machine gun.

Genosse,
I use this system....



The IMG K Gunner has a longer Magazine Pouch, the Drum was rarely used as it "Stopped" and so little liked by the likes of it..

[Grenztrupper]

Danke!

The saying is true: you learn something new every day!

I have never seen that style of magazine pouch before. I assume they were longer than the standard ones due to the use of the 40-round magazines?

Where would be the best place as to procure such equipment? I am trying to assemble a uniform for an IMG K gunner, and any such help would be welcome!

If I may ask also, what is the brown pouch between your feldspaten and feldflasche?

[Viktor]

Danke!

The saying is true: you learn something new every day!

I have never seen that style of magazine pouch before. I assume they were longer than the standard ones due to the use of the 40-round magazines?

Where would be the best place as to procure such equipment? I am trying to assemble a uniform for an IMG K gunner, and any such help would be welcome!

If I may ask also, what is the brown pouch between your feldspaten and feldflasche?

Genosse,

Motor Rifles Gruppenfuehrer Personal Equipment complex.



R126 Radio, Binoculars, ABC Suit in Carrier, Yoke, Map Case, Two Signal Flags, Belt, Magazine Pouch, Modell 59 Bayonet, Respirator in Haversack, E Tool in Carrier, Water bottle.

Soldat, only Two men would carry only just this.



Belt, Yoke, Magazine Pouch, Modell 59 Bayonet, Respirator in Haversack, E Tool in Carrier, Water bottle, ABC Suit in Carrier.


The Nr 1 Panzerbueche Gunner would have Optical Sight Bag and a Pistole M Holster rather than the Bayonet and MPi Pouch as well as the Nr1 Ammunition Bag for his Weapon System .







Note, the position of the Pistole M there is no cross draw in the NVA..



This image is a "Soldiers fix" as the ABC Suit on the Yoke is a bit of a pain, an Ex NVA Artillery Soldat D-30 Weapon Complex showed me this one.




The Nr2 Gunner is equipped as the Soldat but with the addition Scale of the Nr2 Ammunition Bag.




The Two IMG K Gunners would also lack the MPi Magazine Pouch and Bayonet but have a 40 Round IMG K Magazine Pouch instead.

The Grundwissen shows the 75 Round Drum is carried here on the back of the belt when issued.

I tend to use a Modell 59 Bayonet, this or the later Modell 79 is ok for the Personal Equipment I have shown. When I use a Curved Magazine pouch then I would only use a Modell 59 as it was used earlier than the Straight pouch I normally use.

Here's the NVA Regulation in regard to wearing and Scales of Issued from a "Grundwissen" namely ..
Handbuch Militaerisches Grundwissen.
Which is basically the best source of hands on NVA Data a Soldier needs to know...







This is from an early one as the use of RPG 2 and the IMG D prove...

[Mike G.]

Victor,

I justed wanted to take the time to pay you a personal compliment .....

As always, great information from the depths of your closely guarded resource center. Thank you for the great photo representations and expert accompanying written descriptive analogy.

You make it easily plain and clear to the viewer to comprehend and understand.

Clearly, when it comes to field gear, and the wearing of it, you are a Great Resource to the forum for knowledge with respect to this particular subject matter. Thanks for sharing.

[Viktor]

Thank You Genosse Michael D. Gallagher,

I but Conform to the Norm for Forumgenossen.....

[jkeegen]

New to DDR reenacting

Hey! I just learned about this forum from Bob at Gowen Militaria. I just started reenacting DDR and am really enjoying the research. I reenact several time periods (English WW1, American WW2, and 10 Para-British mid-80's Territorial Army unit that part of the BAOR) and it's GREAT to be able to get original gear at cheap prices (relatively cheap). I'll try to post some pics of my stuff soon to make sure it passes muster.

I'm in Richmond, VA so if any guys are local, give me a shout. I'd love to attend an event at MTA in Jamestown or MTT in Maryland if others are interested.

Mit sozialistischem GruB,
Brian

[Mike G.]

Hi Brian,

Welcome to the DDR Forum.

In addition to Victor, there are about a baker's dozen or so forum members that are very much in to reenactment. And there are many more forum members with a casual interest in it. Also, you will find this particular forum, while very professional, also one of the friendliest to communicate in.

Hope to see a continued interest and even more participation on your part. And Victor is certainly one member that can be trusted to review your gear and pass muster on it, or pass on constructive critisism to help you get it to the stage that it will pass muster.

Also check out the sister Commie Bloc forum. The two share much in common and often times overlap for obvious reasons.

Again, welcome to the DDR Forum.

[jkeegen]

Thanks for the welcome!
I'm a youngster at the age of 36 so the Cold War for me was the late 70's and 80's. It's interesting because my Cold War memories are almost exclusively USSR dominated, even though I was 16 when the Berlin Wall 'fell.' For some unkown reason, the DDR never really became part of my historical milieu. Indeed, German history had, for many decades of my life, ended in 1945.

Anyway, two quick questions for the forum:
I'm shooting for a 1980-1985 impression and was wondering which Feldspaten cover is appropiate for that period - the gray colored one or rain-drop camo pattern with gray straps?

Also, where the heck can I find an ABC suit and holder? Can't seem to find one anywhere.

[RedBaran11]

Wilkommen Genosse!

Anyway, two quick questions for the forum:
I'm shooting for a 1980-1985 impression and was wondering which Feldspaten cover is appropiate for that period - the gray colored one or rain-drop camo pattern with gray straps?

The gray holder is as per the norm, as is the shovel with thicker metal.

I assume you are doing a Mot. Schützen impression?

You should do a Grenzer impression, it is a lighter load Okay, and because I'm biased, becuase the Grenztruppen is my favorite subject

[Ralph P]

Hello Brian - I too want to follow up with what Michael said and welcome you to the DDR forum. There is for sure some DDR forum members who are involved with reenactment and they have used this thread and you will fit right in.

[jkeegen]

Wilkommen Genosse!



The gray holder is as per the norm, as is the shovel with thicker metal.

I assume you are doing a Mot. Schützen impression?

You should do a Grenzer impression, it is a lighter load Okay, and because I'm biased, becuase the Grenztruppen is my favorite subject

Ahh, I feel the force is strong with you... but yea, I am putting together a Mot. Schutzen impression. Although, if extra money comes my way, I can see myself pretending to protect the borders of the DDR! Oddly enough, due to the media coverage during the 1980's of the divided Germany and particularily of the Berlin Wall, the little exposure I had to DDR truppen was exclusively Grenztruppen.

Although I'm looking to reenact DDR, my degree is in History so I'm stoked to dig into a part of history of which I was previously ignorant. I just finished reading Thomas Forster's 1968 edition of The East German Army: A Pattern of a Communist military Establishment. I've got my eyes on a recent publication Socialist Modern: East German Everyday Culture and Politics. My wife would rather kill herself than read something like that but the history geek in me thinks I can't do a proper impression without understanding the socio-polictical sub-texts of the NVA. Now all I need is to learn German

[jkeegen]

Bayonets

Ok, another question for the experts:

early 80's impression -- is a model 59 or 74 bayonet appropiate? I'm thinking model 59 would be more flexible, allowing me to use it for any earlier impressions i put together.