UTV H-harness and a couple other things

[Klaus1989]

I also want to know where everyone finds those personal decontamination kits! I have never seen them for sale.

I would like to see someone actually wear the full UTV kit though with last uniform, laced boots and field cap. I have only uniform so far.

regards
Klaus

[Garron]

I have the trousers, cap and most of the webbing,
Nico has the MPiK-74 ammo pouch and the last issue tunic, once he gets everything sorted I'll buy them from him.
The only thing I'm unsure of is the boots and rank tabs, what would I be looking for?

Gaz

[ebolavirus]

The decon kits are a gem to aquire for sure...I don't think many of them are salvageable as the chemicals in the kit age they seem to eat the plastic bottles and everything else in the kit box...If the cream chemical has not eaten the bottle, it has permeated it and the smell is horrible...
I did have to throw the contents of one kit away because of the leakage...The bottles had deteriorated to thin plastic flakes and the wipes and instructions on human contact disintegrated into a powder...YIKES...

I put the UTV web gear on last night just to check it out again...It's fun to play with as Genosse Viktor mentioned before...Anyways, I bent over and the ABC suit slapped me in the back of the head as I did so...I have a good idea what those strings are for now, to tie the bottom of your suit carrier down to prevent it from knocking you in the head...They match right up to the bottom cross strap on your ABC carrier...

The only thing I'm unsure of is the boots and rank tabs, what would I be looking for?

The square rank patch for the arm and the laced up type boots...
I only lack the boots for my complete UTV set...

[Klaus1989]

I have square Gefreiter rank patch for my field jacket. They are easy to find, unlike those decon kits! What I was asking is where anyone found theirs (ebay, etc.) so I would know where to watch.

I am not sure what lace-up boots look like. Are they like Falli boots or like the mystery NVA-marked boots that keep appearing on ebay?
http://cgi.ebay.com/East-German-Offi...d=p3286.c0.m14

btw what the heck are they?:

[DaveM]

falli boots?

I believe these are 70's vintage falli boots...
at first I thought they were pilot boots

[grossmacht]

Hi,
These are pilot's boots. I've got a few different styles in my collection. The soles are stiff, but not sturdy enough for combat. They're made out of a foam crepe type material that is similar to the later soled officer's Zugstiefel.
I'm still looking for Fallschirmspringerstiefel...but have yet to get hold of any.

[iannima]

btw what the heck are they?:

I personally think that they were made for Frankenstein...

[yossarianlives]

...I have a good idea what those strings are for now, to tie the bottom of your suit carrier down to prevent it from knocking you in the head...They match right up to the bottom cross strap on your ABC carrier...

please can you post a pic showing how the suit carrier is tied with those strings? thanx

[jkeegen]

I have square Gefreiter rank patch for my field jacket

I know ecomony played a part in the design of the new rank insignia, but boy are they plain and ugly. If I was an NVA officer, I'd have been crying about having to switch to the new shoulderboards . . . of course I'd be crying anyway due to losing my job during reunification.

[iannima]

I know ecomony played a part in the design of the new rank insignia, but boy are they plain and ugly.

And worse was to come...

thank goodness it did not come to pass...

[ebolavirus]

please can you post a pic showing how the suit carrier is tied with those strings? thanx

Here ya go...

The strings are long enough to easily tie to the sewn strap on the bottom of the carrier...(between the left and right cinch straps)...Or I'm sure you can use the outside horizontal strap...(outside of the left and right cinch straps)...

There is nothing that says either way is correct or if tying it down in this fashion is correct at all...Seems to be more of the common sense factor that makes it so...Having a heavy roll of rubber material bash you in the back of the head every time you dove to the ground or leaned over to pick something up would get old very quick...

Looks a little strewed in the photo but when the complex is picked up the rear harness straps straighten out and there is no twisting...


I'll add a little something...
The decontamination kits...
Do not leave them in your gear if they have the 2 bottles of solution in the box...Your gear will smell horribly bad...I just found this out taking the picture a few moments ago...I made the mistake of leaving the gray box in my gas mask bag then putting the gear away...I opened the bag and about passed out from the pungent stench that hit me... (I use those giant ziploc bags)
All my decon kits smell like this, if you have them and they don't stink, congratulations...Every one I have come across has a pungent stench to it...

[Klaus1989]

And worse was to come...

thank goodness it did not come to pass...

Wow, those are some ugly uniforms! The berets look too big for their heads, like flattened cook hats...

I am only who noticed that the newer uniform seems to share some similarities to the Soviet M88 uniform developed after experience in Afghanistan? The field cap even resembles Soviet/Russian one minus ear flaps.

regards
Klaus

[ebolavirus]

UTV tanker uniform...







As for the patches, yes, very generic indeed...
I have found two styles of them...One has a fabric sewn to the back forming a tunnel to run the band of material on the arm through it, then buttoned so no sewning was necessary and the other of course is sewn on...

[David H]

This maybe of interest ....'Origins of the UTV equipment'.... The UTV is basically a very old design as it is nothing more than an inferior quality copy of the British '58' pattern webbing (with a few tweaks). It is interesting the East Germans were looking to introduce it just as the Brits were retiring it! Below are a few pictures illustrating the basics of both.

[David H]

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