M 1936 Gymnistoika

[Woodard]

Just on the off chance there are any NKPA reenactors out there, I believe the NK tunics are copies of the Early WW2 M36 tunic, with Soviet style (As far as I can tell NKPA rank is direct copy of Soviet) and a Blue gas flap sewn in. Still no idea where to get caps, though.

[Woodard]

That's Soviet Style Rank, I meant. Look just like M43 Shoulderboards

[Woodard]

Front of Russia makes a "North Korean NCO shirt", on page 3 of Army Uniforms. As always, just in case someone wants to do DPRK...

[redsoldat]

I ask'd about the Front of Russia's NKPA shirt, and if they planned to make the whole uniform.
They stated they had no plans to make the rest of the uniform, and they hedged on just what they used to create the shirt.
Without detailed photos of the NKPA uniform it is hard to come up with an example.
So far the M36 seems the closest example. I wonder of that blue bib is an insert, or a undershirt? Maybe DPRK Navy uniform?
The pants and boots would be next problem as no real subtitutes seem to be around.
Question is if maybe you could get uniforms from the RoK movie houses, or clothing shops that do costumes for them.

As for helmets, the best bet would be the SSh40 vs the CZ pot. This would also get you around the need for a soft cap.
The ones made by NAKATA (NKPA and CCF) appear to be post war.
I have not seen NKPA field gear so I don't know who makes stuff that is close.

I have an SSh40 helmet, Mosin rifle, Nagant pistol, and a Maxim I need to put together, at least it is a start.

simon

[Woodard]

The source on the blue thing is an Osprey book, it implies that this is a signature NKPA item, but I can't recall seeing one. Photos seem to show a not completely uniformed army, and I haven't seen more than a few color pics. Another common thing was helmet netting and wearing of a net across the shoulders, with vegetation woven in for camo. I see lots of postwar SSh40's around, so that should be easy to get. I would imagine standard Soviet WW2/Early postwar stuff for combat gear, as the Soviets equipped the NKPA prior to the war (this not being the case with the Chinese until 1952 or so).

[yalu]

The photos posted appear to be a post war uniform set.
I will stick my neck out and say maybe a M1936 tunic with plain buttons and Nationalist pants from Hong Kong Keith would work.
Leather belt and RKKA pouches.
Blue bib?
Why Osprey states that is a chemical protective bib stumps me.
Maybe the RKKA just dumped all their old chemical warefare suits on the NKA?
This still leaves the shoes to fix.
As for the camo net vests, the IJA, PLA and RoK all appeared to have worn these at one time to include the RKKA.
In fact I think JDF still issues them now.

Doing NKA allows the American gansters to not have to wear the flack vests-which I would think would make you very tired when you are running south to catch the boat out of Pusan:)

[foxholetom]

I like my M12, thank you very much.

Early war events are fun because then you can do mutated impressions like an M41 jacket with goldenlites.

[Woodard]

the blue "gas flap" is just a piece of cloth that goes underneath where a buttoned seam is. It wouldn't be a chem suit or anything that elaborate. like on the WW2 US HBT's. If I recall the cammies I was issued in 1999 had them on the trousers. As far as I know the NKPA never had any chemical protective gear at all. Right at the very end of the war they started finding a lot of Chinese were carrying gas masks, no one really knows why, but it was probably due to either thier claims that the US was using biological weapons (made all through the war) or to the fact that the forward positions (the "Underground Great Wall") was supposed to be prepared in case the Americans used tactical Nukes on it. I don't think all Chinese had them, they just started turning up.