NKPA Uniform in Museum

[brigadepiron]

Hello.

I have attached links to my pictures of the uniform of the NKPA in the National Army Museum in Brussels. It is definately real because aparently it was brought back by Belgian vets. - I'm a bit sceptical about the belt, but I hope it will prove to be good reference for everyone.

I am attaching 'direct links' because I don't seem to be able to put most pics directly up here, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n603/brigadepiron/Museums%20of%20the%20Belgians%20in%20the%20Korea%20War/321.jpg
i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n603/brigadepiron/Museums%20of%20the%20Belgians%20in%20the%20Korea%20War/DSCF1007.jpg
i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n603/brigadepiron/Museums%20of%20the%20Belgians%20in%20the%20Korea%20War/NKoreanRanks.jpg
i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n603/brigadepiron/Museums%20of%20the%20Belgians%20in%20the%20Korea%20War/NKoreanBadge1.jpg
i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n603/brigadepiron/Museums%20of%20the%20Belgians%20in%20the%20Korea%20War/NKoreanHat.jpg
i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n603/brigadepiron/Museums%20of%20the%20Belgians%20in%20the%20Korea%20War/NKPA3.jpg

My photos aren't so good but you should be able to see the VVVVV pattern of stiching on the breast of the uniform above the pockets. The flag is also genuine!

I have also put another post up of Chinese uniforms at the same museum in the PVA section.

[yalu]

Would the museum allow you to photograph the uniform outside the case to better capture the details?

Does it have elbow and knee reinforcement?
Does it have the blue neck cloth?
How do the pants secure?
How many buttons are used on the shirt and pants?

[brigadepiron]

No. The exhibition is long over. But I can try and answer some of your questions:

1) No patches on knees. Cannot tell about tunic.
2) Cannot tell.
3) Cannot tell.
4) 4 (brass with star) buttons visible on front of uniform. Don't know about trousers.

You could try contacting the museum directly (klm-mra.be) but though they can be quite helpful, this would probably over-tax them.

[yalu]

Here is a photo of a 'North Korean EM uniform' in a RoK museum.

www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/image/116574481

So looking at those photos, and the Belgian photos it would appear the the uniform has two chest hanging pockets, and single button cuffs. The camouflage netting is one row, don't know if it is continued on the back.
The pants do not appear to have reinforcements at the knees.
The buttons are brass in colour with what appears to be a star, don't know if it has the the Soviet hammer/symbol inside.

The colour of the uniforms if accurate do not match RKKA colour, but do come close to PRC colour for Khaki (At least on the internet). Movies and art work show uniform colours closer to the RKKA uniform colours.

[pop401k]

This is just my personal opinion, but I believe all the uniforms in both museums are quality replicas, made from "khaki" cloth since the real stuff isn't available.

The zig-zag stitching for camouflage was done, I believe, individually, since not all the pictures show it... and if that's true, then it's positioning would be quite varied. I've seen it on the soft caps as well.

[yalu]

Just another road block in doing NK.
Looks like PVA is easier with more information and uniforms and equipment.

Oh well so much for cussing out the UNF in Hangul

[brigadepiron]

Pop401k, I'm afraid you are mistaken. All items in the Belgian museum were brought to Belgium by the contingent in 1951-2. I have a picture in a magazine (dated 1954) of this particular uniform, and the chinese one I posted.

As for the ROK one, I believe it probably is a repro - they lent a few chinese uniforms to the same exhibition in Belgium and they were labled as reproductions.

[pop401k]

Jan 14, 2012 0:06:06 GMT -5 yalu said:

Just another road block in doing NK.
Looks like PVA is easier with more information and uniforms and equipment.

Oh well so much for cussing out the UNF in Hangul

Then again...

For reenacting purposes, I think you'd be okay with a Soviet M-35 tunic (haven't noticed shoulder boards). Most film etc. I've seen, the "skirt" is tucked inside the trousers. Add some baggy "khaki/OD" trousers, of approximately same color, and you'll be okay. From what I've seen in photos, they didn't use leggings of any kind, just the take-up tabs on the cuff.

Rucksacks appear almost identical to Soviet style from what I can see. I haven't made a study of it, but leather belts seem to be open faced, like police or GI garrison belts.

I think the toughest part would be finding a soft cap that would pass muster... MAYBE a Nationalist Chinese with some "help" from a seamstress.

[yalu]

Funny how this uniform looks like the NK but is stated to be CCF.

theforgottenwar.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=cpv&action=display&thread=87

Anyway a RKKA tunic would either be modified in the cuffs and the netting added or new shirts made.
HK pants from their Chinese collection would work I guess as pants.

I have a 1919 and a knee mortar to do PVA. I don't have a DP, and I have a maxim but I have yet to send it out to get converted.

[pop401k]

Here's a tidbit from a vet... He said the following terms were used:

CCF was Marine for Chinese Communist Forces
Chi-Com was Army for Chinese Communist

PVA was, as far as I know, what the Chinese called themselves
North Korean is about the only term I've heard to describe the DPRK forces.

[yalu]

RKKA- Red Army of Workers and Peasants which later was changed to the Soviet Army.

NKs - Imun Gun (sp)