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Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: Mick_in_Switzerland on 11 April 2017, 04:14:21 PM

Title: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Mick_in_Switzerland on 11 April 2017, 04:14:21 PM
As most of you already know, I am doing a big project to update my painting guides.  

Can anybody recomment good museums to visit to see uniforms.

I remember that the Imperial War Museum in London has some WW2 uniforms but not very many.

Bovington Tank Museum has very few uniforms, likewise there are very few at Duxford Aircraft Museum and the Deutsches Panzermuseum in Munster

I remember that the Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim near Stuttgart has a lot of vehicles and uniforms.

Can anybody recommend good museums to see WW2 uniforms?

Mick

Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Remgain on 11 April 2017, 05:30:45 PM
Mick,

I suggest Bastogne and Bayeux museums.
As far as I can remember there are a good amount of uniforms.
Could be useful have a look at their sites on the net.

Marco
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Silent Invader on 11 April 2017, 06:13:54 PM
I haven't been for a few years but when I was last there the Combined Services Museum in Maldon, Essex, UK had lots of British uniforms including many specialisms.

http://www.cmsm.co.uk/index.php (http://www.cmsm.co.uk/index.php)

I'd suggest an email to them for more info on their current displays.
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Elk101 on 11 April 2017, 06:53:21 PM
Quote from: Remgain on 11 April 2017, 05:30:45 PM
Mick,

I suggest Bastogne and Bayeux museums.
As far as I can remember there are a good amount of uniforms.
Could be useful have a look at their sites on the net.

Marco

Bayeux is excellent from what I recall. The US Airborne museum at Sainte Mere Eglise was really good too. There's a good one at Falaise too with some nice displays featuring uniforms,  unless I'm getting it mixed up with another. Dead Man's Corner is also good and they sell replica uniforms. Generally Normandy is fantastic for museums featuring vehicles,  kit and uniforms.
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on 11 April 2017, 07:39:44 PM
The D-Day museum at Southsea is worth a visit and local Regimental museums are worth a visit.
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Mick_in_Switzerland on 11 April 2017, 07:58:35 PM
Thank-you everybody
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: dflament on 12 April 2017, 06:46:39 AM
Being from Belgium I can only recommend Brussels (incredible collection and very nicely displayed although the story behind this setup is rather depressing) and of course Baugnez 44 & the La Gleize museum (which are of the same collector iirc). Especially Brussels has a lot of display cabinets with lots of uniforms but nothing beats the atmosphere of the Baugnez 44 museum which itself also has a lot of nice displays...
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Sunjester on 12 April 2017, 07:41:04 AM
I've got to second Normandy, a fantastic range of museums and most of them have a good displays of uniforms. And they close enough together to be able to visit several in one day (I think our record was 5). Sometimes it's the little private collections which have some gems.
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Paul Hicks on 12 April 2017, 12:27:12 PM
Brussels Military museum is the best by far.
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Mick_in_Switzerland on 12 April 2017, 03:14:17 PM
Thank-you everybody,

It looks like it is time to plan a weekend trip to see Brussels and Baugnez 44 Museums.

Mick
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: dflament on 13 April 2017, 06:46:39 AM
you will not be disappointed by the both but try not to pay attention to the lack of maintenance in the Brussels Museum, the WW2 part is very good and very well maintained but the rest is just ... well, you'll see :)
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Harry Faversham on 13 April 2017, 08:45:59 AM
The Hartenstein Hotel in Oosterbeek has a fine collection of WW2 uniforms and equipment.

(http://www.dehien.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Veluwe-vakantie-urlaub-niederlande-holidays-netherlands-airborne.jpg)
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Cubs on 13 April 2017, 10:37:02 AM
Quote from: Humakt on 13 April 2017, 07:08:24 AM
I understand the National Army Museum in Chelsea has just re-opened after a renovation.
I've no idea what it's like though...

(https://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/61201588.jpg)
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Ming on 13 April 2017, 11:34:11 AM
Does it have to be a museum? Have you considered one of the many military/militaria/'re-enacting  shows dotted around? They are great places to see stuff up close & personal. Whatever your interest, if you wait long enough someone will walk by wearing exactly what you are looking for. Check out the War & Peace Show website, for here in the. UK as an example of what's on offer. Not just a tiny display cabinet with one tin hat & some cap badges but acre upon acre of tents filled with vintage/repro/surplus gear. Denison smocks/tanks/guns. It will all be there somewhere. Even museums have to get their stuff from somewhere too.There are  similar shows in Holland & Belgium which are just inspiring. If you want to know what colour German Army socks were, there will be hundreds of pairs there to look at & handle if you are brave enough & pretend you want to buy.
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Jericho on 13 April 2017, 05:20:40 PM
If you're going to La Glaize and Malmedy, you can also go a bit more south for a small stop at the Bastogne Historical Center.
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Belgian on 13 April 2017, 05:38:56 PM
Quote from: dflament on 12 April 2017, 06:46:39 AM
Being from Belgium I can only recommend Brussels (incredible collection and very nicely displayed although the story behind this setup is rather depressing) and of course Baugnez 44 & the La Gleize museum (which are of the same collector iirc). Especially Brussels has a lot of display cabinets with lots of uniforms but nothing beats the atmosphere of the Baugnez 44 museum which itself also has a lot of nice displays...

Visited the museum years ago, are they still displaying the Mahdi Rising Ansar and colonial clothing?

Think I remember those not World War Two though :)
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Koppi on 13 April 2017, 09:17:05 PM
Hi Mick,

maybe you will have a look at my BLOG.
http://thrifles.blogspot.de/2017/
Just have a look at the label "Militärmuseen".
There are several museums to see, and many reports will follow.
The next weeks pictures from Bastogne museums will come.
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Corporalslim on 14 April 2017, 02:41:54 PM
Having just been to the Brussels Military Museum i would recommend checking in advance for what's on show. As it turned out during my visit, the WW2 section was closed and the WW1 section was virtually empty. The last time I went, twenty odd years ago, the situation was the same. I assume it's not same renovation......
Title: Re: Best Museums to see WW2 Uniforms?
Post by: Mick_in_Switzerland on 14 April 2017, 03:35:36 PM
@Koppi
Your blog is excellent :-*.  I will try to visit the museums at Bastogne and Overloon as they look very good.

@Ming
I have seen various reenactor events.  I also have a lot of books.
I want to see some real genuine WW2 German uniforms to see the actual colours of Fieldgrey cloth and the various camouflage prints.
I just want to be sure that my revised painting guides are as accurate as I can make them.

Thanks everbody for your suggestions.

Mick