Cuban Caps.

[desantnik]

There are usually "wear out" periods for old uniform items. Also, "old timers" hold onto their older item to show that they are "old school." It is not unknown in today's Russian armed forces for older officers to still wear the Soviet belt buckle or hat cockade, for example.

[Al-muell]

Let's start with the thing that started this thread: the unusual cap.
Here's an interesting picture. Look at the guy to the right (Raul Castro?). Doesn't this cap look familiar? It even has a chin strap that the cap I posted long ago seems to have had.

[Al-muell]

OK, now, here's something more.
The above pic, as well as the following ones come from an album I purchesed not so long ago. It's the official issue of Cuban Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and seems to be commemorative album of a cuban Unit (Division Blindada). I know very little about the origin of this album. According to the story I've heard it was presented to a polish officer - member of polish military delegation visiting Cuba in 70's.
It contains 38 b&w photographs from the unit's life and achievements. I will post only few of them.
Pics:
1.Cover
2.Nothing interesting here, but just looksnice:)
3.Note the webbing! Altough the buckle has Cuban state symbol on it, the loadstraps are clearly soviet.

[Al-muell]

1.Now You know what the Soviets did with all those "elephant" gas masks when they introduced new ones....
2.More soviet equipment - OP-1 anti-chem overalls. Don't know if local or Soviet manufacture.
3.Note the "mimetic" camouflage uniforms. And a flying knife!

[Al-muell]

1.Belive this or not, but I had some problems recognizing this guy. If not for the next one (shown in "A few pictures of the cuban Soldiers...", 2 posts above) I would probably not have succeeded... What's on his breast btw? I thing it says "people on the visible part.
2.Close-up of Cuban camo uniform
3.Some voting. Note telnyashka. Is he a soviet advisor, or did some cuban units actually wore such things?

[pride]

3.Some voting. Note telnyashka. Is he a soviet advisor, or did some cuban units actually wore such things?

Telnyashka was never been part of the FAR standard equipment.


This is my Army cap. It's the same type from lower ranks till General de Ejeército

[pride]

Some pics show this type of cap used by Army Academy students and by Vicepresidente del Consejo de Estado, Vicepresidente del Consejo de Ministros, Ministro de la Informática y las Comunicaciones y Comandante de la Revolución, Ramiro Valdes Menéndez:

[pride]

Here my Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria (MGR) cap:

[pride]

Arrived just today an example of cuban "baseball" cap:

[Al-muell]

Major's cap.
Apart from the photographs of Cuban generals, this is the only cap of this type I have seen with rank insignia - a single star that was probably made of velvet/velour oslt. and is glued or "ironed" to this cap. The cap indeed belonged to a retired major, but my Spanish was insufficient to determine whether wearing insignia on those caps is or was ever obligatory. It seems that they don't have much of a regard for uniform regulations in Cuba.

These caps seem to be everyday service caps, but I have seen a photograph of Cuban soldiers practising for a parade in China and they had the same caps.

It is a bit dirty, as the previous owner continued to wear it with civilian clothes, lately with a self-made "Yo soy Fidel" badge pinned in front.

HAven't seen them for sale, but this one cost me 5cuc (~5USD), same as...