M1943 Special Tunic for NKGB Commissars

[DougD]

There is a second version of this tunic, in dark blue with a lighter blue piping, for Commissars of the NKVD Militia. Boards and collar tabs of same design as NKGB Commissars, but in silver. More soon.

[DougD]

An example of the 'special' tunic for an NKVD Commissar of the Militia. He is a three star, "Commissar of the Militia 1st Rank". Note the silver insignia and the almost electric blue piping. Of course the obvious difference between the NKGB Commissars special tunic and the NKVD-Militia Commissar version is the color.

Also, close ups of the collar tabs and one of the 1st Rank boards.

[deValcourt]

Stunning needle work and attention-grabbing colors. The only thing odd about this that I noticed is that for 1943, the designers were about 30-35 years ahead of their time regarding the wide lapels.;) Or, (and this is with all due respect, Doug) perhaps the makers of the "Zoot Suit" simply expanded on a Soviet original.:p

All joking aside, that really is a nice tunic. It's also the second one I've noticed you have with the large buttons on the pockets as well as down the front. It's the vivid colors that are still crisp today that make me say :wow and give it a round of :clapclap. If they had done more with the cuffs, I would probably mistake this one for a diplomatic corps tunic in a B&W photo - but I'm hardly the expert on uniforms; I just know what I like. And I like this one a lot.

[Commissar]

Haha. I never noticed the lapels before they were pointed out, they are actually quite large! But yes, still a magnificent suit; amazing colour for its age and such great care is put into it.
How rare are these?

[DougD]

The colors on the NKVD-Militia tunic are much sharper than on the NKGB tunic...much less wear to it, though my flash also makes it look a bit brighter than it might really be.

[Jeffrey Meffert]

I've made the collar tabs above as the wallpaper on my work computer. Hope you don't mind....

[DougD]

No problem Jeff! Glad you could use them : )

DougD

[DougD]

The NKGB Special tunic with the NKVD-NKGB Generals / Commissars service visor cap. A bit sharper look than the special gray cap.

[DougD]

The NKGB wave can be seen on the boards of this Commissar who is accompanying Khrushchev.

[deValcourt]

I finally found someone who has those same hat badges (reproductions, but good ones) which until then I had not see anywhere - real or not. They are by far my favorite of the various ones.;)

Phillip

Off topic, but I didn't want to take up space for just a comment on the other thread you just started, but I was once taken for a ride on that same "London bus" about a year ago but it was for a group of badges (the one I wanted most turned out to be fake).:mad: