Some Recent modern Belgian finds

By the way do you happen to have any photo on hand of the type with original full length zipper? Just so I know what to look at, I've been offered 2 smocks in the meantime but I'm not sure what the original type looks like, uncovered zipper or covered with a flap, flap with or without snaps, running up to the top edge of the collar or below the collar fold as with mine... thing slike that

michelwijnand wrote:
After checking the pants in better light I can actually see some parts where threads seem to have been removed in the correct areas so it must have been an 8-pocket before.

Good!  I can cross a 6 pocket version off my Christmas wish list

The twill version of the 8 pocket is very rare from my experience.  I'm guessing someone had the lower pockets removed while in service.  I don't understand their value, except to get caught on stuff.

By the way, the 1995 jacket with 2-snapbutton pockets, do you know if that was a para type or meant for regular infantry?

General issue of camo didn't start until 1997, so probably intended for Para/Cdo and not to compliment warm climate missions.  It also is consistent with the abandonment definite abandonment of the traditional smock a couple years later.  This could have been an attempt to preserve some of the traditions in the form of a more functional coat.  But I can't say for sure.

As for pictures, I have a couple of handy.

1984 type originally posted here by belgium_one:



One dated 1989 (sorry, it's really small!) which seems identical to one I have from 1991:



Note there was also a 1/2 zip from 1989 at least, so for some reason they produced 1/2 and full zip models concurrently.

Steve

Nice, thanks!
I've just bought one like the bottom one, also dated 91, it'll appear here in the thread in a while

As it turns out, mail from Belgium to me is pretty fast.

And so, here's the full length zipper smock I got!






I also bought some 1995 dated pants that have straight buttpocket flaps with hidden buttons, as opposed to my late 80's pants with pointy flaps with visible buttons.






Also some M71 gear, suspenders, alice hook shovelpouch and a belt. The Hungarian pouches are unrelated of course, they simply came in the same package.
I already have a full M71 set but I'm building a second setwith (mostly) later pieces like the nylon pouch from earlier.





And lastly an Ardense Jagers beret and some parachute parts, if anyone can tell me what type of parachute the static line hooks came from, and possibly the long bundled strap too, that would be nice.
I do have an EFA 672 that is missing it's entire static line but I think I've seen khaki static lines for those, though mine might be a late production example.
The smaller 3 elastic straps are also unknown to me.







My incomplete chute just in case.

There's some differences between the 1990s Poplin trousers and earlier versions? I never noticed that! I took my 1991 dated set out and looked at it and sure enough... exposed buttons on the rear pockets! I have not seen anything dated between 1991 and 1995 so the 1995 version must be unique compared to previous ones.

Great, now I need to get me a 1995 set

Steve

Apparently there are, maybe these were introduced the same time as the 2-button pockets smocks, who knows, I haven't seen this type dated earlier (yet).
Also, no idea if they changed anything about shirts, otherwise I'd need me one of those as well

From what I can tell the Belgians made two major changes to their uniforms; 1995 and 1997. I think it is correct to view the 1995 uniforms as a "modernization" attempt that they were not satisfied with.

I just found pictures of 1995 and a 1993 Poplin shirts. They are identical from what I can tell. My guess is the 1993 type is the same as earlier types.

Steve

Yeah I checked out some shirts on the internet too and I can't see anyting different at all.

In the meantime I found some more modular pouches, though I still need more to fill out my desert vest, and an actual jigsaw vest to put my NFM jigsaw pouches on...
An NFM desert FN MAG drumpouch I hadn't seen before, a Sioen desert magazinepouch, another NFM jigsaw magpouch and an NFM desert 4X40mm pouch, only when I
handled it I noticed it was 4X instead of 3X on the Sioen type.








And I also have an extra NFM radiopouch to sell/trade now.

Gas Mask pouch

and the new version from SIOEN

Very good !

Very nice! I had seen the Coyote Tan Sioen type before but not the other one, is there a year in it? I hadn't realized that the Belgians adopted such a PLCE looking type of bag at all

michelwijnand wrote:Very nice! I had seen the Coyote Tan Sioen type before but not the other one, is there a year in it? I hadn't realized that the Belgians adopted such a PLCE looking type of bag at all

unfortunatly there is no label. I did not see this version before too. I only knew the longer version of the gas mask pouch with this straps.

Got a tearoff medical pouch for my vest now!