It is too easy to go through the week scanning auctions and dealer listings without ever giving a bit of consideration to all the people who make the military collecting hobby such a rewarding passion. From time to time, I … More »

“Look at this seat frame,” a friend recently instructed as he handed me a part from a WWII Jeep he was restoring, “That thing is better than new!” It truly was—he explained how he had sprayed five coats of paint … More »

During a recent visit to my folks’ home in southeast Minnesota, I found a little time on my hands between taking my Mom to church and doing all the chores she had posted on the door of the coffee cup … More »

Gasoline fumes rose with the roar of starting engines, pit crews strained across the line to catch a glimpse their drivers as they rolled up for the green flag and the two-man staff of Military Vehicles Magazine and Military Trader … More »

I must have forgotten about the brutal winters, when I moved back to Minnesota last autumn. Forgetting was no accident, however. Having left for warmer parts three years earlier, I gave my big brother my snow blower and Goodwill received … More »

One hundred sixty-five years ago, through the night of Feb. 23 and the pre-dawn hours of the 24, the remnants of General Zachary Taylor’s small, mostly volunteer, American Army listened to what they believed would be their final demise. For … More »

  It’s that time of year when a collector’s mind drifts into daydreams of buying and driving a historic military vehicle. Whether the object of that fantasy is a jeep, deuce-and-a-half or maybe even a tank, there are few things … More »

While many have said that War in Iraq is the “second longest war in America’s history” (citing the War in Afghanistan as the first), that is not wholly accurate. Many of the Indian Wars lasted decades, with the Sioux Wars … More »

Ever since our hobby started hosting its own shows, organizers have been trying to crack the code on figuring out what makes a show “good” in the eyes of both the attendees and the displayers. Often, what makes a show … More »

by John Adams-Graf Trends in the military hobby are not always difficult to predict: Items that soldiers were eager to find as souvenirs have become the hot collectibles today. For example, German Luger pistols and Japanese “Samurai” swords were probably … More »