The Show Goes On: 2025 OVMS SOS recap

At the Ohio Valley Military Society's 2025 SOS there was something for everybody. Peter Suciu

Louisville, Kentucky, is often known as being the “northernmost southern city,” but this past February, it might have almost felt it was at the North Pole — except for those from the “true north” of New England and the Upper Great Lakes Region. To them, the 22 degree weather that kicked off the annual Ohio Valley Military Society’s Show Of Shows (SOS) may have felt almost like springtime.

After years of milder-than-average temperatures, this year’s show reminded attendees that it was still very much winter on the calendar. Yet, despite some complaints about the weather, the show went on, and SOS 2025 saw strong crowds and according to dealers stronger than average sales. It truly was a show of shows for those in the military collectibles hobby.

Long-time attendees of SOS know it isn’t a “gun show” – but rather a military collectibles show (even if some family members might not understand the difference). That doesn’t mean that SOS lacks in firearms. Far from it – yet, the tables filled with used hunting rifles, modern black guns, polymer-framed pistols, and beef jerky were down the hall at the actual gun show, fittingly located just past the flea market. SOS on the other hand remains the event that had firearms that were truly of museum quality!

The Bren Gun and M2 .50-caliber may be “display” items rather than functional, but really wouldn’t these be the ultimate man cave items? Peter Suciu

An assortment of deactivated small arms – including an Austrian Schwarzlose, Finnish Suomi KP/-31 submachine gun, French 50mm M1937 Mortar, Japanese Type 96 light machine gun, Soviet DP-27 light machine gun, and British Vickers water-cooled machine gun. Peter Suciu

A display German MG-08 Maxim machine gun from the First World War with sled mount. It looked like it came straight from the Western Front.
Peter Suciu

Kentucky-based D-K Production Group is producing modern semi-automatic replicas of the iconic German StG44 assault rifles and even the FG-42 select-fire paratrooper rifle. Peter Suciu

Fully transferrable British and German “cousin” machine guns. The top two are Lanchester SMGs, manufactured by the Sterling Armaments Company between 1941 and 1945 for the RAF and Royal Navy. These were copies of the German-made MP-28 (bottom), an interwar updated version of the MP-18 SMG, which was designed and manufactured by Bergmann Waffenfabrik during World War I. Peter Suciu

Real American Heroes

The Ohio Valley Military Society’s SOS may be the best show to buy/sell/trade military collectibles, and it is among the shows that former club president Bill Combs has described as being “where military history meets military collecting,” but it is also where attendees could literally meet true American heroes.

Andrew Biggio served as a United States Marine Corps infantry rifleman during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He is the founder of Boston’s Wounded Vet Run and also wrote his two books on the history and evolution of the M1 Garand. Peter Suciu

The author of 101st Airborne Combat Medic – Transition to Duty – With the Screaming Eagles in Vietnam, 1968-1969, Leo “Doc” Flory served as a combat medic after joining the U.S. Army as a conscientious objector. Peter Suciu

Dr. John B. Kubisz was commissioned into the U.S. Army as a caption in the veterinary corps and requested deployment to Vietnam, where he became the commanding officer of the 764th Medical Detachment at Cam Ranhn Bay. His animal patients included scout dogs and even a tiger cub. He is the author of Paper Dog: The True Lifestory of a Vietnam War Dog. Peter Suciu

Known for his TV and movie roles in Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, Capt Dale Dye, USMC (retired) enlisted in the USMC in 1964, and his unit was among the first to be deployed to Vietnam. He later attended officer candidate school and became a “mustang,” a commissioned officer who began their career as an enlisted service member. Dye is the founder of Warriors, Inc., a technical advisory company specializing in portraying realistic military action in Hollywood films. Peter Suciu

Joseph Anthony Petersburs served in the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, during the Second World War, piloting a P-51 Mustang. On April 10, 1945, he shot down Walter Schuck’s Me 262 jet fighter. Petersburs later flew 76 missions over North Korea (MiG Alley) and served as a staff operations officer responsible for Command and Control during the Vietnam War. Peter Suciu

World War II veteran Jack Moran, who served with the U.S. Army’s Company K, 347th Infantry Regiment, 87th Infantry Division, and saw significant action during the Battle of the Bulge, holds a German helmet that he signed during the war, and then obtained decades later! Peter Suciu

Cosplay time at SOS

For years, Show Of Shows has seen a steady flow of re-enactors and cosplayers, and 2025 was one where those with an interest in history once again dressed up to show off their kits. The show is truly becoming a “Comic-Con” style event for those who simply love military history.

Maybe there should be more rivalry and outright discord between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Imperial Japanese Army to make the impression more realistic, but these guys were actually good friends! Peter Suciu

This young cosplayer looked straight out of the Cold War. Peter Suciu

This soldier took his WWII airborne impression to heart! Peter Suciu

You say you want a revolution? This cosplayer was ready for one in Russia – and the civil war that followed. Peter Suciu

Stuff worthy of a museum

One of the reasons to attend SOS is that you just never know what you may find! This year was no exception. There was no shortage of curiosities and collectibles worthy of a museum.

A uniform to Ira Franklyn Fravel, who served in the U.S. Army from 1900-1917 and with the U.S. Air Service/ Air Corps from 1917-1930. He was a colonel in the Balloon Section, American Expeditionary Forces 1917-1919, and later was an airship pilot. Peter Suciu

This was the bomb – which was signed by veterans of the Vietnam War. Peter Suciu

Footlockers can be hard to sell, but this one really stood out. It was a true piece of art! Peter Suciu

An interwar “toy” helmet – those were the days when toys were cool! Peter Suciu

A Douglas C-47 Skytrain would be the ultimate item for any WWII U.S. Army airborne collector, but few are in private collections. This scale model was the next best thing! Peter Suciu

These aren’t German or Prussian – but rather American from the middle of the 19th century. The shapka on the right was used by an Ohio militia regiment, likely made of up German immigrants. Peter Suciu

A uniform to Ira Franklyn Fravel, who served in the U.S. Army from 1900-1917 and with the U.S. Air Service/ Air Corps from
1917-1930. He was a colonel in the Balloon Section, American Expeditionary Forces 1917-1919, and later was an airship pilot.
Peter Suciu

That large container isn’t a German Army milk jug – it held fuel for the V1 Rocket! Peter Suciu

Gun Show Militaria Ohio Valley Military Society’s Show Of Shows Show Of Shows (SOS)

Peter SuciuAuthor

Peter Suciu is a freelance journalist and when he isn't writing about militaria you can find him covering topics such as cybersecurity, social media and streaming TV services for Forbes, TechNewsWorld and ClearanceJobs. He is the author of several books on military hats and helmets including the 2019 title, A Gallery of Military Headdress. Email him and he'd happily sell you a copy!

The Show Goes On: 2025 OVMS SOS recap

After attending, the Ohio Valley Military Society’s 2025 SOS didn’t disappoint.

Peter Suciu

Real American Heroes

Cosplay time at SOS

Stuff worthy of a museum