Question on messkits, Romanian messkits

I have a question about the type of messkit that the romanian soldier used during ww2.What were they made from and what color would they be painted? Iam a ww2 reenactor here on the east coast of the u.s. and have been doing ww2 romanian for about 10 years.It has been a slow but up-hill battle trying to put together a correct romanian impression but I have yet too find a romanian messkit! Did any of these survive the war and if so can anyone find these? Thanks for the help!

A Romanian WWII messkit is very hard to find even in Romania.

They were made of emailed metal (I’m going to post a picture later) whit on the inside and brown on the exterior.

It is ok to use a German WWII messkit and even canteen; Romanian soldiers used them (see this link http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?sh...pic=2360&st=15).

This post has been edited by mihnea on November 22, 2005 06:27 am

Why would they be hard to find? Can find any other countries with no problem.

During the communist regime, the romanian military equipment (uniforms, helmets, belts, boots, cartridge pouches, water bottles, mess kits, bread bags, etc. etc.) was not for sale to private persons. It was delivered only to military units and was carried until its total destruction or a new model was adopted. Then old models of uniforms and equipment were simply destroyed by special commissions or delivered to some institutions (such as state penitentiaries). There were no availably surplus stocks to be selling on the free market.
It was similar before the communist times. Other ranks uniforms and equipment were used in the military units until their total destruction. Very few WW2 items survived most of them thrown in some farmstead corners. No one was interested to save and collect them. The few militaria collectors were especially interested in full dress officer uniforms and accoutrements not on rusty old items. In 60 years most of these items of equipment disappeared. That’s way is so difficult to find WW2 or WW1 gears.
After the communism fall some WW2 style items (bread bags, mess tins, canteens, helmets) could be found in antique shops as many retire officers sell their campaign kit of the 1960s. They could be used for reenacting but, of course, they are not original.

Fortunately in the '60s some officers received old WWII equipment so if you now were to look you can still find grate stuff at very good prices, as long as it isn't German WWII it is at a decent price.

Can anyone tell me if the romanian messkit was still in production after the switch over in 1944?
If so did production stop at wars end or did it go on for a short time after?

If one of you guys in romanian happen too be searching in a cellar somewhere and find that long forgotten box of messkits,sitting in the corner,let us guys in the u.s. have a few of them for our kit!

I'll try by best to find something while there!

Have noticed the rectangular mess kits in a lot of pictures. Have been told they resemble the 1910 Austrian-Hungarian and WWII Hungarian. Would that be a close match to what we see in the pics?

Yes they are similar here you can see the romanian ones and here the austro-hungarians ones from WWI. The hungarian ones from WWII were of similar design but were made from aluminium.

The romanian messkits were enemailed as were some of th AH ones but the AH also used a similar model but galvanised, not sure but they were plated.