Combat Cash

[webmaster]

Discovery Channel’s “Combat Cash” delves into military collectibles


Premiered last night at 10pm ET, Combat Cash follows Bob Chatt and Owen Thornton as they use their knowledge, experience and money to pursue rare military artifacts. Also referred to as militaria, these items include tanks, GI Joe figures, World War II flame throwers, Saddam Hussein propaganda banners and Vietnam war-era helicopters.

www.channelguidemagblog.com/index.php/2012/01/11/discovery-channels-combat-cash-delves-into-military-collectibles/




The Huntington Beach-based military antiques collector I spoke with early last year for this column has just finished wrapping up the first four episodes of "Combat Cash," a new reality TV series premiering next Wednesday night, Jan. 11, on the Discovery Channel (time to be determined, but it will be either 9 or 10 p.m. Check listings). In the same spirit as "Pawn Stars" and "American Pickers," "Combat Cash" will take the audience inside the world of military antique collecting, protecting and, in some cases, detonating.


articles.hbindependent.com/2012-01-04/news/tn-hbi-0105-pipeline-20120103_1_landing-craft-antiques-warehouse

www.courant.com/news/opinion/tn-hbi-0105-pipeline-20120103,0,1101434.story

[davep]

Some love this as it exposes a new audience to the prospects of joining the hobby of WW2 Reenacting. Others see this show a just another reality show gimick. Along those lines, Alexander Cramner and the folks at International Military Collectibles (IMA-USA) are working on show tentatively titled “Battle Collectors” for the National Geographic Channel. The show is set to air in the fall of 2012.

Unfortunatley these shows create the illusion of a false market for militeria by the general public which they in turn start thinking thier items are worth more than they really are.

Here is a discussion thread on G503, from the show's producers regarding the permise of the show.

www.g503.com/forums////////viewtopic.php?f=66&t=187510

[fox]

They are a good bunch of guys to work with, and are collectors that love history just like the rest of us.

[davep]

Farrell, its interesting that in one of the episodes I hear that Bill is need of finding a Japanese tank. These guys search all over to find one of Bill's own unit members has one. And then pays these guys 10% commission on the sell.

[fox]

If you listen carefully, I represent the man selling the tank who lives in my town. I did not own the Ha-Go that was sold to Bill.

[davep]

Jan 13, 2012 22:33:35 GMT -8 fox said:

I did not own the Ha-Go that was sold to Bill.

For those not familar with what a Ha-Go tank looks like, here is an example of one. This one is a repro built on a Stuart Chassis that some of you may have seen at Chino Airshows in the past. Here it is as part of the 2nd Sendai's display. This tank belongs to the Chino Planes of Fame Museum.

[fox]

Jan 15, 2012 8:38:39 GMT -8 davep said:

This one is a repro built on a Stuart Chassis

Negative. It is built on an M5 High Speed Tractor. Very similar though.

[PRESIDENT]

And, actually, it belongs (at least last I knew of) to the folks at Marching Through History, but it is stored and handled at Chino.

[fox]

Last time I heard, that thing was sold and dismantled for parts

[PRESIDENT]

Possibly. I wouldn't be upset. I'm not a big fan of that tank.

[davep]

There is a love-hate attitude with this show, given many of the "transactions" are staged. But some of the segments highlight and involved WW2 Reenacting. Here is are a few shots from the D-Day Conneaut Event

[bhp]

So, some of you are on the 'inside'. Most of America is on the outside. It's not about reality....it's about the cash that comes from making media content. Does this surprise the armchair critics? Probably not, but then it makes great conversation about the sport of re-enacting that we love. Enjoy. We did.

[webmaster]

Some of you may have missed seeing this show. Here are some episodes