Question Thread: Soviet Military

I think I read in one of Yefim Gordon's book (can't remember which) that nose art was tolerated in some extent in WWII, but forbidden afterwards, can't remember the justification either. The only few which were allowed were those in training units, like the MiG-23, 25 and 29 in Turkmenistan which spotted big shark mouths and other markings, and this was allowed only because, as these were "agressor" fighters, it thus served to distinguish the "Soviet" ones.

Svyatoslavich wrote:I think I read in one of Yefim Gordon's book (can't remember which) that nose art was tolerated in some extent in WWII, but forbidden afterwards, can't remember the justification either. The only few which were allowed were those in training units, like the MiG-23, 25 and 29 in Turkmenistan which spotted big shark mouths and other markings, and this was allowed only because, as these were "agressor" fighters, it thus served to distinguish the "Soviet" ones.

So the reason for this ban remains a mystery?

I have seen no evidence there was a ban.

US Army vehicles are not painted with artwork either... is that banned?

I imagine it is not a ban, but something cultural: every armed force in the world has a code of discipline and projected image and Soviet/Russian army probably consider this to be foraneous to their traditions. In the 90's there was a boom of artwork on aircraft, with units painting them as they wished, now it is much more standardized with some few and usually discreet art (Tu-160 bombers are named after pilots and aviation engineers, Tu-95MS are named after cities, MiG-29 based in Armenia have been christened with the name of Orthodox saints and spot a modest noseart). But like I said, training and "agressor" units have more visible and flamoyant paintings, exactly so that their aircraft can be more visibly distinct in combat.

Hello!
I've had a pretty hard time identifying this shell casing that has been sitting around the house for quite a while. (We didn't even know what it was until it was cleaned up. For years it was used as an ashtray.)
The tube itself has a diameter of about 82mm, which I think means that the projectile was of the 76.2 mm caliber.
There are a few markings on the bottom. Sadly, they're not 100% clear, having suffered from some wear and tear across the years.
Here are a few pictures:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

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I have found sites with various tables showing and explaining markings and such, but I couldn't put the clues together properly.
What I have noticed is that the у is slightly distanced from the дk, which might be some affix or something.
Hope someone can clear things up for me

mangame5 wrote:Hello!
I've had a pretty hard time identifying this shell casing that has been sitting around the house for quite a while. (We didn't even know what it was until it was cleaned up. For years it was used as an ashtray.)
The tube itself has a diameter of about 82mm, which I think means that the projectile was of the 76.2 mm caliber.
There are a few markings on the bottom. Sadly, they're not 100% clear, having suffered from some wear and tear across the years.
Here are a few pictures:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

I have found sites with various tables showing and explaining markings and such, but I couldn't put the clues together properly.
What I have noticed is that the у is slightly distanced from the дk, which might be some affix or something.
Hope someone can clear things up for me

I have no ideas as to the meanings of the markings, all I can only tell you that the font looks pretty old-school. Don't think they used that one any later than the 50s or so. And the standardization and quality of the markings themselves also lend themselves to the conclusion that the shell is from the earlier Soviet period rather than the later period; otherwise you wouldn't have had any trouble deciphering it.
Don't think you had any Soviet munitions in Romania before WW2 so I'd say the shell is from the WW2 or very early Cold War era.

EDIT: Also I just found this; an inert ZiS-3 76.2mm round, manufactured 1950. The bottom looks very similar to your one.
http://www.warstuff.com/Inert-Russian-Inert-762mm-Field-Gun-Arrow-Head-A-i1555755.htm

Looks like it fetches a nice price too. Shame you don't have the rest of the round

Thank you for your input.
The markings really are confusing. They also seem to be placed at fairly random spots. (Or some have been added after production)
I could only find markings that are either similar, present yet accompanied by others, or unclear:
"БK" -  HEAT fin stabilized
"Ж" - Sintered iron rotating band
"M" - Copper liner (For HEAT)/Picric acid ammunition filler
"Д" - Smoke

In the last picture, that 5-1 seems to have been something like 1945-1xxx, most likely.
Zero clue on that encircled T3

The soviet special forces could be broadly divided in the following categories

The VDV air assault force

DshB or assault landing brigades

Razvedchiki or recon force of the soviet ground forces

Soviet naval special forces or the soviet marines

I was trying to find how many brigades or divisions of these forces were available to the soviets by late 1980s ? My only source is Military balance and it only gives details of the marines and not the first three units

Thanks

Hello to all,

I recently bought a soviet surplus uniform from Germany. I was wondering what the arm patch meant since I can't tell from what I've seen on the Internet. Can anyone tell me? The patch is made of alternated stripes in red and yellow. There is no figure such as a tank or a star, just stripes. (I'd load a picture if I knew how to do so).
Thank you in advance!

during the later half of the cold war i.e 1970-1990 was the soviet army equipped with night vision goggles [NVG]
my understanding is that only vehicle/tanks /APC drivers and helicopter pilots were equipped with it but not the average soldier
is that true ?

Not quite. Early NV systems like NSP-2 would find their use in various forces, and later on NSPU. They were issued quite en large but we're only given in kits for specific operations so they would be far more common use in special forces and or more effective units like paratroopers.

For vehicles crew NVG was common in all units. To the point the NVG for helicopter pilots were and still are cheap to get.

miketheterrible wrote:Not quite.  Early NV systems like NSP-2 would find their use in various forces, and later on NSPU.  They were issued quite en large but we're only given in kits for specific operations so they would be far more common use in special forces and or more effective units like paratroopers.

For vehicles crew NVG was common in all units. To the point the NVG for helicopter pilots were and still are cheap to get.

So in the 1980s category 1 armored and motorized divisions tanks SP guns and APC drivers were all given NVG?

I am sure every German they captured was not SS and was totally innocent... the entire west german army was made up of such people very rapidly...

The thing is that the Soviets kept losing soldiers right up until the end... perhaps if the Germans weren't so keen to kill so many Soviet soldiers they might have gotten better treatment.

These are certainly scout/recon type soldiers... could not say more alas.

They could possibly be the Soviet airborne troops.

They did operate at times deep inside the Axis territory.


You can read about some actions of these Soviet airborne troops in the German-occupied northern Poland on here:

http://michalw.narod.ru/index-SynowieMazowsza.html




Do the Germans feel sorry for this?

http://asaland.proboards.com/thread/460/land-zamosc-zamojszczyzna-1942-1944


From what I can deduce they downplay and white-wash the whole thing.

Yes, there were 4 454 "forced adoptions" but there were also at least around 12 000 ethnic Polish children from Zamojszczyzna murdered in different ways by the Germans.

Soviet Recon in WW2:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4tbk9j/soviet_reconnaissance_in_ww2/


Essentially only an order of battle data, and I think it might be only for 1941.

kvs wrote:

GarryB wrote:I am sure every German they captured was not SS and was totally innocent... the entire west german army was made up of such people very rapidly...

The thing is that the Soviets kept losing soldiers right up until the end... perhaps if the Germans weren't so keen to kill so many Soviet soldiers they might have gotten better treatment.

These are certainly scout/recon type soldiers... could not say more alas.

A BBC documentary on WWII was insinuating that German atrocities against Soviet civilians were justified by the death of
invading German soldiers.  

Step back and marvel at the brain rot "thinking" in that one.

Well the BBC did employ Jimmy 'Salivating' Saville, so their 'moral-compass' was almost as fucked as Jimmy's interest in daycare centers.

When the Germans invaded they justified their barbaric and inhuman behaviour by stating that the Soviets had not signed this or that convention on war or the treatment of prisoners/occupied territories so they could therefore do as they pleased.

It was the Soviets they called savages and barbaric... yet when the Soviets entered their territory they demanded civilised behaviour from their enemy after four years of denying them the same courtesy...

With talk from German defence ministers talking about spending money on defence so they can negotiate from a position of power with the Soviets it is pretty clear they remember and understand nothing... yet they claim to be civilised and cultured and a beacon of democracy and peace for the world to follow.

Well the BBC did employ Jimmy 'Salivating' Saville, so their 'moral-compass' was almost as fucked as Jimmy's interest in daycare centers.

They bent over backwards to protect assholes like this guy and others... just like the Catholic Church did... purely to protect their own reputations... no first let alone second thoughts for the children.