Hi guys. I've been working on this set if figures planning to use them with a king tiger and an IS-3 but it occurred to me the uniforms might be early war. It doesn't have to be historically accurate but it does have to be plausible. Can someone tell me if these uniforms were seen in the very late war period?

Thanks.

I don't think there'd be any trouble using them, though quite a few pix show greatcoats in use. Also, a quick note on tunic colours; at home I have a short vid and some stills showing Soviet troops marching through Berlin just immediately after hostilities ceased and the variety is notable. I'll try to post when I get home tonight.

Shoulder boards are from January 1943 onward. The Bolsheviks eliminated them as a hated symbol of the old regime, Stalin brought them back when things got desperate to build tradition with the Motherland.

KL

I'm no expert but wouldn't these uniforms be more appropriate for the summer? Seeing as the War in Europe ended in May wouldn't the russian troops be clad in the thicker padded uniforms.

Ant, if you look at photographs of Soviet troops in action in Berlin they're mainly dressed like this. As you said, the war ended in May so winter gear would have been returned to stores by then. You do see some troops wearing the padded winter uniform but not that many. I would imagine that the Soviet army worked in the same way as everyone else in that Winter specific clothing was returned once the seasons had changed and weather improved. You wouldn't carry two full uniforms about in any circumstances let alone in combat order. For the latter part of the war the uniforms are fine.

Thanks for the info Karl, I just assumed that the russian troops would've still been dressed in the winter uniforms as the assault on Berlin happened in April and the winter of 44-45 was up until then one of the coldest on record. Although looking closer at the box art wouldn't these figures be earlier in the war? Because at least two of the infantry are wearing the early pattern boots with puttees, but like I said I'm no expert so I'm happy to be proven wrong because that's what this forums all about spreading information and helpful advice thanks again. Ant

The uniform officially changed in 1943 but as with any army there are supply problems, individual preferences, recycling of kit from the dead so the earlier uniform could still be seen right up the fall of Berlin to a degree. Naturally the 1943 uniform was the most common but pretty much anything went. "Red Army Uniforms of WWII" published by Windrow & Greene is a really useful book for Soviet uniforms showing the most common types, all in colour. Original uniforms photographed today so no weird colours like in original photos. We all wonder about the colour Feld Grau and know that there is no definitive colour due to different manufacturers, different cloth shades, different cloth composition even. Late war a lot of captured Russian uniforms were shredded and the material recycled and rewoven hence the brownish hue of some late war German uniforms (not the only reason however). Now if you compare the size of Germany to the USSR as was and think how many factories were supplying the Soviet armed forces it's a wonder that there was any uniformity at all with the variations in colour and indvidual factories way of making things. On a personal note, while I was in the army our boots changed. New recruits got the new issue ones while trained soldiers had to wait until their old boots wore out before they could get the new ones so there were at least two pairs of black issue boots being worn at the same time. Then in the field pretty much anything went and that was peacetime. I left before I got a new pair, about two years after they came into use. Having said that I've still got my boots 22 years later and they saw me through 8 years of police service after the army so I don't think I'd have ever got a new pair as they've still not worn out (no grip pattern but the leathers still good) and I was infantry!! It's the same sort of thing here I would imagine. If a unit was in the line resupply of ammunition, food and water naturally took priority over everything so I would imagine that replacement of uniform was very piecemeal. You'd have to get wounded or awarded a medal to get sent to the rear for a new uniform knowing how the Soviets were so it's not surprising that the early uniforms could still be seen. I would imagine QM's are the same the world over throughout history as they seem to hate issuing kit, treating it as if it's their own and would rather store it where they can count it than issue it to some poor squaddie whose arse is hanging out of his trousers. "Never heard of a needle and thread laddie. These are Stores for storing things. If it was for issuing things it would be called Issues wouldn't it". Joking aside I hope that's been of some help.

It should be mentioned that a large amount of Russian World War II uniforms and boots were made in the United States (and Great Britain) as part of Lend-lease. So 1943 stand collar uniforms were often superior quality and a different color from Soviet manufacture. The flood of Lend-lease uniforms in one reason why the fall collar uniforms disappeared so quickly though some did linger to the end of the war. The foreign manufacture of Russian uniforms also explains the similarity of color in British, American and Soviet khaki uniforms.

Russian uniforms also came in two styles; cotton for summer tropical wear and wool for temperate weather. The cotton uniforms could often appear nearly white compared to darker khaki in wool uniforms.

The stand collar and shoulder board were introduced around the time of Kursk. The fall collar and sleeve/collar rank insignia were the insignia of defeat and retreat, the stand collar and shoulder board the uniform of victory and liberation.

Hi all,
The boots supplied through lend/lease were mostly of the ankle variety so puttees were worn with them right up to the end of the war.
The main difference between early and late tunics was the style of the collars. Early war were winged type with rank/arm of service insignia worn on them. Later uniforms featured the round collar with rank/arm of service on shoulder boards. The early uniforms are rarely seen in photos much past 1943,although I'm sure some remained in use longer.
Regards,Bob