Hey everyone,

So I known that this should probably be in the figure section, but they really don't get that much traffic compared to here. A while back I got the Miniart T-54-3, and have a couple photos of them on exercise with mounted infantry. Is there anyone out there who is familiar with the history of Soviet uniforms in this period? I'm thinking about getting the Tamiya tank rider set, but majority of the figures are wearing the Teloreika or Plash Palatka. Would these items still have been issued in the 50s? I've read the telogreika was around until the 60s, but have yet to see photo proof. Thanks for any help.

I have some older books like a 1970s book with pictures going back into the 1950s. For all intents and purposes in 1/35 scale Soviet infantry into the 1960s were indistinguishable from World War II infantry except for weapons. One book Modern Soviet Combat Vehicles from the mid 1980s even has a picture with that caption. The rain capes/ poncho/ shelter half are still available postwar surplus. It's one of those things that just didn't change until nylon and ripstop materials decades after the war.

If you can find them there's the old Squadron Uniforms of the Warsaw Pact and the Blandford Army Uniforms since 1945 both published back in the 1970s. Sad that you have to go back to vintage books for this but there it is. I also have pictures of Soviet infantry on T-34/85 where the only way you can tell its after World War II are the Ak-47 the soldiers are carrying.

Hi Seth,

In Osprey‘s book about the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, it says that the only things about Soviet uniforms that had changed since WWII were parade uniforms, especially for officers. Otherwise, like Stephen said, the only way you can tell the difference is the AK-47s and the AKSs that the enlisted men are carrying. The substantial changes came in 1969, as can be found on this site:

http://www.undertheredstar.com/periods.htm

Another site you might find interesting is this one:

http://www.russianwarrior.com/STMMain.htm?1969_uni_index_army.htm&1

Jerry

There is famous Soviet movie from 1950-th era, you can see here authentic look of Soviet Army uniforms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAvT_G9DULs&list=PLuedonz7LHp0im0Q7v1pm9a71ISBZHfUO
Begin to see approx from 1:10:00

Seth,

Sadly there is a general paucity of figures for this period, and notably the 60s and 70s; however, the WW2 set you identify would look pretty good I should think on your T54. You might want to dispense with the padded uniforms and the greatcoats in the literal sense of uniformity, so a second set might be worth a purchase. You can always change the poses slightly.

As already mentioned you'll have to replace the personal weapons for AK 47s but there are plenty of sets around containing those. However, remember that if you change the weapon it's highly likely you'll have to change the ammunition pouches etc and this is the case with the AK series. Milliput will be your friend here and such a mod shouldn't require too much in the way of sculpting.

You may also have to manufacturer the respirator haversack but that shouldn't be too taxing either.

It's a shame that there are no mainstream manufactured plastic figures available for the Cold War period - it does become rather a chore having to modify existing figures - especially if one is not very good at even basic sculpting - but the more one does, the better one gets, or so I've been assured!

Good luck.

Brian

You can buy this set for the rifles and pouches. Then add these to the Tamiya figures.

http://www.icm.com.ua/uploads/posts/2014-10/1412579387_box_35636.jpg

Thanks for all the help guys. I'll pick up the Tamiya set and look around to see if there are other sets as well that would work. Think I'm going to try and keep it to just the standard uniform.