Very many thanks Al-muell! All of the photos were very helpful. Now I can see how insignia was worn. Now I just have to decide if I will get the uniform dry cleaned before putting the insignia on it for display or leaving it a little wrinkled for the "reality" effect.:)
The photo with the AKs and RPKs and SVDs (Dragunovs) was especially interesting since I didn't know all of these weapons (and others) were used side-by-side in the field.
Don't even think about dry cleaning it. If you do wash in a clothes washing machine, do NOT, NOT, NOT throw it in the dryer. Let it drip dry. If not, it will shrink up on you. I once had a Soviet uniform that I lent out to someone for OPFOR purposes. Despite the warning, he felt the need to be a good neighbor and returned it to...smelling nice, but two sizes too small.
Al-muell Wrote:Didn't know - Grachov was quite a known person here in the early 90's as a Minister of Defence of the RF who oposed the withdraw of the soviet forces from Poland, but honestly, I didn't even know he was in Afghanistan.
Glad to learn something new! Thanks:thumbsup
Well the nickname "Pachka Mercedes" comes from the times where he was involved in black market/corruption affairs while the russian troops were leaving East-Germany...Obviously his love for luxus things was too great....
desantnik Wrote:Don't even think about dry cleaning it. If you do wash in a clothes washing machine, do NOT, NOT, NOT throw it in the dryer. Let it drip dry. If not, it will shrink up on you. I once had a Soviet uniform that I lent out to someone for OPFOR purposes. Despite the warning, he felt the need to be a good neighbor and returned it to...smelling nice, but two sizes too small.
Got it.:thumbsup It's plenty clean enough and somebody probably washed and dried it in the decades since it was made since despite being a 50-4 the sleeves just - and I mean just reach my hands and the bottom barely goes below the pants pockets. It was a "flip a coin" type of decision anyway and if I decide it needs pressing, I'll break out the old iron and at least get the pockets crisp.
By the way, that is a very sad story about your uniform. I did find that washing Soviet cotton uniform items in cold water that are not lined and then taking them while wet and giving them a good tug where you need to will get them back - to some degree - to more like the original size, but then you really do have to break out the iron because the wrinkles are going to be bad.:rolleyes:
Once again, thank you all for the pointers and pictures (which led to more pictures, and so on). I have good idea what I'm going to do with the uniform. I just need one of those caps from the photos, even though I've already got a "boonie" hat I like better.:)
Those EnglishRussia photos are pretty great. Here's one I have saved on my computer, just a soldier photographed upon his return. :thumbsup Also something's to be said for the image of a mother with the Pepsi bag, looking for her returning son. Sign of the times!
Pobeda45 Wrote:Those EnglishRussia photos are pretty great. Here's one I have saved on my computer, just a soldier photographed upon his return. :thumbsup Also something's to be said for the image of a mother with the Pepsi bag, looking for her returning son. Sign of the times!
George
Is the soldier in the left photograph wearing a Turkestan military district badge? Nice photo and first time I think I've seen someone photo'd with this badge.
That's also a different type of jacket/shirt with only pockets below the waist - I have a couple like this. They also have built-in lapel tabs for insignia and shiny gold buttons. I take it these were worn "behind the lines" - especially since he has medals all over it.
I take it this is more of a service than a field tunic. (All the different types of clothes they wore are a bit confusing to me.):)
That's m69 field uniform - the same type of uniform was used as everyday uniform, and ussualy it was the same uniform. This one has field insignia, which was a rare occurence before very late 70's - if A soldier got only one, he wore it in everyday configuration - with color insignia.
Here's a photo I came across while looking for something else on the Mondvor website. It's a photo from 1989 and it is a perfect example of what I was looking for.
The caption is kind of confusing though (original text): Кавалер ордена Красного Знамени рядовой Концов Николай Анатольевич, снимок выполнен 15 февраля 1989 года. Фотографию предоставил Евгений Смирнов.
I'm thrown by the first word - "cavalier" as it applies to Private Nikolai Anatolievich Kontsov.
Cavalier just means "awardee" - I think it comes from the French chevalier. In Soviet circles it typically was associated with Heroes or Glory recipients, but could be used for lower awards too.
