My first Soviet uniform (need help)

[Yuri]

Hey everyone,
I recently bought a Soviet uniform. I normally collect East-German (DDR) uniforms, so I know nearly nothing about Soviet uniforms. I hope someone here can help me with some questions I have.

Most important, is it a real Soviet uniform? What time period is it from? (I know it’s not WWII, but nothing more) Are the shoulder boards and collar tabs correct for this uniform? (they still have to be attached to the uniform, and if they are incorrect I won’ t put them on) On which occasions would it be worn?( It was sold to me as a daily service uniform) Can it only be worn with the hat seen in the picture, or also with a helmet?

As you can see, I’ve put a drawing from uniform regulations next to my picture. I guess(but am not sure) this is the uniform I have. Reasons why I doubt: I don’t know what kind of material the uniform should be made of (my uniform is made from a rather rough material).

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Yuri

[Yuri]

Details

[EricFG]

Hello Yuri,
Welcome to the forum.
I know very little about Soviet uniforms but thankfully there are many here who do. And I hope they will chime in shortly and offer their opinions.
As I've said I know little but the buttons seem Soviet, so that's a good start. The markings are clear so someone should be able to identify them.
The roughness of the material sounds good as I doubt these uniforms were "built for comfort", rather to stand up to the use and abuse of constant wear.
And I'd also guess that this would be daily uniform that would probably, with the right equipment, be worn into battle with a helmet in place of the sidecap.

I know it's not much but I hope it helps. :)

[medals73]

In my ignorance, it looks almost like an Afghan-War era uniform. Expert opinions awaited.

:confused:

[Tretov]

Afghan era indeed, a summer or hot climate daily/work uniform that according to the regulations seem to be a very versatile set that could be worn both open and closed collar. It seems your trousers are for boots, but as can be seen in 1988 regs, this uniform could also be worn with shoes. I do not know if a different type of trousers were worn then, but the jacket is the same.

The uniform was not for officers.

I am not sure if the uniform that has red shoulderboards and collar tabs is the very same jacket, the cloth in your one does indeed look a bit rough, but the cut is definitely the same.

From the pics, we can see this uniform type could be worn with visor cap (version with coloured insignia) as well as with pilotka and tropical hat - and with decorations! The belt varies from the standard belt to the field gear belt with green buckle.

Is there any year of the back of the buttons? I may be blind, but I cannot make out any year of production from the stamp inside.


Sorry for the bad pics.

[Al-muell]

This is M69 everyday/field EM/NCO uniform.
This one seems to have reinforcement patches on knees, which was proper with the regulations, but was rarely seen.
Everyday uniform would have colour boards, while field sghouldn't have them (subdued ones used instead). However, since most of the soldiers got only one uniform, they would wear everyday insignia all the time.
In Afghanistan, most of the soldiers would ussually wear subdued insignia, altough in the firs years it wasn't always this way. But in 1981 new "afganka" uniform was introduced for field use, so this uniforms remained only for everyday use. However, before all units were equipped with new uniforms, this ones were sitll worn by most soldiers for both field and ED use.

[Yuri]

Would it only be worn in Afghanistan? Or is it the everyday/field EM summer uniform also worn in the Soviet Union in summertime? Or would the everyday uniform worn in the Soviet union have a different color (not such a desert color)?

Could it be worn with a helmet when wearing the version with colored shoulder boards and collar tabs? (because you say most would wear collored insignia all the time since they only have one uniform for everyday and field)
Both pilotka and afghanka hat could be worn with this uniform with colored boards?

On the back of the buttons is the number 87 (year?)

Is there anyone here who has some period pictures of the uniform in use (searching Google images hasn’t been very successful)

Many thanks for the help so far.

[Esteban_cool]

Originally Posted by Yuri

Could it be worn with a helmet when wearing the version with colored shoulder boards and collar tabs? (because you say most would wear collored insignia all the time since they only have one uniform for everyday and field)
Both pilotka and afghanka hat could be worn with this uniform with colored boards?

On the back of the buttons is the number 87 (year?)

Is there anyone here who has some period pictures of the uniform in use (searching Google images hasn’t been very successful)

Many thanks for the help so far.

Hi.

Here is photographic evidence of your uniform worn with a helmet.

And yes, the number at the back of your buttons stands for the manufacture year.

Hope it helps!

Esteban

[Al-muell]

Originally Posted by Yuri

Would it only be worn in Afghanistan? Or is it the everyday/field EM summer uniform also worn in the Soviet Union in summertime? Or would the everyday uniform worn in the Soviet union have a different color (not such a desert color)?

Could it be worn with a helmet when wearing the version with colored shoulder boards and collar tabs? (because you say most would wear collored insignia all the time since they only have one uniform for everyday and field)
Both pilotka and afghanka hat could be worn with this uniform with colored boards?

On the back of the buttons is the number 87 (year?)

Is there anyone here who has some period pictures of the uniform in use (searching Google images hasn’t been very successful)

Many thanks for the help so far.

As for the year and helmet - Esteban already answered that.

Both pilotka and the hat (it's ussually reffered to as "afganka", but this causes some confusion, as this name is also used for the uniform introducedin 1981 which had a different cap, so I prefer this cap to be called as in regulations - "panama") were allowed - "panama" for warm climates (iclouding Afghanistan), with upper button open and pilotka for the rest of climates in summer. - just as on pics Tretov posted.
However, the sumer one was supposed to be worn with different trousers and footwear. Altough the existence of that trousers has been confirmed (seen one pair personnaly), that shoes were never seen even by the soldiers who were supposed to get them. On afghan war era photos You will see soldiers wearing just the standard breeches and high boots. As I said, average soldier ussually got only one unform, so even in warm climates he would wear colour boards.

This uniform was used since 1969, so it was used before Aghan war and during it. The coulour would ussually indicate that this one was meant to be used in places with dry vegetation, but the Soviet army have alvays had problems with that (e.g. on some pictures You can see soldiers in Afghan barren mountains wearing KZS overalls for lush vegetation areas (grass green with yellow patches), and even now in the Russian Army You may see the soldiers from the same unit wearing three different colour variants of Flora camo.)