Exp. / Prototype Parade Epauletts

[DougD]

I tend to like these experimental boards, designs...a lot of this is guesswork!

In 1943-1945 when the design process for shoulder boards for the rank ‘Marshal of the USSR’ and ‘Generalissimo of the USSR’ was in full swing, there was a plan to develop a a long dress coat for the top commanders of the Red Army. This coat was to have parade dress epaulettes with long braids, and a wider rounded far end.

The design was to apply to branch marshals, such as Marshals of Aviation and Armour, as well as Marshal of the USSR and Generalissimo of the USSR. While the design of branch marshals parade epaulettes was very similar to the standard shoulder boards, the designs for Marshal of the USSR and Generalissimo of the USSR varied. The common element seems to be that the designs for Marshal of the USSR used the standard state seal (gerb) and large star, while Generalissimo of the USSR added an extra wreath on either the seal or the star. This was to mimic the design differences between regular branch marshals and chief marshals.

The first photo shows an illustration from the design process for a parade epaulette of Marshal of the USSR.(Zueghaus Magazine)