KBG border Guards

[bluewillow]

Esci 1/72 plastic Warpac figures, I have painted them as KGB Border guards.



Cheers
Matt

[Tom Dulski]

 They look great

[cuprum]

The winter uniform of the border guards was practically no different from the uniform of the motorized infantry. Except that if she had everyday shoulder straps sewn on, they were green (in motorized infantry - red). In addition, the border guards much more often wore "their" characteristic camouflage - yellow spots on a khaki background. But the absence of camouflage is not a mistake - a uniform of standard army colors could also be issued.
So you can use your figures as almost any USSR formations in winter uniform.



http://livinghistory.ru/topic/73719-rekonstruktciia-pv-kgb-sssr/

[carlos marighela]

I like 'em.

They must be stationed on the Moldovan border as it looks like a couple of them have nicked PM 63s from their Romanian counterparts. 

Good to see that old Esci box still doing sterling service. IIRC all the figures have an exact counterpart in the Osprey on Warsaw Pact Forces.

[bluewillow]

The winter uniform of the border guards was practically no different from the uniform of the motorized infantry. Except that if she had everyday shoulder straps sewn on, they were green (in motorized infantry - red). In addition, the border guards much more often wore "their" characteristic camouflage - yellow spots on a khaki background. But the absence of camouflage is not a mistake - a uniform of standard army colors could also be issued.
So you can use your figures as almost any USSR formations in winter uniform.



http://livinghistory.ru/topic/73719-rekonstruktciia-pv-kgb-sssr/

Thanks,I had trouble find a reference on the camo, as I had pictures in green and camo.

Cheers
Matt

[Tom Dulski]

 Those photos are marvelous, is that from a book?

[cuprum]

No, this is from a Russian reenactors' website. I gave a link to their forum in the first message. There are many photos of uniform sets collected for Soviet border troops.

[Rick]

Those uniforms are from the early '90's - that pattern of jacket started appearing very late on as Soviet VDV uniform (plain green) and only appeared in the Motor Rifle units of the post-Soviet army, especially as a camouflaged version. These are good as Russian border guards, but not Soviet ones.

[bluewillow]

So the green references I had was correct then Rick

[carlos marighela]

Hmmm, not quite. The Border guards actually had those two piece camouflage uniforms throughout the 1980s. The spetsodezhda pattern came in to service in 1981. Plenty of period photographs of them. They even had a bizarre looking camouflaged version of their service cap, making them look a bit like camouflaged bus drivers.

[carlos marighela]

And the pony club wore them too.

In cold weather regions the border guards were often issued with an officer quality winter jacket, so your figures are still good in Soviet khaki.

[cuprum]

The camouflage overalls in the "Birch" or "Leaf" colors were created in 1957 (the cuts of the suit could differ). This is not a prescribed uniform - it is a special suit that could be issued to any troops that needed camouflage (just like the winter white camouflage suit). This is how this color scheme first appeared.
Then there was a period when a new uniform for the armed forces was being developed. Each department conducted its own search for a cut, but on the basis of already centrally produced fabrics. Experimental batches of uniforms were produced and tested under real service conditions, based on the results of which changes were made and the next batch of uniforms was released. All these products continued to be used in the troops until they were completely used up.
Border guards most often used the "yellow birch" ("golden leaf") color scheme when sewing experimental samples of uniforms.


Experimental border guard uniform, 1976.


The officers are wearing a pea coat from the winter uniform of 1977. The color scheme is "silver leaf".


Camouflage beret from the 1981 uniform batch.


Camouflage beret with a visor from the 1982 batch of uniforms. This is what the border guards wear, giving it the shape of the "truck driver" cap in your photo. The border guards are proud of their caps, just like the Airborne Forces are proud of their berets.

Since 1987, the production of experimental batches of uniforms was discontinued. The uniform began to be made according to general army standards, but the “Birch” “golden leaf” camouflage was chosen as the fabric color for the border guards.

And all this variety could be worn in different border detachments at the same time, until the warehouse stocks of the previous uniform model were exhausted.

[CapnJim]

Nice job on those fellers.  They should prove versatile...