Quick interwar soviet uniform question

[FramFramson]

Previously, I had asked for information about Soviet interwar infantry and it turned out I could use WWI figures, so long as they were painted in the later mustard-khaki colour and had helmets (Adrians) or side caps. This was good, because it meant I could use my Copplestone Soviet infantry with head swaps. I got some Soviet heads with side caps from West Wind and everything was fine. Example (the infantryman on the right):



Today I was looking up something on the Battle of Lake Khasan when I noticed this picture:



This is a battle from 1938, and yet this pictures shows a mix of caps. Some of these men have the old-style soft caps. Now, I'm sure this is a staged propaganda photo but would they have have bothered to change the soldiers caps?

Really, I'm just asking because maybe I don't have swap all the heads and can just use a couple of unmodified original Copplestone figures?

[Johnno]

I wouldn't do the help head swap...
AND I would print that photo and keep it handy for anyone who was being a stickler about their hats...even though the photo IS probably staged. 

[FramFramson]

I might just do it anyway... I just like the Copplestone faces, so I want an excuse to keep one or two!  

Incidentally, that officer figure on the left of my picture is one of my favourite figure sculpts in any minis lineup anywhere.

[cuprum]

What specific period you are interested in?

Side cap was introduced in the Red Army in 1935.
Peaked caps with a peak at the field uniform continued to wear (optional) non-commissioned officers and officers of the army.
Colored peaked caps continued to wear soldiers the NKVD troops (border guards, protection of the state facilities, the field units - internal troops).
Hat with ear-flaps appeared in the Red Army only after the Soviet-Finnish war in 1940. Was worn ONLY during the cold season. Until 1940 wore only broadcloth helmet budennovka.

[Arlequín]

That makes sense to me. There are few armies where a new issue item is instantly available and it takes time to make and distribute them. On the other side of the coin, there are few armies which have not used up 'old stock' before issuing new items. I would imagine that the forces in the Far East were somewhat down the chain when it came to re-supply with new items.

As a comparison, British battledress and the new equipment webbing was introduced in 1938 as '1938 pattern'. There are photographs well into 1940 which show some units either wholly or partly still in the old items. In the wider reaches of Empire, it was even later than that.

[FramFramson]

What specific period you are interested in?

Side cap was introduced in the Red Army in 1935.
Peaked caps with a peak at the field uniform continued to wear (optional) non-commissioned officers and officers of the army.
Colored peaked caps continued to wear soldiers the NKVD troops (border guards, protection of the state facilities, the field units - internal troops).
Hat with ear-flaps appeared in the Red Army only after the Soviet-Finnish war in 1940. Was worn ONLY during the cold season. Until 1940 wore only broadcloth helmet budennovka.

Right now I use 1935-36 as my game period. I know peaked caps continued to be used by officers, but I didn't realize low-ranking non-commissioned officers still had the caps too. So Corporals or Sergeants could have peaked caps? That seems fine.

I know the middle fellow with the earflaps hat is wrong, but in his case, he was the only Russian figure I had that was carrying a box, which was more important for the scenario he was used in (and he was a defector anyway)!  

That makes sense to me. There are few armies where a new issue item is instantly available and it takes time to make and distribute them. On the other side of the coin, there are few armies which have not used up 'old stock' before issuing new items. I would imagine that the forces in the Far East were somewhat down the chain when it came to re-supply with new items.

As a comparison, British battledress and the new equipment webbing was introduced in 1938 as '1938 pattern'. There are photographs well into 1940 which show some units either wholly or partly still in the old items. In the wider reaches of Empire, it was even later than that.

Exactly. This is the same thing as the discussion I was having about exactly when between the wars did the French stop issuing Bleu Clair uniforms and instead issue khaki. The answer to that was before 1935, but then some older units had it sporadically here and there afterwards. So technically I could do my French in either, though I decided in the end to do them in Khaki and leave them as generic as I can so I can use them for other contemporary soldiers in other countries with French-style kit.

Of course, when it comes down to it, I am always willing to fudge reality (I'm playing Pulp for God's sake - I can't afford to be too much of a button counter!) but it's fun and interesting to learn the real history.

[cuprum]

So Corporals or Sergeants could have peaked caps? That seems fine.

Yes, corporals and sergeants could wear a colored cap optionally.

In addition, the collar of his tunic should be a turn-down. On him placed insignia of rank.


Officer's field uniform. Perhaps wearing colored peaked caps.


Field uniforms of privates and sergeants. Perhaps wearing colored caps non-commissioned officers.

[julesav]

I wondered if the guys in the picture were Border Troops? They were still wearing flat caps in WW2 and after!

[former user]

I recall reading that the pilotka side cap was introduced during the RCW for the officer cadet units, from large stocks donated by France. Is this wrong?

[cuprum]

I wondered if the guys in the picture were Border Troops? They were still wearing flat caps in WW2 and after!

Border guards really almost always wore colored peaked caps. Side caps they had not.





Side cap was introduced in the Imperial Army before the revolution. First in aviation, then, already during First World War, this headgear began to use in the infantry officers (military fashion and a deviation from the regulations).
During the Civil War really for the students of military schools of the Red Army was introduced side cap. But in 1922, the side caps were replaced by woolen and cotton helmets.