Soviet WWII impressions?

[Badluck Brody]

OK so I started doing WWII GI, and also have a good friend who needs help answering the call from mother Russia...

Any advice for gear and uniforms?

Any advice from experienced troops??

Any advice for vendors and sources of weapons??

Thanks again!

 

[Story]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=18662&highlight=soviet



http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=11019&highlight=soviet

 

[DutchIndo]

www.tridentmilitary.com also a good place to look for a wife .

 

[KilroyCD]

Here's a forum with a list of Soviet reenacting units: http://www.reenactor.net/ww2/allied/index.htm

 

[Mr.Microphone]

I have always had good luck with ostfront. I have picked up most of my reproduction and original items from them. They are the only place I have seen that reproduce M35 Combat Engineer insignia

http://www.ostfront.com/

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

www.ostfront.com (uniforms, paperwork, fieldgear, lots of stuff)

www.frontofrussia.com (from the Ukraine, great selection)

www.collectrussia.com (a little bit of everything, nice original medals)

www.tridentmilitary.com (boots, insignia, uniforms, overcoats)

www.aimsurplus.com (mosin nagant rifles, nagant revolvers)

 

[Mr.Microphone]

Woops.. Forgot about collect russia. Looks like I need to hop on the 8th Guards list and refresh my memory a bit.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I am actually a member of the 8th Guards.

 

[Mr.Microphone]

I am still on the yahoo group, but don't do much WW2 anymore since moving to CA. I never made it to Zavalla, but had alot of fun using the 82mm mortar's at Prelude to Kursk.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Prelude to Kursk was a blast.

It certainly produced a lot of stories among our group of 20th GMB guys. I loved how during the day we were rigging up plasch-palatkas to keep out the sun even though at night everybody was desperately huddled together for warmth. Plus we were drinking jugs of wine and playing Durak for hours before the assault and never got any solid food to even things out, which made the night attack plenty interesting.

Did you get to go to the Battle for Berlin at Gruber?

 

[Badluck Brody]

Thanks again Vlad!

Those are some good links!

What uniform (Mid war?)would you suggest would be the most versatile? I see they have a dark green and also more of a brown on other sites....??

I also see at the local Dunhams.. They are selling rifles for about $70....I see they have some from 41 and 42... Are there any specific markings I should look for??? Also, should I go with the long arm or a shorter barrell??

What is acceptable for footwear aside from jack boots???

Are there any Russian Front events... IE no GIs??

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

The most useful uniform for reenactors is the M43 uniform (the one that has shoulderboards) but it doesn't matter if it is green, brown, khaki, etc. The tunic and trousers don't even have to match. During the war many soldiers' uniforms didn't. The M43 uniform is good for any event that takes place from late 1942 through the end of the war.

For the rifle, you want to go with the full-length M91-30 rifle unless you are doing some sort of specialty impression such as cavalry, artillery or the like. Those people often had the shorter M38 carbines, but even for them the M91-30 would be perfectly correct.

Jackboots would be the most common footwear from the mid-war period through the end of the war. There really isn't any reason not to wear them unless you are doing a pre-war or very early war impression or just prefer to wear low boots and puttees.

There are actually a lot of Russian front events, at least here in Texas. I know there are also Russian front events on both coasts.

 

[Mr.Microphone]

I wasn't able to make it to Gruber for that event, but alot of my buddies from CO went. I am sure we know the same people then I need to find a unit in CA that I can fall in with. I have an 82mm and a 50mm tube in the garage needing to be used!

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Definately! I have heard there are some great units in California. You must have been with Scott Miller's group in Colorado, yes? I haven't had the opportunity to do an event with any of the Colorado guys since that one Zavalla battle when they all came down, and Prelude to Kursk of course. I saw Scott at the Perryville Civil War national a couple years ago when we were both in the same mess doing Federal, but haven't seen him since.

 

[Mr.Microphone]

Yup I was in Scott's group. He moved to Pennsylvania over the winter. I am hoping to get to High Tide at Gettysburg and do ACW with him.

 

[Badluck Brody]

1st step toward the Eastern Front!!

Well I made my 1st step toward the Eastern Front!

I just procurred a Nagant 91-30 with bayonet, sling and two cartridge boxes for about $80 bucks with BG check. Pretty sharp!!

How much are blanks???

Do you have to wear a helmet or can you just wear an oversea cap??

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

The blanks for the 91-30 are cheap, they are Czech surplus and probably the cheapest blank per round in reenacting. They are corrosive, however, and thus make sure you clean the rifle well after every use. I bought mine from Sportsmans Guide, although I am not sure they have them anymore.

In terms of helmets, many events require the use of a helmet, mainly as a safety factor especially where you have falling mortar rounds, grenades, etc. Other events don't require a helmet. Historically, Russian troops were probably the most helmet-averse of any WW2 nationality. Not only was there a sporadic problem of shortages during the early part of the war, but Russian troops seem to have thought wearing a helmet was uncomfortable and "unmanly."

In short, it is a good idea to get a helmet eventually, but you don't look out of place at your first couple events if you are without one.

 

[Badluck Brody]

...

Good stuff!

Here is the early war set I plan to pick up

http://www.frontofrussia.com/reen/16f.jpg

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Looks good. I have been meaning to pick up one of those cookpots myself.