The following requirements can also be found in our Unit Regulations.
Section 2.0 Uniform and Equipment Requirements
2.1 Members must have this entire group within six (6) months of becoming a member of 20th mech.
1. M43 Pull Over tunic w/ shoulder boards of appropriate piping color (rifles, armor, artillery, etc.)
2. M43 trousers
3. Boots (low-boots w/ leg wraps or jack-boots)
4. M40 steel helmet; three-pad version, w/ web chinstrap.
5. Pilotka side cap w/ star
6. Belt (brown leather w/ roller buckle or webbed w/ leather)
7. Ammo pouch(es) for personal sidearm
8. Russian canteen w/ cover
9. Gasmask bag or rucksack
10. Mess kit and spoon
11. Guards badge.
Post-war and reproduction and converted equipment, uniforms and Guards badges that conform to
WW 2 appearance standards are acceptable.
Recommended, but not required, items include but are not limited to;
1. Russian army overcoat or padded winter coat
2. Shelter half
3. Grenade pouch
4. Shovel w/ carrier
5. Drinking cup
6. Ushanka fur hat w/ star
NCO’s and Officers will wear appropriate uniform and rank for their positions and acquire proper equipment to perform their functions. Recommended examples of equipment are map cases, binoculars, flashlights, flare guns, compasses, time pieces, manuals, etc
2.2 Other period items may be used but must be approved by the Commander.
2.3 The standard firearm is the Mosin-Nagant M44 carbine. This is NOT the required weapon. M91/30 rifles are acceptable, but are not representative of a late war Guards mechanized unit. If you already have an M91/30 but not an M44 or other weapon, and like most of us, are not rich, keep using your M91/30. If you have not already acquired your weapon, equip yourself with either the M44 carbine or one of the following weapons;
SVT 40 Semi-auto Rifle
Mosin-Nagant M38 Carbine
PpsH-41 Sub-Machine Gun
PPS-43 Sub-Machine Gun
DP-28 Light Machine Gun
Maxim or SG43 Heavy Machine Gun
2.1 Members must have this entire group within six (6) months of becoming a member of 20th mech.
1. M43 Pull Over tunic w/ shoulder boards of appropriate piping color (rifles, armor, artillery, etc.)
2. M43 trousers
3. Boots (low-boots w/ leg wraps or jack-boots)
4. M40 steel helmet; three-pad version, w/ web chinstrap.
5. Pilotka side cap w/ star
6. Belt (brown leather w/ roller buckle or webbed w/ leather)
7. Ammo pouch(es) for personal sidearm
8. Russian canteen w/ cover
9. Gasmask bag or rucksack
10. Mess kit and spoon
11. Guards badge.
Post-war and reproduction and converted equipment, uniforms and Guards badges that conform to
WW 2 appearance standards are acceptable.
Recommended, but not required, items include but are not limited to;
1. Russian army overcoat or padded winter coat
2. Shelter half
3. Grenade pouch
4. Shovel w/ carrier
5. Drinking cup
6. Ushanka fur hat w/ star
NCO’s and Officers will wear appropriate uniform and rank for their positions and acquire proper equipment to perform their functions. Recommended examples of equipment are map cases, binoculars, flashlights, flare guns, compasses, time pieces, manuals, etc
2.2 Other period items may be used but must be approved by the Commander.
2.3 The standard firearm is the Mosin-Nagant M44 carbine. This is NOT the required weapon. M91/30 rifles are acceptable, but are not representative of a late war Guards mechanized unit. If you already have an M91/30 but not an M44 or other weapon, and like most of us, are not rich, keep using your M91/30. If you have not already acquired your weapon, equip yourself with either the M44 carbine or one of the following weapons;
SVT 40 Semi-auto Rifle
Mosin-Nagant M38 Carbine
PpsH-41 Sub-Machine Gun
PPS-43 Sub-Machine Gun
DP-28 Light Machine Gun
Maxim or SG43 Heavy Machine Gun
UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FAMILIARIZATION
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Pilotka side cap. These came in different shades and materials, like all other field uniform items. Some were lined, some were not, some had leather or faux leather sweat bands, some did not. There were many variations of cap star in both red-enameled brass and olive drab lacquer. For our club, post-war soviet caps are acceptable as well as reproductions or originals.
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M43 Gymnastiorka tunic. These came in different shades and materials, like all other field uniform items. Many uniform items were made from lend-lease cloth supplied by both the U.S. and U.K. The M3 has the 'stand' collar, a tube that does not fold down into lapels. Enlisted tunics had no pockets, and officer tunics had chest pockets, commonly internal with external flaps, but sometimes external 'patch' pockets can be seen in photos. Although the enlisted tunic had no pockets, enlisted soldiers can be seen wearing tunics with pockets in photos. For our club, post-war soviet tunics are acceptable as well as reproductions and originals.
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Sharovari trousers. There are variant of both the early war M35 and late war M43 trousers. All have five-sided reinforcing knee patches and are of the 'jodphur' style with wide 'puffy' extensions above the knee. Variations include details such as adjusting partial waist belt in the rear, adjusting tabs on the sides of the waist band above the hips, single belt loops, double belt loops, ankle ties, 'stirrups' with buttons to hold the trouser legs in boots or under puttees, etc. Either model of trousers is acceptable in our club, and again, post-war soviet as well as reproduction or original trousers are all ok for wear.
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M40 helmet. The two photos to the right are of the correct pattern M40 (SSh40) helmet. Some argue that they only had web chin straps, but I have had originals in my collection, all of which I sold, of originals with leather chin straps. They used what they had. Below left is the profile of the M40 helmet. Don't get it confused with the cold war era "cone head" helmet below center, or post war Czech helmets, below right. Converted Czech helmets with the three pad liner are acceptable.
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Boots. The preferred boot for wear in the club is the Russian Sapogi jack boot. However, these can be hard to find in your size, and were not the only boot worn by soviet troops in WW2. Millions of pairs of boots were sent through lend-lease to the USSR during the war, and these were of their standard patterns. Red Army soldiers also often wore captured German boots of any pattern that they found. Sapogi boots were manufactured with a leather lower and an impregnated canvas upper, with rubber soles. Early sapogi had leather soles, but after the Winter War with Finland, it was discovered that leather soles contributed to frost bite, and production switched to rubber soles. Modern sapogi are available if you search around, and are totally acceptable. Below are other options, to the lower left are East German jack boots, below center are reproduction British Ammo Boots, and lower right are reproduction U.S. Rough-Out Ankle Boots. Low boots, if worn, will be worn with cloth puttees. |
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Equipment Belt. There were a large variety of belts worn during the war, The most commonly seen type for enlisted soldiers is the standard leather belt with steel single prong roller buckle, approximately 1-1/2" in width. Along with this belt, issued indiscriminately, are various belts with square frame buckles, web or canvas belts with leather reinforcement, etc. To the right are a few examples of variations on these themes.
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NrAmmo pouches. There were a variety of ammo pouches for the mosin nagant as well as other soviet small arms. They are all variations on a couple of themes. For Mosin Nagant rifles and carbines, the standard pouch was a two pocket pouch with a single or "Y" shaped strap holding the lid closed on each pocket. These were made out of leather, canvas, artificial leather, etc., and came in natural leather, various shades of brown, and black. Some are sewn, some are sewn with rivets. Variations in hardware and other construction details are normal. The 'ready' pouch, with ammo ready at hand to load, was carried on the right front hip, and was normally one of the above described pouches. The 'reserve' pouch, with extra ammo, was carried on the left front hip, and was either a second pouch of the same or similar type to the ready pouch, or a canvas or cloth 'envelop' type affair, of various types of materials and construction, with a button or toggle closure with strap. The most numerous, and cheapest type of pouch to buy are the late war pouches made of Naugahyde and leather. Many reenactors believe these are post war pouches, and indeed most that you find are dated in the 1950's, but back in my "Russian Grunt" days, I can assure you, I used to sell the ones out of my inventory dated 44r and 45r for a couple bucks more each than my non-dated ones. IF NON-BELIEVERS WOULD ACTUALLY DO SOME PRIMARY RESEARCH, they'd find them in plenty of war time photos. These pouches are completely acceptable in our club. Below are examples of Mosin Nagant ammo pouches, a reserve pouch, and a cloth ammunition bandoleer.
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Canteen with cover. The canteen was either metal, or less often, glass of the same shape as the metal one. The cover, like everything else, was made of various shades and weaves of cloth, and closed with pretty much any kind of button they had, to run through the process. To the right is the typical cold war era soviet canteen with cover, which is what just about everyone buys, and is totally acceptable. Below left is the reverse side of the canteen with cover, and the equipment belt is slid between the cover and the crossed strap to hold the canteen onto the belt. The lower center photo is a close-up of a WW2 original 41 dated canteen cap, showing you the larger number of threads compared to the post war canteen to lower left. The lower right photo is of a WW2 glass canteen, same shape and size as the metal ones, but closed with a cork. |
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Rucksack or Gas Mask Bag. For your personal effects, rations, extra foot wraps or whatever, you are required to have either a rucksack or a gas mask bag. You are not required to have both, but by all means, if you want both, do so.
The photo to the right is the veshchevoi meshok pattern rucksack that is the pattern you need for our club. The far right photo is the early post war pattern that is commonly available and is acceptable. The below left photo is a reproduction WW2 meshok, with a toggle-tie chest strap. Various ways of securing the chest strap were in use, including simple ties. The below center photo is the cold war era meshok, and is only acceptable if you strip off all the extra straps, pocket, and ID window. The below right photo is the early war M39 pack, and is too early for our impression. |
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The photo to the right is of a WW2 BN gas mask and bag. As you can see, the bag in that photo looks different than the bags in all three of the photos below, and all are correct.
In fact, even more variations are correct, as many war time bags had differences such as shoulder straps that were adjustable by toggles and loops, straps that were adjusted by ties, straps that were a simple strap and not adjustable at all, interior pockets of different arrangements or even without interior (or exterior) pockets, etc. etc. Like all wartime soviet gear and uniforms, production varied based on what was available, what factory it came from, etc. |
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Mess Kit and Spoon. To the right are the two types of mess kit issued to the Red Army in WW2. Either are acceptable, but the near mess pot is early war, and the two-piece kit are more common late war. The latter is the preferred for our club.
Below are four examples of typical spoons used by Red Army soldiers during the war. The best places to get a spoon are on-line vendors, ebay, or local antique shops. |
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RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED, ITEMS
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Telogreika padded jacket and Shinel overcoat. To the near right is the padded jacket. This is the later war pattern with stand collar. The earlier pattern has the fold-down 'fall' collar. The late war pattern is the preferred pattern for our club.
To the far right is the overcoat. We portray a mechanized unit, and although either the jacket or the overcoat are both correct, getting in and out of vehicles is much easier with the jacket. The overcoat came in varying shades of brown, brownish-gray and gray, and was worn with collar tabs in olive shades with piping in the branch of service of the soldier. Rifle (infantry) forces wore raspberry/magenta colored piping. |
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Above is the plash palatka rain cape / shelter half. The above soldier is wearing it configured in the cape mode. One corner pulls into a hood with a draw string, and toggles on one side close the front around the soldier. There is one slit sewn into the cape as seen in the second image from the left, so that the soldier can extend his right hand through it, while extending his left hand between the closure toggles down the front, so that he can us his hands. The diagram below shows the palatka with its features, stakes and ropes issued, and methods for configuring it into a shelter alone or with multiple palatkas.
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To the right is the most typical pattern of entrenching tool carried by the Red Army soldier. A square version without the point was also issued, and there are various types of canvas and/or leather carriers, as wll as variations on how the head of the shovel was attached to the handle.
Below are various types of drinking cup that were used during the war. Like everything else, lots of variations. |
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To the right are various three-pocket F-1 grenade pouches. The two 'pineapple' grenades in the near photo are F-1 grenades.
Make sure you get THREE pocket WW2 pattern pouches, and not the post-war Cold War era two-pocket grenade pouches. |
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Ushanka winter cap. These were made of what was called "fish fur" because it was not real fur. They were made of various materials, like everything else. Brown, gray, olive, tan, etc., are all fine.
To the right are modern Soviet and East German Cold War patterns. THESE ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. The below photos are various examples of ushankas that are acceptable. |
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Examples of "What" and "What Not"
Jack boots are preferred, but any Russian, German, British or American WW2 style low boot worn with puttees are also acceptable. East German post war jack boots are allowed.
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To the left is an example of correct cap, incorrect but acceptable tunic, correct trousers, correct boots, and incorrect belt and facial hair. The Tunic is an M35 tunic. This is the early war tunic, but was still worn until stocks were exhausted after the M43 tunic was adopted in 1943. Our club encourages the M43 tunic, as we portray a late war unit. The belt should be with a roller buckle, not frame buckle, and facial hair is only allowed for members over 50 years old, but is highly discouraged. To the right is the preferred M43 tunic without fall collar. Pockets are acceptable, but the non-pocket enlisted version is preferred for enlisted members. |
Epaulets worn are piped in magenta/raspberry for infantry, and piped in red for mortar or artillery crews.
Red enamel or olive drab cap stars are both acceptable. |
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Any of the weapons in the illustration to the left are acceptable. The preferred side arm is the M44 Carbine. If you have an M38 carbine or M91/30 already, and are on a budget, you will not be required to buy another weapon. If you haven't got a rifle yet, then purchase the M44 Carbine as your first weapon, unless you have the money and prefer to carry a PPSh-41, PPS-43, or other semi-automatic or automatic weapon in the illustration to the left. Note - the M91 rifle is NOT allowed in the club. Below is a good photograph of the M44 carbine with correct web sling with leather dog collars. |
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The photo to the left shows the correct telogreika padded jacket and vatnie sharovari padded trousers. However, the belt is incorrect, it is the post war version of the M43 dress belt. DO NOT buy a belt with a large buckle with a hammer and sickle on it. Also, DO NOT buy a Cold War era blue ushanka fur cap or post war meshok rucksack with side straps on it, as shown in the photo at left. The belt at lower left is one of the proper types, and were made using either riveted or sewn construction.
The girl to the right is wearing an example of a correct ushanka. They came in many variations, but to be safe stick to brown/tan/olive shades of cloth and fleece. ("fish fur"). |
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He Below is a good example of what your uniform and kit should look like. The helmet is the SSh-40 helmet, and should have a three piece black oil cloth liner stuffed with wadding, and a web chin strap. The post war Czech helmets with leather liner and chin strap are not acceptable.
He wears the M43 tunic without chest pockets, with proper epaulets with raspberry piping for infantry (rifles). Note that the buttons on the fly of the tunic are lacquered with olive drab paint and the buttons holding his epaulets on are unpainted brass. This is totally acceptable. Tunics came from the factory with either, and abundant photo evidence shows they were worn indiscriminately. He also wears the Guards badge on his right breast, which is the correct location. Exact location of the badge on the right breast was not an issue.
His meshok rucksack is the correct wartime variation without side straps or other attachments. The chest strap had various rectangular frame buckles or just tie straps. He is not over-burdened with kit, and it consists of canteen with cover, bread bag, F-1 grenade pouch and three pocket stick magazine pouch for his PPSh-41 sub machine gun. Drums and stick magazines were issued indiscriminately. Accounts from soldiers' memoirs mention loading up with as many magazines of whatever type the could get. The bread bag is rarely seen in photos.
He wears the M43 tunic without chest pockets, with proper epaulets with raspberry piping for infantry (rifles). Note that the buttons on the fly of the tunic are lacquered with olive drab paint and the buttons holding his epaulets on are unpainted brass. This is totally acceptable. Tunics came from the factory with either, and abundant photo evidence shows they were worn indiscriminately. He also wears the Guards badge on his right breast, which is the correct location. Exact location of the badge on the right breast was not an issue.
His meshok rucksack is the correct wartime variation without side straps or other attachments. The chest strap had various rectangular frame buckles or just tie straps. He is not over-burdened with kit, and it consists of canteen with cover, bread bag, F-1 grenade pouch and three pocket stick magazine pouch for his PPSh-41 sub machine gun. Drums and stick magazines were issued indiscriminately. Accounts from soldiers' memoirs mention loading up with as many magazines of whatever type the could get. The bread bag is rarely seen in photos.
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The soldier to the left is a good example of 'correct'. She has the proper brown/brown gray overcoat (post war gray overcoats are not acceptable), with the proper late-war collar tabs and epaulets piped in magenta (raspberry). She is wearing the correct helmet, and a brown ushanka. Note the OD star on the ushanka, and red enamel is correct as well. She has the web with leather-reinforced equipment belt, not as common as the leather belt, but still common. The soldier to the right look good at first notice. However, he is carrying a nagant pistol and a map case, and these wouldn't be carried by a regular infantryman. A single stripe, designating him as yefreitor, is barely visible on his right shoulder. Also, although medals were commonly worn on the uniform in combat, this medal is the "Victory Over Germany" medal, and is post-war. The watch would have to be captured German.
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Lovers of "Tin Soldiers", weep! Although there are some issues with a couple of the reenactors in these photos, these two photos, above and below, are good examples of the variations that were EXTREMELY common in materials and shades of cloth used in uniform construction. Color wartime photos (and shades from light gray to near black in black and white photos) demonstrate that the variations seen in these photos, even within squads is absolutely common. Your tunic need not match your trousers, nor the guy standing next to you, etc.
Below is a good looking impression of a common late war rifleman. Everything is correct. He doesn't have a star on his pilotka side cap, and that is ok. Epaulets are magenta piped, helmet is correct, chest pockets on the gymnastiorka tunic are ok, belt, trousers an boots fine......and THOSE AMMO POUCHES!!! OH MY GOD, HE'S GOT AN M44 AMMO POUCH ON HIS RIGHT HIP!
Give it a break, get a life, and if this bothers you too much, you need to move out of your mother's basement and get laid. Back in the early 1990's when I started my business as "The Russian Grunt", I got everything in inventory by the crate load and van load. I've sold only God knows how many Mosin Nagant Ammo pouches. I see arguments all the time with SNOB reenactors with nothing better to do than attack other people on social media about wearing these pouches at reenactments. I CAN ASSURE YOU, these pouches were used in WW2. I used to sell the 1944 and 1945 dated M44 ammo pouches for more than the undated or post war dated ones, because I had to dig through boxes I don't know how many times to get them. If I was smart, I would have just separated them all out, but that would have taken a whole afternoon of work, which I chose not to do.
There is also a ridiculous argument out there, this one appears to have been started by real Russian reenactors themselves, that F-1 grenade pouches weren't issued in WW2 either. Bullshit. I used to sell the war dated ones of those for more than the others too.
And if you don't like it, fine, join another club and take your snobbery and lack of research somewhere else. Look at photos for yourself and you'll see them both there. And while you're at it, stop doing research on a cell phone. You'll get better results doing serious scholarship.
So anyway, leather or leather and Naugahyde, canvas, etc. Mosin Nagant ammo pouches are all acceptable just so long as they're of Soviet design, and not Bulgarian or Polish or whatever. The guy in the photo below has one of each. No problem.
Give it a break, get a life, and if this bothers you too much, you need to move out of your mother's basement and get laid. Back in the early 1990's when I started my business as "The Russian Grunt", I got everything in inventory by the crate load and van load. I've sold only God knows how many Mosin Nagant Ammo pouches. I see arguments all the time with SNOB reenactors with nothing better to do than attack other people on social media about wearing these pouches at reenactments. I CAN ASSURE YOU, these pouches were used in WW2. I used to sell the 1944 and 1945 dated M44 ammo pouches for more than the undated or post war dated ones, because I had to dig through boxes I don't know how many times to get them. If I was smart, I would have just separated them all out, but that would have taken a whole afternoon of work, which I chose not to do.
There is also a ridiculous argument out there, this one appears to have been started by real Russian reenactors themselves, that F-1 grenade pouches weren't issued in WW2 either. Bullshit. I used to sell the war dated ones of those for more than the others too.
And if you don't like it, fine, join another club and take your snobbery and lack of research somewhere else. Look at photos for yourself and you'll see them both there. And while you're at it, stop doing research on a cell phone. You'll get better results doing serious scholarship.
So anyway, leather or leather and Naugahyde, canvas, etc. Mosin Nagant ammo pouches are all acceptable just so long as they're of Soviet design, and not Bulgarian or Polish or whatever. The guy in the photo below has one of each. No problem.
