Finnish army uniform 1939. Uniforms and equipment of the Finnish ground forces and air force. Red Army soldiers on the battlefield

All members of the Finnish armed forces were required to wear blue and white cockades, which were a sign of the nationality of soldiers and officers. In addition to national cockades, officers had the right to wear red cockades with a golden lion. These cockades could be worn together with generally accepted cockades, or separately.

To designate positions and military ranks in the army, it was customary to wear buttonholes. By the color of the buttonhole and its frame, one could easily determine whether the serviceman belonged to the or any other type of military force. Senior officers and generals had a double frame on their buttonholes, the rest had a single frame. Among the generals, ranks differed by the number of metal lions on their shoulder straps, among senior and junior officers the distinctive sign was metal rosettes (16 millimeters for senior officers, 13 millimeters for junior officers), and ranks among the rank and file were distinguished by chevrons.

When wearing greatcoats, officers could be distinguished by the presence of braid on the cuffs, while soldiers and sergeants were distinguished by chevrons on their shoulder straps. The presence of a lion on the shoulder straps was not a badge of honor, but only emphasized membership in the Finnish armed forces.

To make insignia denoting military ranks and corresponding ranks, metal (roses, lions) and yellow cloth (chevrons) were used.
In the navy, petty officers and sailors wore chevrons of yellow cloth. Chevrons for recruits were made of red cloth.

When wearing an overcoat by officers, the braid was allowed to be sewn around the entire perimeter or sewn onto the flap, which was attached to the cuffs with two buttons. In the ground forces, the braids were gray, while the aviation was distinguished by the presence of yellow braids. In addition, the image of an oak branch on a braid indicated an attitude towards the army generals.
The emblem of infantry units could also have a letter designation, which could be used to determine the regiment’s affiliation and location: “P” (Pori), “U” (Uusimaa), “T” (Tampere), “V” (Viipuri). "KS" (Kuhmoinen-Suomen), "PS" (Pohjois-Suomen).
The rangers' emblem was supplemented with numbers from 1 to 3, which indicated the numbers of the battalions.
In addition to the generally accepted cavalry emblem, two cavalry regiments had individual emblems, the Nyland Dragoon Regiment had a monogram of the letters “FF” located under the Swedish crown, and the emblem of the Hämees Cavalry Regiment featured an elk skull with a motto ribbon.
The letter “E” was located on the emblems of individual units and subunits of the Signal Corps and Engineering Troops.
The emblems of the coast guard units, as well as the emblems of the rangers, were supplemented with the numbers 1-4, indicating the four coastal artillery batteries. Military schools have their own emblems and insignia. Cadets of the cavalry military school wore the letters "RK", while the naval schools had the letters "MSK". Students of the officer reserve school had the monogram “RUK”.
The distinctive sign of the shutskor was a patch in the form of a shield (colored by province), on which the letter “S” was depicted, with 3 spruce branches. Members of Lotte Svärd (a women's paramilitary organization) also wore a distinctive badge.

A Red Army infantry soldier in a cloth helmet and overcoat, with a gas mask.

A Red Army soldier in a single-breasted cotton pea coat, a helmet with earflaps with rolled-up flaps, model 1936, cotton pants and boots with windings, with a three-line rifle and a gas mask.

A Red Army sapper in an overcoat and earflaps with tied flaps, with a rifle and a gas mask.

In the background is a Red Army soldier in a helmet, short fur coat and felt boots.

INSIGNIA OF THE SOVIET ARMED FORCES AND THE NKVD

Rice. P. Lipatova (2nd cover page)

Buttonholes and chevron of the 1st rank commander.

Buttonhole and chevron of an artillery colonel.

Stars for a winter helmet (infantry, technical troops, border troops).

Infantry corps commander's buttonhole and chevron.

Sleeve star and buttonhole of a brigade commissar of infantry.

Chevron and buttonhole of an aviation captain.

Military pilot's sleeve insignia.

Buttonholes and chevron of a senior lieutenant of tank troops and engineering troops (tunic).

Cavalry political instructor's buttonhole.

Senior military paramedic's buttonhole.

Chevron and buttonhole of a junior lieutenant of the border troops.

Buttonhole of a junior political instructor of the Air Force.

Air Force junior military technician's buttonhole.

Buttonhole of the sergeant major of the internal troops.

Buttonhole of a junior infantry platoon commander.

Buttonhole of the separated commander of the signal troops.

Rank 2 flagship patches.

Captain 2nd rank patches.

Coast Guard Lieutenant's Badges.

Sergeant Major's patches.

Rank 2 military doctor patches.

Fleet Air Force Captain's patches.

Political commissar's stripes.

Commander's staff.

Red Navy ribbon on the cap.

COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS

(Drawing by A. Rusanov, with the participation of P. Lipatov)

1. Red Army soldiers on the battlefield

A senior infantry lieutenant in an overcoat and a cloth helmet with lowered lapels, wearing field gear, wearing felt boots and armed with a revolver in a holster.

An infantryman in an overcoat and a white-washed helmet, crawling with an armored shield mounted on skis.

A skier from a unit of volunteer athletes in an insulated white suit and a padded helmet, wearing ski boots and armed with a rifle mod. 1891/1930

A demolition sapper in a white camouflage robe with a removable hood placed on a helmet, crawling with a homemade drag.

2. Tankers of the Red Army

A tank fighter in a finely quilted cotton jacket and trousers, a cloth helmet, felt boots and gloves with bells lined with sheepskin, armed with a revolver and a DP light machine gun.

A senior lieutenant in a leather jacket worn over a dark blue overalls, with a summer helmet on his head and sheepskin gloves. Lightweight field equipment, a revolver in a holster on the right, a gas mask in a bag on the left. Shoed in felt boots.

A major in a short fur coat and a leather sheepskin helmet equipped with an intercom headset. Quilted trousers are tucked into felt boots.

A tankman in a dark blue overalls, worn over a quilted padded jacket and in a shock-absorbing helmet of the first type with folding glasses on, shod in boots.

3. Soviet pilots

A pilot in a fur-lined overall, wearing dog boots, with a TT pistol and a tablet.

A colonel in a dark blue Air Force overcoat and a cloth winter helmet.

A senior lieutenant in a leather raglan coat, a flight helmet with goggles, dog boots and a tablet over his shoulder.

4. Soviet sailors

In the foreground is a senior Red Navy man in coastal landing uniform, equipment and weapons. The helmet, model 1936, is worn with a knitted balaclava, and the trousers are tucked into cowhide boots. A gas mask hangs over his shoulder, his peacoat is belted with a Red Navy belt, on which hang pouches and a bladed bayonet. Armed with a three-line rifle mod. 1891/30 with attached tetrahedral bayonet.

Fleet commander in coastal landing uniform. Helmet arr. 1936 is worn with earflaps, a quilted padded jacket is worn on a sweater. Armed with a Mauser in the block, two F-1 grenades and a captured Finnish knife. Uniform trousers are tucked into cowhide boots.

The fleet commander in a fur hat with a crab emblem and a leather raglan. In the background is a Red Navy signalman, dressed in uniform No. 5 - in a pea coat and earflaps, with a gas mask over his right shoulder.

5. In the Finnish bunker

A junior machine gunner sergeant fires from a Lahti-Saloranta machine gun. A helmet of the German model 1916/18 is worn on his head, and a bayonet mod. 1927 in leather blade.

An infantry private in a field jacket and cap.

An infantry lieutenant in an old-style winter cap and tunic mod. 1936

6. Finnish soldiers in winter clothes

A “cuckoo” sniper in a camouflage suit with a mask on his face. Wearing ski boots, armed with a Finnish knife and a sniper rifle mod. 1927. On the belt there are triple pouches of the German type.

A skier in a camouflage suit, a whitened German-style helmet, ski boots, with a chest bandolier on. Armed with a carbine and a Lapland knife.

A skier-machine gunner with a Suomi submachine gun, shod in boots. Behind his back is a marching outfit, on his head is a Finnish military earflap made of white sheepskin.

7. Finnish officers at a meeting

An aviation captain in a blue open jacket, a flight cap and gray field breeches tucked into chrome boots.

Navy captain of the 3rd rank in an overcoat and cap.

Captain of the General Staff in a jacket and cap.

Major in an overcoat and earflaps.

An infantry lieutenant general sits at the table in a jacket and breeches, wearing boots with attached cuffs. On the bench next to him lies a general's cap.

8. Volunteers

A Finnish officer authorized by the “schutzkor” in an overcoat and cap and Swedish volunteer skiers in sportswear.

INSIGNIA OF THE FINNISH ARMED FORCES

(4th cover page)

Collar of the Marshal of Finland.

Buttonhole of an infantry lieutenant general.

Field artillery lieutenant colonel's buttonhole.

Coastal artillery major's buttonhole.

Reserve lieutenant's buttonhole.

Overcoat sleeve braid of a lieutenant general.

Air captain's buttonhole.

Buttonhole of a tank lieutenant.

"Shutskora" sleeve patch.

Buttonhole of a major of the Jaeger units.

Infantry captain's buttonhole.

Major engineer's buttonhole.

Buttonhole of a lieutenant of support and support units.

Buttonhole of the captain of the general staff.

Lieutenant Colonel's sleeve flap.

Border guard captain's buttonhole.

Field artillery warrant officer's buttonhole.

Aviation captain's sleeve flap.

Buttonhole of a military official with the rank of captain.

Buttonhole of a sergeant major of the Signal Corps.

Engineer sergeant's buttonhole.

Cavalry sergeant's buttonhole.

Shoulder straps for officers of the ground forces.

Shoulder strap of a cavalry corporal.

Air Force officers' badge.

Cockade of naval personnel petty officers.

Emblems; anti-aircraft artillery, Jaeger units, signal troops, border guards, engineering troops, coastal artillery, tank troops, aviation, Jaegers, infantry, field artillery.

In Finland there are a lot of people dressed in military or out-door style. And if people dress like that, it means it’s being sold somewhere. Question: where? Today mWe are opening a new topic: Finnish army flea markets or military stores. We will publish the addresses of army stores here.

Helsinki

1 . X Yelsinki store Varusteleka - b absolutely number one in this topic. Take a look at their website and you will see that we are right. This is Finland's largest store of military clothing and equipment, including an online store. Both used and new items are sold here. Valtteri Lindholm created it in 2003, with a thousand euros on credit and a rusty van in which brave buyers tried on the goods they liked. Now Varusteleka consists of two large red brick industrial buildings, employing more than 40 specialists.

Why Varusteleka? First of all, an excellent selection of products. It feels like the owner and his team are not eating their bread in vain. Product groups cover the entire variety of products related to the military theme - from khaki socks and bandit-style coats to a Soviet-era children's gas mask. Clothes and equipment of the Bundeswehr, Finnish, American, Belgian, French, Russian, Soviet and other armies are offered. There is an offer for reenactors. Clothes, shoes and paraphernalia of Finnish companies Sarma and Terava, producing goods for the army, are presented. If necessary, clothing can be adjusted and engraved. By the way, we found a Russian-made children's vest on the website for 16.95 euros.

Excellent navigation and page in English.

Opening hours: Monday – Friday 10 – 20, Saturday 10 – 18, Sunday closed.

Two hours of free parking, taxi free, major European cards accepted.

The two warehouses and the Varusteleka store are located in large red brick buildings in the Konola district of Helsinki near the intersection of Ring I (Keha I) and Vihdintie (road number 120).

Store address: Ruosilantie, 2 Helsinki

Minus: no page in English.

Plus: there is a store in Helsinki.

Address: Pohjoinen Hesperiankatu 15, 00260 Helsinki

Opening hours: Mon-Fri from 10 to 18, Saturday from 10 to 15.

Hamina

The military and outdoor clothing and equipment store Armyvaatteet is located in the Itavayla shopping center, which is located on route 170, behind Hamina, if you drive from the border.

Some things look very attractive. The bomber jacket is light, warm and of high quality. I don’t remember the exact price, something like 350 euros.

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In 1936, the developers of uniforms for the Finnish army returned to the German style. The military uniform had a characteristic gray color and was worn in virtually any combination, both on its own and with various equipment. However, contrary to traditional ideas, this uniform was not at all particularly comfortable and warm. Infantry sergeant in the winter of 1939-1940. not all Finnish military personnel were dressed strictly in uniform

Private 1944 Private 4th Army Corps 1944 This Finnish soldier is dressed in a light jacket or outer shirt, which he, imitating Russian soldiers, wears untucked into his trousers, and a field cap. At this stage of the war, German influence on Finnish uniforms was particularly strong, leading to significant standardization. The Finnish style was manifested in insignia, buttonholes and chevrons on the cuffs of an overcoat. On a raincoat

Sailor 1939 Sailor of the Ladoga Flotilla of the Finnish Navy 1939 In the Finnish Navy, both officers and junior commanders wore open double-breasted blue tunics with two rows of four or five buttons, an open left breast pocket and side pockets with straight flaps. The jacket was worn with a white shirt, black tie, long trousers and black boots. Finnish sailors wore traditional uniforms, over which this

Winter Hat M05 Finnish Armed Forces M05 Camo Winter fur hat. Manufactured by Albert Kempf GmbH Co., in 2007. M 05 fur hats made to use for cold weather. The manufacturer tag Albert Kempf GmbH Co. KG 2007 Outer fabric 70 Polyester 30 Cotton Fur 70 Acryl 30 Polyester Lining 100 Cotton

Composite helmet K96 of the Finnish Armed Forces Composite helmet K96 of the Finnish Armed Forces The Finnish Armed Forces use a K96 composite helmet based on aramid fabrics, which provides effective protection for military personnel. The helmet has a good sizing system and provides excellent fit and comfort. It is easy to use. The helmet is compatible with communication devices and other accessories. A helmet keeps your head safe

Pavel Borisovich Lipatov is a member of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, a member of the Association of Arms Historians "Arsenal", a corresponding member of the All-Russian Heraldic Society, a member of the editorial sonnets of the military-historical magazines "Tseykhgauz" and "Sergeant", a costume designer for the Mosfilm film studio. He took part in the creation of more than thirty films, many of which told about the events of past wars and other historical facts. Consulted on uniform issues for a number of films from various studios of the former USSR, Russia and foreign countries. Author of the famous reference books “Uniforms of the Red Army and Wehrmacht” and “Luftwaffe”, published with hand-written illustrations. P.B. Lipatov owns a number of articles in various magazines on issues of uniformology, the history of cinematography, the history of small arms, military equipment, armored vehicles - most also with illustrations. Illustrated books and articles by other authors.

The major work “Reds” - uniforms and equipment of the Soviet Armed Forces from 1917 to 1935 - and a reference book on the uniform of the German Navy 1933–1945 are being prepared for publication. "Kriegsmarine". Both books are with illustrations by the author.

Awarded a medal and several badges.

On November 26, 1939, the positions of Soviet troops in the area of ​​the village of Mainila on the border with Finland were shelled by artillery, and on November 30 the war began.

Long developed under the leadership of B.M. Shaposhnikov at the General Staff did not approve the plan for a counterattack against the “presumptuous Finnish aggressors” in the Main Military Council of the Red Army. Comrade Stalin approved the “lightning-fast” plan, developed in the fall of 1939 by the command and headquarters of the Leningrad Military District under the leadership of Army Commander 2nd Rank K.A. Meretskova.

The sole purpose of the campaign was declared by Stalinist propaganda to ensure the security of the northwestern borders of the Soviet Union and, first of all, Leningrad.

The purpose of this study does not include an analysis of military operations in this difficult war for both sides. However, its appearance, the appearance of military personnel of all types of weapons were most closely connected with the time, place and “circumstances of the course of action” of one of the shortest, most brutal and most “unfamous” wars in the history of mankind.

The Karelian Isthmus, where the main hostilities took place over more than three winter months, is a hundred-kilometer strip from Lake Ladoga to the coast of the Gulf of Finland. On the isthmus, Soviet troops had to overcome the most powerful fortified defense line in the world - the Mannerheim Line.

32 km from Leningrad, since 1927, with the participation of German, English, French and Belgian military specialists, a three-lane line of long-term fortifications up to 90 km deep was built - and was almost completed. It included 670 large pillboxes and bunkers, connected by trenches and communication passages with 800 underground casemates. Adjacent to the Mannerheim line were 136 km of anti-tank obstacles with a depth of 15 to 60 km - several echeloned lines of forest debris, wire nets, granite gouges, anti-tank ditches and scarps, minefields and wire barriers, interspersed with concrete and wood-earth firing structures that intercepted roads and interlake fashion shows. There were many lakes in Finland. The roads in that forest region were also part of the Finnish defense system.

The lakes were supplemented by swamps and rivers, boulders and hills, even mountains, dense forest - impenetrable taiga. The winter in these places was always severe in 1939-40. especially fierce and windy. Frosts reached 50°C and remained at forty degrees for many days. The snow cover reached a meter, or even one and a half.

In such conditions it was necessary to overcome the forefield. And behind it lay a ten-kilometer main line of defense - 25 resistance nodes, each of which consisted of 3-4 strong points (2-3 pillboxes and 3-5 bunkers) with permanent garrisons ranging in strength from a company to a battalion. The positions of the field troops between the fortifications were covered by anti-tank and anti-personnel barriers.

The second support line of defense was separated from the main one at a distance of two to fifteen kilometers and in some places was connected to it by cut-off positions. The third line of defense covered Vyborg, which in turn was a fortified city. In total, on the Mannerheim line there were more than two thousand long-term fire structures of various classes and types - from multi-story ones, with armored caps and several cannon and machine-gun embrasures, to giant “millionaire” pillboxes armed with one machine gun. Wire fences in some areas stood in dozens of rows - and not only on stakes, but also on rails dug into the ground.

And all these fortifications, long overgrown with forest, were densely covered with snow. Snow covered glacial boulders on which tanks were stuck with torn tracks. Snow covered the thin ice of lakes and swamps, preventing them from freezing to the bottom. The snow camouflaged the defending troops from the air and from the ground, the snow distorted the sounds of fire, interfering with artillery sound recorders and misleading the infantry that came under fire.

According to all the canons of military science of that time, it was impossible to attack in such conditions, to break through fortified areas of such power. The Mannerheim line was impregnable.

But Comrade Stalin set a task. And the Red Army fulfilled it, And not during the years of the siege - during three winter months. At the cost of colossal losses.

Commander of the 7th Army, Army Commander 2nd Rank K.A. Meretskov, members of the Military Council of the Army T.F. Shtykov and divisional commissar N.N. Klementyev.

Finland, with a population of less than four million, before the war created an army of 300,000 and paramilitary forces of about a hundred thousand people. Karelian Army of General H.V. Esterman - 7 infantry divisions, four separate infantry and cavalry brigades, several separate infantry battalions - covered the direction to Viipuri (Vyborg). To the south, on the coast, the Åland group operated. The Sortavala area was covered by the group of Colonel L. Talvela and the army corps of General Yu.V. Hegglund. The central area near Suomussalmi was the area of ​​​​the troops of the group of General V. Tuompo. A group of General E. Valenius was stationed in Lapland. In total there were about 15 divisions - a maximum of 14,200 personnel in each, with 116 machine guns and 36 guns - Finnish first-line troops. Three divisions were in reserve.

The artillery of the Finnish army - about 900 barrels - was armed with old Russian guns of various calibers and purposes, and quite modern guns and howitzers of English, French, German, Czech, Swedish origin, and mortars. Coastal batteries were armed with good ten-inch rifles. The artillerymen on the Mannerheim line had a well-established system of firing and fire interaction; they could fire at tables, using targeted landmarks and predetermined directrixes, while remaining invisible and invulnerable. The embrasure of the Finnish pillbox could only be silenced almost point-blank, with direct fire from a light gun - it was often impossible to pull up a heavy one.

At the beginning of the war, the Finnish Air Force numbered 270 (combat - 108) aircraft, mainly of English, French and Dutch designs, mainly fighters. During the war, another 350 aircraft were received from Western countries. Besides. The West supplied the Finns with 500 artillery pieces, 6 thousand machine guns, one hundred thousand rifles, millions of pieces of ammunition and other weapons and equipment. The Finns, however, were counting on much more...