(June 22 - December 31, 1941)
Before the war, after long experiments, a camouflage system was finally developed for the armored vehicles of the Red Army, consisting of yellow-green (7K) and dark brown (6K) spots applied on a green (4BO) background. But such a camouflage scheme never received widespread acceptance.
The system of protective coloration, camouflage and tactical designations used by the armored units of the Red Army in this theater of operations was rather monotonous, the closest to the requirements of the regulations and underwent its most insignificant changes over the entire period described above.
This situation was due to a number of factors. First of all, this is the fact that the main hostilities on the Soviet-German front (until mid-spring 1942) took place in the western direction. Consequently, new formations and products of tank factories were supplied primarily to this theater of operations to make up for the high "natural" loss of material. Secondly, in the conditions of intense battles and the rapid replacement of materiel, the crews did not have much motivation to create additional camouflage patterns and complex tactical designations. Thirdly, the main green paint of the Soviet 4BO armored formations was developed specifically for the color landscape of mixed deciduous-coniferous forests of Belarus and Central Russia, so green-painted tanks and armored vehicles did not require additional camouflage in the summer. The winter camouflage system developed by the military specialists of the Red Army was also most suitable for landscape changes caused by the climatic conditions of the winter of Central Russia.
Formations of 6 MK of the Red Army are moving forward to the state border of the USSR. On one of the BT-7s on the rear of the turret, tactical number "22" is visible. Western Front, June 22, 1941 (AVL).
By June 22, 1942, as part of the Western Special Military District, which was deployed to the Western Front, there were 6 mechanized corps of the Red Army (6, 11, 13, 14, 17, 20 microns) of which 4 (6, 11, 13, 14 microns) were quite combat-ready, and 2 (17, 20 microns) had only a combat training tank park, the composition of which ranged within 100 vehicles for each mechanized corps. During June 22-23, 1941, most of the above-described formations were forced to engage in battle with German troops, minimizing the duration of mobilization measures.
The BT-7A artillery support tank abandoned due to technical damage received. A red star of national identification is visible on the tower. Western Front, 14th Mechanized Corps, June 1941 (RGAKFD).
Broken Soviet T-26 tanks of various modifications (model 1933 and 1939) from the 6th Mechanized Corps of the Red Army. One of them has the old markings of 1932-1938, and the tactical number "1" is visible on the T-26 of the 1939 release. the photographs were taken in 1944, after the liberation of Belarus by Soviet troops. In the background, T-34/85 tanks passing west are visible, the crews of which salute the heroes of 1941 (AVL).
Tanks mechanized corps ZAPOVO were painted green 4BO. The system of tactical designations was not provided, however, armored vehicles of old issues, which were previously in tank and cavalry units stationed in Belarus, until 1939 had tactical designations of the 1932 model of solid and intermittent stripes, colored squares and numbers. Some vehicles had red stars on the sides of their turrets.
T-26 tanks of the 1939 model of the year from the 18th Panzer Division of the 7th Mechanized Corps of the Red Army. Combat vehicles have a three-color zebra-like camouflage pattern of light green and brown stripes over a gray-green background. Western Front, early July 1941 (AVL).
The most prepared for battle from the mechanized corps of the Western Front was 6 microns. He entered the battle on the afternoon of June 23, 1941, performing the task of preventing the flank coverage of the Soviet group on the territory of Belarus. Some of the tanks, primarily the commanders, still received tactical numbers. They were applied in white to the rear of the turret or, in some cases, to the sides of the turret or turret platform.
The rest of the tank formations and units (except for the above mechanized corps, armored units were available in the 6th and 36th cavalry divisions of the 6th cavalry corps as part of tank regiments of 64 BT tanks in each, as well as in a separate tank company (BT tanks- 7, armored vehicles BA-10) of the 1st separate motorized rifle regiment of the NKVD, which was transferred to Belarus from Lithuania on June 23, 1941. - Ed.) Were painted green 4B0 and in most of them did not have tactical designations.
By the end of June 1941, the overwhelming part of the tanks of the mechanized corps of the Western Front was lost in battles and encirclement, in which the formations of the 3rd and 10th armies of the Red Army were trapped in Minsk. The front, where the 4th and 13th armies remained, essentially had to be rebuilt. In order to deploy the 19, 20, 21 and 22 armies arriving at the front, it was necessary to delay the German offensive for at least a few days. This task was entrusted to the 5th and 7th mechanized corps of the Red Army, which arrived at the front in early July 1941.
The 7th Mechanized Corps of the Moscow Military District was one of the most powerful formations of the Red Army. By the beginning of the war, it had 715 tanks and armored vehicles of various brands in two tank (14, 18 td) and well-known motorized (1st Moscow Proletarian Motorized Rifle Division) divisions. But only serviceable, combat-ready vehicles were transferred to the front, and even taking into account the materiel arriving directly from the factories, the number of tanks participating in the battles did not exceed 500.
On July 6, 1941, the 14th Panzer Division had 192 tanks: 176 BT-7 and 16 flamethrower vehicles based on the T-26.
On July 6, 1941, the 18th Panzer Division had 236 tanks in its composition: 178 T-26, 47 flamethrower tanks based on the T-26 and 11 BT-7.
Broken BT-7 tanks of various modifications from the 14th Mechanized Corps of the Red Army. Red stars are clearly visible on some tank turrets. Belarus, July 1941 (AVL).
The most common color scheme for Soviet tanks at the beginning of the war. Color - grassy green 4BO without any tactical designations. The picture shows a KB knocked out in the Zelva area (33 km from Slonim). Belarus, 6th Mechanized Corps of the Red Army, July 1941 (AVL).
The 1st Moscow Proletarian Motorized Rifle Division, an elite unit of the Red Army that demonstrated the power of the ground forces at parades in Moscow, had up to 100 tanks, of which about 50 BT-7M and 40 T-34 and KV.
Before being sent to the front, the technician of the 7th mechanized corps, according to the requirements of the instructions, was painted in a three-color camouflage. And apparently they were in a hurry: they gave the command to apply camouflage, provided paints, but they did not familiarize the tankers with the typical paint schemes, relying on the abilities of the crews. Therefore, depending on the specific units, the tanks had a different camouflage pattern: from striped in 3 colors (green-yellow-brown or in some cases brown, light and dark green) to spotted vehicles. There were no tactical markings on the 7 micron armored vehicles.
It should be noted that the material part of the tank regiments of the 7th mechanized corps from July 6 was daily replenished with new KB and T-34 tanks arriving from factories and repair bases, which were immediately distributed between the units. These tanks were painted with 4B0 green paint, no camouflage was applied to them.
The 5th mechanized corps, which arrived in the western part of the USSR from the Trans-Baikal Military District, was originally intended for the Southwestern Front (the 109th motorized division of the 5th mechanized corps even managed to fight on it. - Author's note), however, due to the difficult position in Belarus 5 microns was transferred to the Western Front. In three tank and one motorized divisions of the corps (except for 2 regular tank divisions of 5 microns, the 57th separate Red Banner tank division of the ZabVO was operatively subordinate. - Ed. Note) there were 924 tanks. This vehicle was painted 4BO green, without the use of complex camouflage. In the 109th motorized division, large tactical white three-digit numbers were used, which were applied to the sides of the turrets of BT-5 tanks.
The brave crew of the T-34/76 tank (from left to right): tower gunner K. L. Levin, radio operator F. F. Ishkov, driver-mechanic A. Proshin and platoon commander Lieutenant I. Chuvashev. They destroyed 5 tanks and 2 anti-tank guns of the enemy. 2 white vertical marks are visible on the tower. Western Front, 107th Panzer Division, July 1941 (AVL).
5 and 7 MK from July 6 entered the battle, trying to defeat the enemy group in the area of the settlements of Lepel-Senno. The 1st Proletarian Moscow Motorized Rifle Division fought independently in the Orsha area. Despite the fact that our tankers fought bravely and even advanced a little to the west, the counterstrike of the mechanized corps did not develop. Under continuous attacks of enemy aviation, suffering heavy losses, the mechanized corps covered the withdrawal of the combined arms armies to new lines of defense.
From the second decade of July to mid-September 1941, the Battle of Smolensk unfolded on the Western Defense Front of the Soviet armies (July 10 - September 10, 1941. - Author's note). Fearing new encirclements, the command of the Red Army persistently sought to seize the initiative in the theater of operations. However, for the counterattacks, fresh armored formations were needed, which were formed in the rear on the basis of the 25th mechanized corps from the Kharkov military district, the 23rd mechanized corps from the Oryol military district and the 27th mechanized corps of the Central Asian military district. The directorates of these mechanized corps, after arriving at the front, were disbanded, and on the basis of the most equipped with equipment tank divisions (23, 25, 27 MK had only old worn-out tanks of the combat training park. - Ed.) Formed new armored formations: 104th (from 9 td 27 microns), 105th (from 53 td 27 microns), 110th (from 51 td 23 microns), 50th (25 microns), 55th (25 microns). 101st and 102nd tank divisions, which also formed on the basis of the 52nd and 56th tank divisions of the 26th mechanized corps of the North Caucasus District, 107th tank division, renamed from the 69th motorized division, 108th a tank division (previously 59 TD of the Far Eastern District) appeared on the Western Front as separate divisions in mid-July 1941.
The 109th separate tank division appeared on the Western Front a little later - on August 30, 1941. The very same typical separate tank division according to state number 010/44 dated July 6, 1941 had 215 tanks, of which 20 KB, 42 T-34, 153 T-26 and BT.
T-34/76 of the 101st Panzer Division of the Red Army, supported by 45-mm anti-tank guns (model 1932), are preparing to attack the enemy. The tactical number "11" is visible on the turret of the tank. Western Front, July 1941 (RGAKFD).
In reality, the composition of the newly formed formations ranged from 180-220 tanks and armored vehicles for each armored division. They contained tanks of both old and new brands. For example, 109 TD on August 30, 1941 had 7 KB, 20T-34, 82T-26, 13XT-130, 22 BT-2-5-7, 10 T-40, 10 BA-10 and 13 light armored vehicles. Most of the equipment was painted with green paint 4BO, occasionally tactical numbers (for example, "11" or "365") or slogan inscriptions: "Hit the fascists!", "Hit the fascist reptile!" us!" etc. There were also nowadays unsolved tactical systems in the form of two vertical rectangles (maybe the 2nd battalion), painted on each side of the tank turret with white paint …
In August 1941, due to heavy losses, some tank formations began to be transferred to the states of motorized rifle divisions. A tank regiment of such a division on a reduced staff from July 6, 1941 had 93 tanks: 7 KB, 22 T-34, 64 BT and T-26. The 1st Moscow Proletarian Division, the 101st and 107th Panzer Divisions became motorized rifle divisions. The 82nd motorized rifle division of the pre-war formation, which did not include a tank regiment, but a tank battalion, arrived in the western direction in September 1941.
Also at the end of August 1941, the first separate tank brigades began to form, which, according to state number 010/78, included a separate tank regiment of three battalions: 7 KB, 22 T-34, 64 T-26, BT. And if only individual tank divisions took part in the initial phase of the Smolensk battle, then at the beginning of September 1941, the 108th Panzer Division entered the shock armored group of the Bryansk Front, which, along with the Western and Reserve Fronts from August 16, acted against the Germans in the western direction, included the 108th Panzer Division, The 141st Panzer Brigade and the 113th Panzer Brigade of the 3rd Army, as well as the 50th Panzer Division and the 43rd Panzer Brigade in the 13th Army. This group was tasked with defeating the 2nd tank group (tank army) of the "scoundrel Guderian", which could break through to the rear of the troops of the Southwestern Front. But the forces and skills were clearly not enough - Guderian's tank divisions managed to withstand the blow and outflank the troops of the huge South-Western Front. The first victory came to the Soviet troops in a different sector - on August 30, the 24th and 43rd armies of the Reserve Front resumed their offensive in the Yelnitsky direction. The 24th Army included the 102nd, 105th Panzer Divisions and the 103rd Motorized Division, and the 43rd Army included the 104th and 109th Panzer Divisions. On September 5, the enemy, unable to withstand the blows of the Soviet troops, began a hasty retreat. The 24th Army of the Red Army liberated Yelnya and by September 8 had eliminated the dangerous Yelnitsky ledge. On September 10, the troops of the Western, Reserve and Bryansk fronts went over to the defensive. The battle of Smolensk was over, both sides began to prepare for the battle for Moscow.
Heavy tank KV-1 produced in autumn 1940. Equipped with a 76.2 mm L-11 cannon. The combat vehicle belongs to the 104th Panzer Division of the Red Army, commanded by Colonel V. G. Burkov. Tank "Beat the Nazis!", Probably belonged to the commissar 104 td A. S. Davidenko. Central Front, Kachalov's group, July-August 1941 (AVL).
Despite the enormity of the operations being carried out, the tanks and armored vehicles of the Red Army during the battle for Moscow (October 2, 1942) were painted rather uniformly. And there is an explanation for this fact - the high dynamics of the events taking place.
The main armored formation used during the Battle of Moscow was a tank brigade. Some of these armored brigades (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25 tank brigades) were formed according to state number 010/87, according to which the tank regiment consisted of two tank battalions and had 61 tanks: 7 KB, 22 T-34, 32 T-26, BT-5/7, T-40. But tanks were sorely lacking, so on October 9, 1941, a new state number 010/306 appeared, according to which the brigade consisted of two tank, motorized rifle battalions and 4 separate companies, a total of 46 tanks: 10 KB, 16 T-34, 20 T-26, BT, T-40. According to this structure, the famous 4th Tank Brigade (later the 1st Guards Tank Brigade. - Ed.) Was reorganized under the command of Colonel M. E. Katukov. On October 3, 1941, the tank regiment of the brigade (state number 010/87) formed in September 1941 had 2 battalions and only 49 tanks (close to state number 010/306?) KB, T-34, T-60, BT-7 … Many armored brigades had similar inconsistencies between state and reality, which made it difficult to establish consistency in tactical and identification signs.
Before being sent to the front, tankers cover light amphibious T-40 tanks with camouflage nets. On August 28, the first echelons of the 109th Panzer Division arrived at the Reserve Front, as part of the 43rd Army. End of August 1941 (AVL).
Most of the materiel of individual tank brigades that fought on the Western, Reserve and Bryansk fronts, and later on the Western, Bryansk and Kalinin (created on October 19, 1941. - Ed.) Fronts were painted with green paint 4BO and had no camouflage, with the exception of small tricolor 57-mm self-propelled guns ZiS-ZO. Winter on the western theater of operations came unusually early. Already in mid-October, the first snow fell, and at the end of the month, due to the stable snow cover, it became necessary to paint armored vehicles white or apply special winter camouflage.
Spots and patterns for winter camouflage were applied according to the following rules.
In winter camouflage painting, on a previously camouflaged surface, all green spots were evenly painted over with white paint, and a diamond-shaped grid was applied to yellow-earthy and dark brown spots with white paint. The direction of the white stripes forming the grid had to be varied: it was not possible to apply only vertical or horizontal stripes, mainly only oblique stripes were applied.
The distances between the white stripes of the diamond-shaped grid were provided for by the following standards (see table 1):
|
TABLE 1 Width of the white stripe in cm |
Distance between white stripes in cm | |
| On dark brown spots | On yellow-earthy spots | |
| 1 | 6, 5 | 3, 5 |
| 1, 5 | 10, 0 | 5, 0 |
With winter camouflage painting on a smoothly painted green surface, when the material part did not have time to be painted in 3 colors with summer camouflage paints, they did the following.
The markings for the three-color camouflage were applied with chalk to the armor of the tank. The spots that were marked green were painted over with white paint; the spots marked for earthy yellow and dark brown were covered with a white diamond mesh. The distances between the white stripes of the diamond-shaped grid should have been as follows (see table 2):
|
TABLE 2 Width of white stripes in cm |
Distance between the edges of the white stripes in cm | |
| On stains meant for dark brown | On spots destined for an earthy yellow color | |
| 1 | 8, 5 | 2, 5 |
| 1, 5 | 13 | 4 |
The painting was carried out depending on the nature of the terrain where the fighting was taking place. In the event that these were open areas covered with white snow, it was allowed to paint the object in a solid white color, or the distance between the white stripes of the diamond-shaped grid was reduced by applying additional stripes.
With the transition of parts from open places to closed ones (forest, shrub, settlement), it was envisaged to remove an additionally applied solid white coating and additionally applied stripes.
With the transition of parts to snowless areas and with the onset of spring (after the snow melted), the white paint was completely removed by wiping with rags moistened with water or kerosene.
In reality, with the onset of winter, only some of the tanks were painted white or winter camouflage. Most of the photographs are about the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, known for its exploits and tank aces (Lavrinenko, Burda, Lyubushkin) formation.
Heavy tank KB (with the inscription on the tower "Beat the fascist reptile!") And the medium tank T-34/76 (with the inscription on the tower "Beat the fascists") are conducting exercises to overcome anti-tank ditches and natural obstacles. Reserve Front, 43rd Army, 109th Panzer Division, September 1941 (AVL).
During the same period, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade recorded 3 types of winter coloring: according to the instructions - white and "mesh" spots (this is how most T-34 tanks were painted), white (KB tanks) and dark green vehicles (armored vehicle of the BA-10 reconnaissance company). In particular, on the BA-10 unpainted in white camouflage, tactical designations are visible, which are characteristic of the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, and subsequently the 1st Guards Tank Corps and the 1st Guards Tank Army deployed on its base. This sign was a rhombus divided into 2 triangles. In the upper part of such a "fraction" there was a number indicating the number of the battalion, company or platoon (in the reconnaissance of the brigade there were 6-7 armored vehicles), and in the lower part - the tactical number of the tank. Thus, the BA-10 shown in the photo was probably the 2nd vehicle of the 3rd armored car platoon of the reconnaissance company. Also on this armored car, on the roof of the tower, a white rectangle is visible - an airborne identification mark. In other brigades, for example, in the 5th tank brigade, the air identification mark was a triangle, less often a circle was used. On a green car, aerial identification signs were applied with white paint, and on a white one, on the contrary, they were left green or painted with red paint. Red paint was also used in the 1st Guards Tank Brigade; tactical designations were sometimes applied to it on the sides of the turrets painted in winter camouflage of tanks. In other armored formations, tactical numbers were used in white, yellow or red. For example, on fighter tanks (T-34 with a long-barreled 57-mm cannon ZiS-4. - Approx. Auth.) T-34/57 from the 21st tank brigade, two-digit tactical numbers were applied with white paint on the sides of the tank hull. The vehicle of the commander of a tank regiment of the 21st brigade, Major Lukin, had tactical number "20".
Of the three tank divisions that fought near Moscow (58, 108, 112 etc.), most of the photos are for the 112th Panzer Division.
The 112th Panzer Division was formed in the Far East in August 1941. The base for the formation of this formation was the 112th Tank Regiment of the 239th Motorized Division of the 30th Mechanized Corps of the Far Eastern Front (this is how, despite the absence, the war was called the union of Soviet troops in the Far East. - Ed.). In October 1941, together with the 58th Panzer Division, the 112th Panzer Division was sent to the Western Front near Moscow. On November 5, 1941, having 210 T-26 tanks, as well as BA-10, BA-6 and BA-20 armored vehicles, the division began hostilities in the Podolsk region as part of a mobile group of the Western Front. She transferred part of her equipment to other units and formations. Subsequently, she fought in the Tula region, striking the 17th Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht, as part of the 50th Army participated in the Soviet offensive near Moscow, on December 21, its tanks were the first to break into Kaluga. In early January 1942, together with other tank divisions operating on the Western Front, it was reorganized into the 112th Tank Brigade.
Tanks T-26 and armored vehicles BA-20 had a camouflage of green and white spots, most likely these strip-like spots were applied with a brush upon arrival at the front.
The BA-10 armored vehicles were roughly covered with white paint entirely - brush strokes were clearly visible on them. Tanks T-34/76, which arrived for replenishment, were painted with green paint 4B0 and had three-digit tactical numbers applied in white paint along the sides of the turret.
Heavy tank KB "Victory will be ours" and its heroic crew (from left to right): Red Army soldiers A. V. Katyshev, N. I. Singe, Sergeant I. A. Pilyaev and military technician of the 2nd rank K. E. Khokhlov. The inscriptions on the sides of the turret are not identical. Reserve Front, September 1941 (AVL).
In addition to armored formations, 4 motorized rifle divisions of the 1st (later 1st Guards) and 82nd pre-war formations, 101st and 107th, reorganized from reduced tank formations, participated in the battle near Moscow. As mentioned above, their structure also had armored units and subunits.
As part of separate motorized rifle brigades, the tank battalion had 32 tanks - 12 T-34 and 20 T-26, BT, T-40. Such brigades in the battle of Moscow were attended by 3: 151, 152nd and a separate motorized rifle.
Separate tank battalions (Soviet-made tanks) were formed according to the state number 010/85, approved on August 23, 1941 and had 3 tank companies and three separate platoons, a total of 29 tanks: 9 T-34 and 20 light of various brands. In addition, in the structure of some rifle divisions there were separate tank companies of headquarters security, numbering 15 T-37, T-38, less often T-27, T-26 or armored vehicles. Similar companies were also part of the guard battalions of the army headquarters, but they had a little more equipment - a 17-21 tank or an armored car.
Tank KV-1 is fighting in the forest. Painted green 4BO. There are no designations. Western Front, 9th Tank Brigade, end of October 1941 (AVL).
Disguise with branches of the T-26 tank of the 1938 model. Western Front, 112th Panzer Division, November 1941 (RGAKFD).
The crew of the T-34/76 tank from the 8th Tank Brigade is clarifying the combat mission. The combat vehicle is already painted white. Below is the same car. On the tower, you can see a similarity of a red triangle for aerial identification. Kalinin Front, October 1941 (RGAKFD).
As for the materiel of tank units, its composition was quite variegated. During the battles, the entire gamut of armored vehicles produced in the USSR before the start of the war was used: T-26 of all types, BT-2, BT-5, BT-7, T-37, T-38, T-40, T-27 (as tractors for 45 mm guns), T-28 (in small quantities), T-50, T-34, KB, BA-3, BA-6, BA-10, BA-20, FAI, armored tractors T -20 "Komsomolets" and even such "rarities" as tanks MS-1 and armored vehicles BA-27. In general, everything that could drive and shoot, even prototypes of tanks located at the Kubinka training ground, for example, A-20 and T-29, went into action. In addition, the battles near Moscow were the first in which new models of tanks created in wartime conditions were used - these are the T-30 and T-60. Moreover, if the T-60 tanks were subsequently used in large numbers on other fronts, then in terms of the number of T-30s (and its floating counterpart T-40) participating in the battles in the battle for Moscow, there was no equal. In August-November 1941, at least 40% of the T-40 and 80% of the T-30 from all manufactured ones arrived in the tank units of the Red Army operating in the Moscow direction.
Tank T-34/57 with a 57-mm ZiS-4 cannon, knocked out near the village of Turginovo on October 17, 1941. The vehicle belonged to the commander of the tank regiment of the 21st tank brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union, Major Lukin. Moscow direction, Kalinin area, October 1941 (AVL).
The BA-20M armored car is conducting reconnaissance of the area. Western Front, October-November 1941 (RGAKFD).
On the eve of the December counteroffensive of Soviet troops near Moscow, armored vehicles of British production appeared on the fronts: 145 MK II Matilda II tanks, 216 MK III Valentine II / 1V, as well as 330 MK I Universal light armored personnel carriers. The first vehicles (no more than 50 tanks. - Ed.) Went into battle in November 1941, and later British tanks were widely used in battles in this theater of operations. So on the Western Front on December 31, 1941, British tanks were included in the 146th (2 T-34, 10 T-60, 4 MK III), 20th (1 T-34, 1 T-26, 1 T- 60, 2 MK III, 1 BA-20), 23rd (1 T-34, 5 MK III) tank brigades operating in battle formations 16.49th and 3rd armies, as well as as part of the 112th tank division (1 KB, 8 T-26, 6 MK III) attached to the 50 Army. Tanks MK II "Matilda" were in the 136th separate tank battalion.
The crew of the KB: V. A. Shchekaturov - tank commander, I. Ya. Malyshev - minder, I. A. Skachkov - driver-mechanic, I. A. Kochetkov - gun commander, I. I. Ivanov is a radio operator. Western Front, 1st Motorized Rifle Division, October-November 1941 (RGAKFD).
A column of T-34/76 tanks produced by STZ (vehicle in the foreground with tactical number "211") moves to the starting lines for the attack. Western Front, October 1941 (AVL).
On the Northwestern Front, which operated as part of a single operation during the Soviet counteroffensive near Moscow, there were the 170th and 171st separate tank battalions, also equipped with British-made armored vehicles.
Light tank BT-7 in ambush. Western Front, 1941 (AVL).
KB tank crews take places in their combat vehicles. Tactical numbers "204" and "201" are marked with red paint on the turrets of the tanks. Combat vehicles are painted white. Western Front, December 1941 (AVL).
170 rebounds (10 T-60, 13 MK II) were assigned to the 3rd Shock Army, and 171 rebounds (10 T-60, 12 MK II and 9 MK III) - to the 4th Shock Army, which were transferred from the end of February to to the Kalinin Front. Armored personnel carriers MK I "Universal" were distributed to reconnaissance companies of tank brigades (including those equipped only with Soviet equipment) at the rate of 2-3 vehicles per brigade.
On the Soviet-German front, British equipment was painted with white paint (whitewashed) in two ways: completely, with painting over British registration plates and partially, when, to save paint, the upper part of the hull and the turret were painted. Sometimes, during winter whitewashing, British registration plates were covered with a rectangular stencil. As for the green paint Bronze Green, which was used to paint British tanks, it was quite satisfactory for the Soviet military - the 1st Motorized Rifle Division, in October-November, repainting on 4BO was carried out only during major repairs.
The BA-10 armored car is conducting reconnaissance of the area. The camouflage paint consists of white amoeba-like spots applied to the 4B0 protective green paint. Western Front, December 1941 (AVL).
Armored car BA-20 from the 112th Panzer Division of the Red Army. The camouflage pattern consists of white stripes applied to a 4BO base green background. Western Front, December 1941 (AVL).
Regarding the application of stains, they should have a winding contour and be varied in their outlines and sizes, distorting the most familiar appearance of the material part.
The ratio of color spots: green (4BO) - 45-55% of the entire area of the painted object, yellow-earthy (7K) - 15-30% of the entire surface area of the object, dark brown (6K) - 15-30% of the object surface.
The characteristic parts of the tank are straight lines and angles, turret, hull, gun barrel, rollers, etc. had to be stained with spots of various colors.
The general direction of the spot (elongated) should not be parallel to the contour of the object, but should have been a combination of angles with it. Spots of the same color and similar in size or shape should not have been arranged symmetrically.
The spots had to be closed, located inside the outline of one face of the object, and open, cut off by the face of the object.
Open spots must necessarily go over the adjacent faces of the object, that is, capture at least two faces. The protruding corners, made up of several planes, in ordinary objects are painted mainly in dark colors.
The top of the protruding corner should not coincide with the center of the spot.
On permanently shaded parts of the object, spots of the most contrasting colors are applied - yellow and brown.
The correct scheme for applying camouflage to an object. Spot 1 is closed, spots 2, 3, 4, 5 are open.
Incorrect scheme for applying camouflage to the object. Spots 1, 2 - the same shape and color, spot 3 - parallel to the face of the object.
Correct spot placement on multiple faces of an object.
Wrong position of the spot on several faces of the object (the center of the corner coincides with the apex of the corner).
When the spot is located on several faces, the center of the spot should not coincide with the apex of the spot.
Depending on the pre-planned calculated range (as a rule, from 300 to 1000 m) and the effect of painting, the size of the spots is determined according to the table.
When applying winter camouflage (as mentioned above), all green spots should have been evenly painted over with white paint, and on yellow-earthy and dark brown spots, “painted over with a white diamond mesh”. The direction of the white stripes forming the grid had to be varied: it was not possible to apply only vertical or horizontal stripes, it was necessary to make mainly oblique stripes.
If the positions of the tank units were located in open areas covered with clean snow, then it was possible to paint over the object in solid white or reduce the distance between the white stripes by applying additional stripes.
T-26 tanks of various years of production, belonging to the 112th Panzer Division of the Red Army. They all have a two-tone white and green camouflage pattern. Western Front, December 1941.
Tanks T-34/76 in positions and in the workshop of a repair enterprise. They are painted in winter camouflage camouflage in accordance with regulatory documents - part of the green surface of 4BO is covered with whitewash, and part of the "mesh" of white thin stripes. Most likely, the tanks belong to the 1st Guards (4th Tank) Tank Brigade. Western Front, December 1941 (RGAKFD).
Heavy tank KV-2 by some miracle "survived" until the winter of 1941. The combat vehicle is painted in white and green camouflage, despite which it has already been knocked out by the Germans. Western Front, December 1941 (RGAKFD).
Light tank T-30 Lieutenant Ivanov in ambush. It is painted white and camouflaged with bricks cut from the snow. Western Front, December 1941 (RGAKFD).
Tanks T-40 on the march. The vehicles are painted in white camouflage without any identification marks. Western Front, presumably 5th Army, January 1942 (RGAKFD).
57-mm self-propelled gun ZiS-ZO. It is painted in a standard three-color camouflage of green (4B0), earthy yellow (7K) and dark brown (6K) spots. Western Front, December 1941 (RGAKFD).
British tanks MK III "Valentine II" in the battle for Moscow. Bronze Green paint is brushed with white paint. The English registration number was usually kept (one of the photographs shows the number - "T27685"). Western direction, November-December 1941 (AVL).
Tanks MK II "Matilda II" on the Soviet-German front. The cars are camouflaged with white paint. It can be seen that the whitewashing was done with a brush. Western direction, December 1941 (RGAKFD).
Damaged Soviet tank T-34/76 with additional shielding of the front of the hull. Most likely, the combat vehicle was produced at factory 183. The tank was painted according to the instructions on winter camouflage. Western Front, early 1942 (AVL).
