| Jemima Fawr | 16 Nov 2012 2:05 p.m. PST |
Does anyone happen to know how the Soviet vehicle numbering system worked? If it matters, I'm looking at the mid-1980s. |
| nickinsomerset | 16 Nov 2012 2:59 p.m. PST |
We used to collect turret numbers on the Berliner, keen as mustard on the way out, bad hungover on the way back! I cannot remember details though, but I am looking at a T-64 – 303, Tally Ho! |
| Jemima Fawr | 16 Nov 2012 3:08 p.m. PST |
I never got any further east than RAF Wildenrath, but I've heard the legends… I'm surprised you could see anything at all on the return journey, or were they all strangely six-digit numbers on the way back…? ;o) On the surface, the Soviet numbering scheme seems to be broadly similar to the WW2 German numbering scheme (company, platoon, vehicle), but there are some curve-balls in photos (also true of WW2 German numbers!). I was also wondering what numbers the regimental support companies such as AA, AT, Recce, etc might have had. |
| Lion in the Stars | 16 Nov 2012 5:22 p.m. PST |
Or was the operative answer to close one eye to get them down to 3 numbers? |
| Neroon | 16 Nov 2012 9:42 p.m. PST |
The way it was explained to me (so many years ago it seems) was that the first digit (or first two in the case of four digit codes) identifies the battalion. Battalions are typically numbered sequencially within the division. ie in a Tank Division with three tank regiments each with three tank battalions each with three tank companies. The last two digits indicate the individual tank within the battalion, numbered sequencially, with a range of numbers for each company. The system is deliberately opaque in order to preserve operational security. The Soviets did not adopt the german numbering system of company-platoon-individual tank. Or so I was told. YMMV. cheers |
| (Jake Collins of NZ 2) | 17 Nov 2012 12:46 p.m. PST |
It was chaos theory – as with so much else relating to the USSR IN THE cOLD wAR. Different units were using different schemes. |
| Jemima Fawr | 17 Nov 2012 2:02 p.m. PST |
That's the sort of information I like: carte blanche to make it up! :o) Thanks guys! |
| Sparker | 17 Nov 2012 2:48 p.m. PST |
Is it possible there was an element of 'maskirova' involved? I know that with the Red Banner Fleet side numbers on surface vessels were regularly changed to 'alarm and confuse' the capitalist lackeys in NATO… not so much alarmed and confused as bored… 'Pass the orbat file Smudge, the Admiral Tributs has changed its pennant number again – but wet the tea first mate…its like the Gobi desert in here' Although we did get confused as a newt after every watch cycle, stumbling down 'Route Alfa' in Portsmouth and Southsea to our eventual destination, Joanna's Nightclub, the 'Royal Naval School of Dancing'…. |
| HistoryPhD | 17 Nov 2012 10:38 p.m. PST |
Then this all begs the question, did the other WarPac nations use the same system (or the same lack of a system, depending on how you look at it)? |
| CAG 19 | 25 Nov 2012 2:09 p.m. PST |
Going back a long time I remember asking this on the Yahoo SH Group. Answer from a trusted source was that it was made up on the fly with a great deal of latitude being granted to the Regimental Commander link link |
| Andy Rix | 30 Nov 2012 10:50 p.m. PST |
Run a translator over this it's one of the better articles on the subject I have found link There's a good translation on the guild link Bottom line is its confusing because there were several different methods employed |
has been itching for a small Soviet project!
