"Red Stars on Russian Tanks?" Topic

I am by no means an expert, but I do enjoy pushing Russian tanks around on the table top. I'm stripping the paint off a collection of used armor and I am going to be repainting them. I've noticed something in my research, and I'd like to compare notes with others…

I prefer to use combat photos as my primary sources of reference, as opposed to units on "parade display" or photos from museums, as these depict the actual units as they were in the field.

Something I have noticed is the near absolute lack of red stars on Russian vehicles (aircraft aside). Is this because they are red stars on green tanks in black and white photos and so they wash out, or was adding the stars something that happened later during the cold war?

I think the stars made very good targets!

Strangely, I believe that red stars were much more prelavent on Lend Leasr tanks than on "normal " commie tanks.

As were white stars

I put stars on my tanks cos I like the look

Red Stars were very uncommon on ww2 Soviet tanks, their prevalence increased a bit as the war progressed. As above, lend lease kit was another matter, possibly due to the unfamiliar profile.

I'm sure there are others more expert on Soviet armor but my reading agrees with Martin, stars were uncommon. They did like slogans though, unit markings and air recognition stripes (top of the turret usually) can also brighten the drab green paint jobs.

What Martin said.

They appear to have had them on (at least T-35's) before the war and after it, so I guess they managed to work out that is made a great aiming point.

Previous thread has some interesting info on red stars on Russian equipment
TMP link

Yes, I know they had them on some kit. Products of heroic Soviet labour efforts like the T35 would be just the sort of thing to plaster in stars.