Tuesday 15 November 2011

WW2 Painted Soviet Airborne Infantry Squad.

A squad of soviet airborne infantry from TQD Models, difficult to find much painting information (well for me anyway) on the airborne but lovely figures and will probably mix them with my partisan forces, this apparently happened in 1943 after a drop went wrong around the Dneiper river as part of a major offensive. Really nice figures.


The Soviets mounted only one large-scale airborne operation in World War Two, despite their early leadership in the field in the 1930s. The Axis air superiority early in the conflict limited the ability of the Soviets to mount such operations, whilst later in the conflict ongoing shortages of materiel, including silk for parachutes, reduced the ability of the Soviet airborne to operate. Nonetheless, the Soviets maintained their doctrinal belief in the effectiveness of airborne forces, as part of their concept of deep battle”, throughout the war. The largest drop during the war was corp-sized, and was not successful (the Vyaz'ma Operation, the 4th Airborne Corps). Airborne formations were used as elite infantry units, however and played a critical role in several battles. For example, at the Battle of Kursk the defence of the eastern 'shoulder' of the southern penetration by Guards Airborne units was critical to holding back the German penetration. The Soviet military sent at least one team of observers to witness British and American airborne planning for D-Day but took pains not to reciprocate the liaison.
Russia pioneered the development of combat gliders, but used them only for cargo during the war.









52 comments:

  1. Nice models. You sure dig out some of the more obscure figures!

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  2. They look really wonderfull. Excellent painted!

    Greetings
    Peter
    http://peterscave.blogspot.com/

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  3. Excellent painted minis!

    I´m honoured to have found my way in to your blog list:)

    Best regards Dalauppror

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  4. WoW - what a great addition. These could be incorporated into a lovely alternate history game in a Arnhem style scenario into Poland or Prussia!

    Well painted too mate, nice one.

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  5. They look good in amongst the ruined building.

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  6. Very nice figures Fran. Really like the paint work too.

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  7. Nice figs, like the one in pic 4 the most, well done mate!

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  8. I can join only to my previous speakers... the figures look really very good and realistic in the ruins. Great work!

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  9. Yes Angry, very sweet painting my friend, but where are the striped t-shirts, jokes aside, these are cool WW2 figures.

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  10. Good good work there Fran!!
    T.

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  11. Heh heh penetration.

    Very nice work there Angry.

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  12. That's a sharp group of commies.

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  13. Right, I'd like to see you work THEM into your Sealion campaign! I dare ya!

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  14. @Thomas Nissvik: There's quite a poor rumour on the internet thet the soviet airborne divisions were being held back to invade Great Britain.

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  15. They're looking good. Air superiority was one of the things that really helped us win the war.

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  16. Oooh, Molotov-Ribbentrop being an alliance rather than a non-aggression pact?

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  17. gotta love the brave Soviets!

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  18. Super job! Airborne of all nationalities were my favourite troops of WWII.

    Christopher

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  19. Very cool miniatures with a nice paint job to boot.

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  20. They sure convey being a tough looking unit. Nice work on the subtle camo. Best, Dean

    P.S. I'm with Christopher - Airborne units are cool to represent.

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  21. The third guy looks like he is dancing! lol.

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  22. I can only agree nice figures and an excellent paint job...

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  23. Great looking figures and top paint job. Paratroops were dropped to reinforce Partisan units so no issues for you using them with them

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  24. I especially like the figure that's in the middle of a yell.

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  26. Really nice figs and an excellent historical overview. Very enlightening and instructive!

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  27. They look good, pretty vast selection of poses.

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  28. I know. I know. It's the Gen X in me. But it's just amazing to think of the Russians as allies in WW II.

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  29. Now you see no readily available reference material would floor me but you go charging in there and once again produce top notch results. Hats off Sir.

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  30. Interesting unit, you keep surprising me with out of the mainstream projects
    The figures seem just ok from the sculpting point of view but the painting job is great

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  31. Excellent work - very impressive figures, I will have to look them up...nice one!

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  32. Sweet,
    Do these guys have the mickey mouse uniforms too?

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  33. I didn't even know the Russians had an Airborne Division?? Nice work Fran!!

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  34. those pictures look clear as hell, you just using a normal camera?

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  35. This is the first I've heard about Russian airborne troops, but those expressions they have are awesome.

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  36. Fantastic work. 'Specially love the faces. Great job.

    Nick

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  37. My sources tell me that third one is wearing ladies underwear underneath his uniform!!

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  38. Great stuff Angry - they're great looking figures and really well painted. They did do a few small actions but other than the failed Vy'asma op nothing more than a brigade size drop. Pity when you see the old pics of them climbing out on the wings of the old Antonovs and jumping in their hundreds a decade earlier! Most of the Russian transport aircraft needed were destroyed on the ground in the first few months of the war and they never rebuilt the fleet - more's the pity. Still, you could game them - recreate a Russian version of Crete in the Crimea for instance. I'll wait 'till you post the piccies of that one! ;-)

    Cheerz
    Doc

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  39. Very interesting, I didn't know Russians actually used their airborne infantry for parachute drops. It's raining men and PPSH!

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