Russian Thompsons ?

In the Men at Arms Red Army book there`s a pic of some soviet tankers armed with Stuart tanks and Thompsons. It looks quite posed so could`ve been a publicity shot for lend lease etc.

from some of the equipment, vehicles still held in the east - surely it's time to "lend-back"? cheap firearms, kit even tanks etc

You have Rusky kit already? How come you're not coming to Bryansk? Its not far for you either.

I just watched the world at war about Stalingrad, and it quoted one of the German officers saying "suddenly a load of Russian tommy guns were turning up, where were they coming from ?" if that helps.

The Germans called the PPD and PPSh 'Tomy-guns', so I think that's what he'll have meant.

And Brits often referred to MP40s as Tommy guns too.

Stens were also referred to as tommy guns...

Its just slang for SMG really...

Ah i see

I think the Thompson Yith bought off Ste D was a Russian import it had been stored down a salt mine since the war and was never used.

I heard they have a lot of stuff still down a salt mine in the Ukraine and it has to go or they are going to just let it flood as it is costing too much to keep pumping the ground water out.

Comrades,
Lease lend Weapon Systems were issued with the lease lend vehicles they equipped, Other Weapons were issued to Second line Troops and Organ's of State Security, as their Ammunition use was limited in line with the amounts supplied.
Western supplied Arms were used by NKVD in rear rears, footage of the Blockage of Leningrad show this, ( British P14 Rifles).
Normal Rifle Formations used State produced Arms.

Navy I assume?

Any idea of date and location?

Does any body have the picture of the Ruskies on the Stuart with the Thompsons ?

Listed as Ukraine, Summer 1942. They`re also wearing US tank helmets.

Both of those pictures look totally posed. Firing a Thompson like that is not advised!

I've seen airsofters strike that pose even in airsoft it looks wrong

Yes the guy in the tanker pic is about to get a black eye. Or at least he would if he actually fired the weapon. The pic is from a well know set of belived to be staged photos. I don't think any tanker in their right mind would park up like that if they thought there was the possibilty of getting bombed.

As for the other photo; although it is possible naval personnel were issued with Thompsons I'd agree this is a posed photo of what may be naval infantry.

I assumed the naval chaps were some of the ones who were turned into, and fought as, infantry to stem the German tide. So would be armed with what the infantry could be - and being turned into infantry en masse be more lifely to be armed with lend lease weapons.

Yes most Naval Infantry were simply sailors fighting in an ad-hoc infantry role defending the port in which they were based- and were usually either destroyed with the city of disbanded if relieved. Its quite possible they would have been armed with whatever was available in port which could have included lend lease weapons.

They usually fought in their black naval uniform but these chaps seem to have a mix of army and naval gear. That means they'e either been in the line for a long time and have had to replace worn out naval kit with army stuff, or more likely given the way they look are marines. Russian marines were still called naval infantry but they tended to be better trained and equipped and often used a mix of kit to suit their needs.

I knew I have saw a post about russian thompsons, I have found this pictures but are the same you already have post navy thompsons photo has legend beneat it hope is of some help to you and the last picture is of russians on a brengun carrier.

http://www.ww2incolor.com/soviet-union/ ... 53882.html

http://www.ww2incolor.com/soviet-union/ ... _2%23.html

http://www.ww2incolor.com/soviet-union/ ... _1%23.html

Ps: I even found a picture of a russian pilot geting in the cockpit of a hurricane whit brit markings still on it maybe he was in a "hurri" to shot down german pilots xD