Afghanistan Soviet Mabuta uniform (1980's)
 

Hey guys,

I was thinking on a Soviet VDV Paratrooper 1980's Afghan loadout for skirmishing in and was wondering if the Para's ever used the Mabuta? And did they ever use insignia on it (i.e blue collar tabs and shoulder boards, arm patch)?

I have seen the Osprey "russias war in afghanistan" book and they have paratroopers in battle dress with the blue insignia but it seems to be a special paratrooper light shirt (olive khaki like the normal army field dress) rather than the mabuta.

I think it is true (in my humble opinion) that the Sooviets never really had a "correct" loadout and the service branches would chop and change to how conditions or supplies varied?

I have a chance to get the Mabuta set in my size, and if the para's never used it then i will use it for Motor infantry if need be (but I really want to wear the blue beret!)

Thanks for your time,

I have a Discovery Channel docu about the Paras in Afghanistan, and I only saw Mabuta uniforms once in the docu and it was at some ceremony. Rest of the time they had Afghanka and some sort of OD Gorka

VDV and SpN GRU both used mabuta in Afghanistan with the VDV insignia (SpN often "masquaraded" themselves as regular VDV). I wouldn't stick Motor Rifles insignia on a mabuta, that would be a sacrilige :)

A VDV/SpN loadout would be simple enough to put together - mabuta, VDV "tel'nyashka" striped undershirt, Chicom "lifchik" LBV or a Soviet copy if you can find one, RD54, blue Adidas sneakers or a Soviet "Kimry" copy if you're lucky to locate a pair, a SSh68 helmet, AKMS or AKS74, then throw in a KLMK if you want.

Ah Igor01, always to the rescue!

would I be okay to put blue collar tabs and shoulder boards on also for the Mabuta VDV Paratrooper look? or is that maybe a step too far?

I know the Soviet soldier loved their badges, braid and medals, and wore them when they could get away with it!

I know the soldier would prefer sneakers, but you will be glad to know I have mastered the art of boot foot wraps from the diagrams you gave me, so the high boots or Para Jack boots will be worn!

(my feet bled for a while till I got it right: 2 pairs of light socks to stop the friction and hence no blisters, and a heavy cloth wrapped as per your instructions) The boots, I have to admit, are actually one of my most comfortable skirmish footwear to use now I know the secret.

I have them, and also a blue paratrooper beret. Check out the Ukrainian soldier loadout for the striped shirt and Afghan chest rig.

Hey there's a recent movie called the 9th compagny showing Russian paras in afghanistan. Pretty Nice I can say. We see there gear a lot. Maybe it could help you.

A fine film ww2warrior!

I have seen it, but unfortunately dont own it (working on that however)

No problem at all with using the VDV insignia and patches. There were a few different uniforms used and trialed in TurkVO military district and later Afghanistan in the 70s and 80s, so if you have a reasonable reproduction of the period "mabuta" (might yours be a Ukrainian copy perhaps?), add the VDV collar tabs/sleeve patch/shoulder boards and a white undercollar (just a folded piece of white cotton fabric and you're good to go. I wouldn't put anything else like the various distinction badges, medals and so on, those were ok on a "dembel'" uniform worn by demobilised soldiers on their way back home but would not be appropriate on what presumably is a field setup.

Good to hear you've tamed the "portyanki", it's no mean feat! However, the VDV generally wore boots - you can't jump with the jackboots on (you'll loose them) and Afghan operations often involved negotiation mountainous terrain for which jackboots just weren't the ideal choice. VDV used to call the infantry guys "sapogi" - jackboots, as opposed to themselves being "botinki" - [laced] boots.

Your Ukrainian impression looks very nice, unfortunately I don't know much about their current forces and the gear used, so I can't comment on its authenticity.

Thanks again Igor01,

That would indeed be the Ukrainian copy!

I recently got a book (printed in the 80's) that shows late 80's paratroopers wearing Jack boots on field exercises wearing a camoflage type BDU, but that was in Europe and not Afghanistan I suppose.

However the Osprey book on the Afghan War also shows the VDV wearing jackboots...

I assume it would be okay to wear them and not be horrendously inaccurate?

I have Russian lace ups also however, so I could do both.

Jackboots or boots, it should be a great impression. Both types of footware were worn, so you can't go wrong with either one. You can always designate the boot or Adidas sneakers outfit as the SpN on a deep recon or caravan hunting mission near the Pakistan border and the one with jackboots as a VDV soldier on a routine patrol. Please post pictures if you ever get to finish the load-out!

I certainly will!

I have everything here or being sent as I write apart from the RD54. having trouble finding that bit of kit....

RD-54
 

Woo-hoo! Got one from ebay....

VDV Paratrooper here I come.

Finally got my Mabuta BDU's and I am not a happy bunny!

Perfect fit, good cut but one problem: the fatigues are a a dark Olive Drab and NOT desert! I suggest you avoid Front of Russia if you want russian kit from them.

Anybody have any ideas what I could do with some olive drab russian fatigues?

Beastor, the original Soviet mabuta was a darker brownish-green. Our troops in Afghanistan used to turn it into a more suitable shade of light tan by washing it in bleach and letting it sit in the sun for a couple days. This shortened the lifespan of the garments obviously, but provided almost perfect camouflage in the mountainous terrain.

Since your set is a modern Ukrainian reproduction, both the fabric and the dye must be different from the original, so following the above recipe might turn your set into something very unattractive, so I would think long and hard before risking ruining the set :)

Thanks again Igor01, your knowledge is on these matters is a gold mine!

it certainly is a brownish green, but there isnt much sun in Scotland unfortunately!

I will have to try and find a way to get them bleached methinks....

You could go for the acid wash like they use on jeans. I'm pretty sure some places do that.

Excellent idea, I will look more into that. they are actually a nice set of BDU's, shame thay are the wrong colour!

Finally bit the bullet and bleached the Mabuta myself.

They actually came out quite nice....

I will post photos of my attempted Afghanistan '87 loadout hopefully this week....

Soviet in Afghanistan
 

Hello, here is my impression for a VDV paratrooper in afghanistan.

I got the Mabuta from "Front of Russia" and had to bleach the fatigues as they were dark green! More realistic I suppose, thats what the real Soviet soldiers did to theirs....

Things that might be wrong:

No pouches on the arm (very annoying), proper flashider and grip on the RPK to make it a RPK74 (cant find the flashider anywhere). I also have a Soviet Navy dark blue striped shirt instead of the proper light blue VDV one.


I suppose I should be wearing chinese made adidas like trainers, but screw that! The VDV paratrooper boots are comfy enough once you get the foot wraps right....

lmfao...........dont you have anything better to do than post glamour shots..........

lol

Nah, not really, the nature of my job (I work in the oil industry) means I have a lot of spare time on my hands, much to the great annoyance of my friends that have to join in the rat race everyday : )

Thise Uniform on the self made pictures above i think it was from the 70's production of uniforms the orignal one from movie like The 9th Company(what was wearing the Prapa's) is thise one:

http://36k.ru/store/37747/src/1128977213.jpg
http://36k.ru/store/37747/src/1128981128.jpg
http://36k.ru/store/37747/src/1128981177.jpg

i search for thise one but i can't find it, last year i have buyed the new generation of thise uniform from splav.ru

http://splav.ru/gdbimp.ashx?gid=2008...0&type=3&num=1

but it looks different(colour is khakie grey but the original is more like sand and the pockets on the jacket on the arms came with the last years).

I did some checking and the fatigues I have are a geniune cut, but were used early in the Afghanistan conflict and were soon replaced by the more familiar Mabuta cut.

the uniform what u got looks like thise one(it's the old version of VDV Paratroops Uniforms in the beginning of afghanistan conflict they wear thise one)

http://www.noname-art.de/afghanistan/075.jpg


but thise is version the original VDV Paratroops uniform middle 80's and until the end of War(what you see in the films like 9th Company or Afghan Breakdown)

http://www.noname-art.de/afghanistan/077.jpg

Excellent pictures Evgenius, cheers for that! I think you are spot on, it looks like the cut I have. Makes me feel a bit more secure about the loadout knowing its a genuine look.

I will have to take it out for a spin again soon as I managed to get a Afghanka cap that fits me like the guy has in the last picture. But I will be waiting till it get warmer first though I think!

I will be using the Soviet motor rifle loadout with the great coat this weekend, It's freezing here at the moment (although not as cold as Canada I dare say)

Great impression beastor!

I plan on making a afghanistan VDV load-out and a tropical VDV load-out.

Only problem is i can't seem to find a khaki or even an OD rd-54, i'm only finding the flora pattern ones(which i don't think they had issued at the time)
I imagine that if they weren't in an arid environment they used an OD style uniform back in the day?

Did VDV troops use the paratrooper helmet in afghanistan (or anywhere else for that matter) or did they stick to berets/caps/hats?
Reason for me asking is i found a source that sells them for dirt cheap, and they look fucking rad too :p

Uraah!!!!

OD RD-54 doesn't exist, only Khaki canvas type RD-54 and the newer Flora RD-54.

Some VDV troops wore the paratrooper helmet, but some wore Ushanka's and the issued steel pot helmet. Panama hats were also seen amongst VDV.

Do a witch hunt for VDV soldiers in the war and look at the different load outs.

Thanks conscript, i'll take a look on red-alliance and see what used stuff i can possible fine. I suppose a flora rd-54 wouldn't look right with KLMK?
I can always suck it up and grap some flora/vsr bdus :D

How comfortable is that AK-bra worn over other webbing btw? Similar to a chicom?

VDV snipers who wore the KLMK were issued a leather belt and strap so they can put very light SVD magazine pouches on them. VDV weren't given heavy equipment because of their maneuverability in the air and on the ground.

RD-54 and Chicom combo or Lifchik combo is very comfortable, and you'll hold a ton of mags.

That's basicly the load-out i'm going for. Sorry for jacking your thread there beastor, but if it means anything i plan on putting some pics up here too as soon as i get all this gear! Uurah comrad!

This is the kit-list i've got so far, maybe theres a few things i got wrong?

-Flora bdus
-RD-54 in flora
-Chicom chest rig (maybe a 4 cell if i can find one)
-russian flask
-paratrooper helmet with russian dust/wind goggles (modded, of couse)
-Army tanktop.

Not sure if i'm missing anything? I'm currently running a aks74 with OD waffle mags, im going to paint them plum (i know it's not accurate..but i got 9 mags)

Cheers comrads!

I have buy one tan-brown uniform but cut are like VSR or Flora (ink marker said that is made in 1994), i don't think that this is correct for afgan setup.

Someone have info about this uniform and where this are use?

Thanks for reply McTAZ

redmond: "That's basicly the load-out i'm going for. Sorry for jacking your thread there beastor, but if it means anything i plan on putting some pics up here too as soon as i get all this gear! Uurah comrad!"

Not at all bud! always glad to have some more Russian impressions in our sport/hobby!

To be honest I think you have the makings of a pretty good 1st or 2nd Chechen War VDV loadout there by the sounds of it...

maybe if you drop the chest rig and get a belt for the RD-54 (you need one to use the back pack properly) plus a 4 mag AK pouch on the belt (STILL being used today decades after being issued in Soviet times) and you would have a pretty good impression!

You can still use the chi-com at a pinch if you wish though, some russian forces still use them (see below)

I've been doing a bit more reading and apparently the paratrooper helmet is discarded after jumps (or simply thrown back in the barracks).

Can anyone confirm this? To be honest i've never really seen any pics of VDV troops doning one in combat, i just though they always looks so cool.
(and they aren't black like the tanker helmets...which also look rad :D)

I would wear it. Put it this way, nobody would forget you in a hurry! My mate has the black tanker one and it has excellent bb protection and its nice and toasty for the winter games.

Just say that you are VDV Paratrooper who has been ambushed as soon as he landed and didnt have time to get rid of the jump helmet :D

There is a new ad in the buy/sell for brand new chicom 4 cell rigs. I just saw it yesterday.

I was watching some clips from 9th Company, and saw the MIG attack helicopters. They look the same as the one I was in in Kiev last January. They are pretty spartan inside, and the canopy has one teeny tiny bullet proof glass in the very front. It wasn't very comfortable, and I would not like to be taking fire from the side. The canopy was like about a 1/4" thick and not bullet proof.

Also, is "The 9th Company" available on DVD?

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/o...lord/035-1.jpg
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/o...lord/039-1.jpg

Well it certainly is in the UK, pretty cheap too, only £4 here.

Man I know she aint perfect but the Hind attack chopper has to be my favourite military vehicle, they just look so mean!

I love the Hind. Transport in a squad of light infantry and then support them on their advance. It's also a beautiful machine - just needs some upgrades (like proper countermeasures for '80s American AA).

Yo how do you go about bleaching the mabuta without destroying it? Could you provide me with atleast semi-detailed instructions please, it would be greatly appreciated