Soviet tank markings

Feel free to discuss anything and everything to do with tanking here!
Post Reply
MikeN
Lance Corporal
Posts: 152
Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2024 11:20 am

Soviet tank markings

Post by MikeN »

Thinking ahead to when I paint my BT-5.
I've seen tanks with a white painted solid band around the top of the turret. Sometimes it's a dash/broken band - - - - -.
I've seen a white band with a red band above it.
I've seen painted bands on vehicles with radio antennas and some without antennas.
What do these markings mean?
Thanks, Mike
User avatar
Kaczor
2nd Lieutenant
Posts: 2267
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 9:58 am
Location: Ciechanow, Poland
Contact:

Re: Soviet tank markings

Post by Kaczor »

This was the battalion designation. The red stripe represented the first battalion, the white the second, the third black, the fourth blue, and the fifth yellow. Most units were not fully equipped, and the fourth and fifth battalions were practically nonexistent. The dashed lines represented the companies (first through fourth). This designation system was used from 1932 to 1941. (Source: "BT tanks" by Janusz Ledwoch)

Example: second company of the second battalion.
Attachments
bt5.png
bt5.png (144.27 KiB) Viewed 367 times
MikeN
Lance Corporal
Posts: 152
Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2024 11:20 am

Re: Soviet tank markings

Post by MikeN »

Excellent! Thank you.
Post Reply

Return to “General Discussion”