Original Item: Only One Available. This is an exquisite example of a pre-World War II, early Soviet Union armored tanker tunic. The tunic is crafted from high-quality materials and features a unique design that was specifically intended for the harsh hot conditions faced by armored tankers. It is in exceptional condition and has been carefully preserved over the years, with no significant damage or wear and tear. The attention to detail on this piece is remarkable, from the intricate stitching on the pockets to the finely crafted buttons. Overall, it is a stunning tunic that provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of the Soviet Union during this period.

The tunic has lovely collar insignia with a tank, identifying it as being worn by Tank and Armored units. The uniform still retains all of its buttons with much of the original finish still present on them. The collar insignia has (2) stars each side, signifying that this was worn by a General Officer.

Comes more than ready for further research and display.

Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 10.5"
Shoulder to sleeve: 28”
Shoulder to shoulder: 17.5”
Chest width: 22"
Waist width: 23"
Hip width: 24.5"
Front length: 35"

In Soviet Russia, the so-called armored forces preceded the Tank Corps. They consisted of the motorized armored units made of armored vehicles and armored trains. The country did not have its own tanks during the Civil War of 1918–1920.

During this time, and based on the experience of the Civil War with its sweeping movements of horse-mobile formations, Soviet military theorists such as Vladimir Triandafillov and Konstantin Kalinovsky elaborated the principles of combat use of armored units, which envisioned a large-scale use of tanks in different situations in cooperation with various army units. In the mid-1930s, these ideas found their reflection in the so-called Deep Operation and deep combat theories. From the second half of the 1920s, tank warfare development took place at Kazan, where the German Reichswehr was allowed to participate.

In 1930, the First Mechanised Brigade had its tank regiment of 110 tanks. In 1932, the first Mechanised Corps had over 500 tanks, and it was probably the first armored unit of operational significance anywhere in the world. That same year, the Red Army established the Military Academy of Mechanisation and Motorisation of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army (which became the Malinovskiy Mechanised Force Academy and is today part of the Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation).