Chronicle of the Night (Khronika nochi)

Chronicle of the Night (Khronika nochi) Original Russian Poster Country USSR Directed by Aleksei Speshnev Release Date 1973 Language Russian Studio Belarusfilm Main Cast Character Actor Gleb Aleksandrovich Chukhnin Anatoliy Romashin Sveta Tolmachyova Dzhemma Firsova Cleo Gitu Zana Zanoni Tuan-Khong Klara Yusupzhanova John Stewart Aleksandr Vokach Liz Stewart Tatyana Konyukhova Robert Palmer Audris Chadaravicius Louis Yefim Kopelyan Ricardo Arnis Licitis Gabi Olga Gobzeva

Chronicle of the Night (Khronika nochi) is a 1973 (filmed 1972) Soviet action thriller directed by Aleksei Speshnev (Chyornoye solntse). Soviet doctor Gleb Chukhnin (Anatoliy Romashin) makes a flight to some African state where he should providing urgent medical assistance to the leader of the local liberation movement. But in order to spoil this plan, two mercenaries are sent to hijack the plane.

The following weapons were used in the film Chronicle of the Night (Khronika nochi):

Pistols

Walther PP

The hijacker Ricardo (Arnis Licitis) is armed with a Walther PP pistol.

War Time Walther PP - .32 ACP

Ricardo aims his pistol.

Ricardo threatens the passengers, holding the pistol and the hand grenade.

Another view of the pistol.

A close-up of the muzzle.

When the hijackers are neutralized, Ricardo's pistol falls in hands of Anarchist Gugo (Anatoliy Mazlovskiy).

Mauser M1910

The plane steward (Arnold Pomazan), an accomplice of the hijackers, is armed with a Mauser M1910 pistol.

M1910 Mauser Pocket Pistol - 6.35x16mmSR

The steward holds the pilot at gunpoint.

When the hijackers are neutralized, this pistol falls in hands of Anarchist Peppi (Yan Arlazorov) (at the right).

The pistol in hands of Peppi.

Submachine Guns

PPS-43 (visually modified)

The hijacker Louis (Yefim Kopelyan) is armed with a visually modified PPS-43. The barrel jacket is removed, a part of it is used to make a side-mounted foregrip, and the barrel is fitted with a Cutts compensator of Thompson SMG, so the appearance of the PPS-43 becomes similar to Halcon Model 1949. The standard curved magazine is replaced with a straight magazine, probably of the MP40. Similar props are seen in several Soviet productions of 1970s, mostly by Dovzhenko Film Studios.

PPS-43 - 7.62x25mm Tokarev

For reference: Halcon Modelo 1949EA with folding stock - 9x19mm

A close-up of Louis's visually modified PPS-43.

Louis with the submachine gun.

A good view of the barrel and the magazine well.

The submachine gun on the floor. The side-mounted foregrip is seen perfectly.

When the hijackers are neutralized, young Anarchist Gabi (Olga Gobzeva) picks up the submachine gun.

Gabi threatens the passengers.

The weapons of the hijackers.

The former US Army soldier, credited as "The Silent American" (Pauls Butkevics), unloads the submachine gun.

Assault Rifles

Sturmgewehr 44

In the final scene in the destroyed airport, Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifles are seen both on the battlefield and in hands of the liberation movement soldiers. At least one of the StG 44s is visually modifed; this is the same version that is seen in Black Sun (Chyornoye solntse).

Sturmgewehr 44 - 7.92x33mm Kurz

The buttstock of the StG 44 on the battlefield in the airport.

The receiver and the magazine of the same StG 44. Its barrel isn't seen so it may be a standard or a visually modified gun.

A visually modified StG 44 lies on the chair.

Soldiers in the jeep hold standard StG 44s.

Machine Guns

Goryunov SGMB

SGMB machine guns are mounted on two BTR-152 APCs, seen in the final scene.

Goryunov SGMB, mounted on BTR-152 - 7.62x54mm R

SGMB machine guns are mounted on two BTR-152. The mountings are of different models.

PK

The third BTR-152 is armed with a PK Machine Gun.

PK Machine Gun - 7.62x54mm R

The third BTR-152 is armed with a PK. The folded bipod is seen.

Other Weapons

Mockup Hand Grenade

The hijackers are also armed with a mockup hand grenade that is seen in hands of Ricardo (Arnis Licitis) and then of Louis (Yefim Kopelyan). The grenade has a round body, supposedly a plastic one, and is fitted with a training dummy version of UZRG fuze (used on URG and URG-N training grenades).

Ricardo threatens the passengers, holding the Walther PP and the hand grenade.

Ricardo hands the grenade to Louis.

The violinist (Valeriy Pogoreltsev) picks up the grenade. The fuze is seen.

The grenade on the table.

"The Silent American" (Pauls Butkevics) unscrews the fuze.