Front Without Flanks (Front bez flangov)

Front Without Flanks (Front bez flangov) DVD Cover Country USSR Directed by Igor Gostev Release Date 1975 Language Russian Studio Mosfilm Main Cast Character Actor Major Ivan Mlynsky Vyacheslav Tikhonov Petty Officer Vakulenchuk Aleksandr Denisov Matvey Yegorovich Oleg Zhakov Capt. Gassan Aliyev Tofik Mirzoyev Capt. Seryogin Semyon Morozov Medical orderly Zina Galina Polskikh Petrenko Aleksei Borzunov Semyon Bondarenko Evgeni Leonov-Gladyshev Natasha Bondarenko Svetlana Sukhovej Okhrim Shmil Evgeni Shutov

Front Without Flanks (Front bez flangov) is a 1975 Soviet war movie directed by Igor Gostev. The story takes place in August-December 1941. A Soviet infantry regiment under command of Major Mlynsky (Vyacheslav Tikhonov) is surrounded by German troops but continues to fight behind German lines, attacking the communications and depots of Wehrmacht.

The movie is the first part of the trilogy. It was followed by Front Beyond the Front Line (Front za liniey fronta) (1977) and Front in the Rear of the Enemy (Front v tylu vraga) (1981).

The following weapons were used in the film Front Without Flanks (Front bez flangov):

Handguns

Tokarev TT-33

Soviet officers and petty officers carry Tokarev TT-33 pistols. The pistols are mostly seen in holsters.

Tokarev TT-33 - 7.62x25mm Tokarev. Tula Arsenal (Soviet Union) Note CCCP printing around the star on the plastic grips.

Major Mlynsky (Vyacheslav Tikhonov) leads his soldiers in attack with TT in hand.

Capt. Aliyev (Tofik Mirzoyev) (at the right) carries a TT in holster.

Petty Officer Vakulenchuk (Aleksandr Denisov) carries his TT tucked in his belt.

Mlynsky gives a TT to Matvey Yegorovich (Oleg Zhakov).

Luger P08

German officers carry Luger P08 pistols. Captured Lugers are also used by Soviet troops.

Luger P08 with black grips - 9x19mm

A German officer (Yuriy Vinogradov) fires his Luger.

Petty Officer Vakulenchuk (Aleksandr Denisov) carries a captured Luger tucked in his belt.

Traitor Petrenko (Aleksei Borzunov) fires a Luger.

Submachine guns

PPSh-41

Some of Soviet officers and soldiers carry PPSh-41 submachine guns with drum magazines. PPSh-41s are most widely used by the marines platoon under command of Petty Officer Vakulenchuk (Aleksandr Denisov).

Soviet PPSh-41 Submachine Gun - 7.62x25mm Tokarev.

Petty Officer Vakulenchuk (Aleksandr Denisov) with PPSh-41 and two RGD-33 stick grenades.

Traitor Lt. Petrenko (Aleksei Borzunov) aims a PPSh at Zina (Galina Polskikh).

Soviet soldiers with PPSh-41s.

Radio operator Natasha Bondarenko (Svetlana Sukhovej) with PPSh-41.

A Soviet marine with PPSh.

Sasha Polishchuk (Nikolai Polishchuk) fires his PPSh.

Nikolai Sergeyevich (Vladimir Zamansky) carries a PPSh.

MP40

MP40 submachine guns are used by German soldiers. Captured MP40s are seen in hands of several Sovier officers and soldiers.

MP40 submachine gun - 9x19mm.

A German soldier holds his MP40.

Major Mlynsky (Vyacheslav Tikhonov) with captured MP40.

Petty Officer Vakulenchuk (Aleksandr Denisov) and Pvt. Bondarenko (Evgeni Leonov-Gladyshev) with captured MP40s.

Matvey Yegorovich (Oleg Zhakov) studies an MP40.

German soldiers with MP40s and a Soviet POW.

Capt. Aliyev (Tofik Mirzoyev) with an MP40.

A German officer fires an MP40.

Pvt. Beysembayev (Anvar Boranbayev) fires an MP40.

Rifles

Mosin Nagant M1891/30 Rifle

Most Soviet infantry soldiers are armed with full-length Mosin Nagant M1891/30 rifles, often with bayonets.

Full-length, Soviet Mosin Nagant M91/30 - 7.62x54mm R.

Soviet soldiers with M91/30 rifles in attack.

Major Mlynsky (Vyacheslav Tikhonov) with TT-33 and his soldiers with M91/30 rifles in attack.

Soviet soldiers in line formation with their rifles. Most of them are fitted with bayonets, attached backwards. This is a exclusively cinematic practice; in reality such practice was banned by service manuals.

Pvts. Semyon Bondarenko (Evgeni Leonov-Gladyshev) and Pyotr Ivanov (Valentin Pechnikov) with M91/30 rifles. Bondarenko also carries a PPSh-41.

A Soviet marine readies to fire.

A Soviet soldier holds his M91/30.

Mauser Karabiner 98b

Karabiner 98b rifles are briefly seen in hands of German soldiers and Russian collaborationists. Some of the Soviet soldiers also use captured German rifles.

Karabiner 98b - 7.92x57mm Mauser.

Okhrim Shmil (Evgeni Shutov) carries a 98b.

A close view at the barrel.

Semyon Bondarenko (Evgeni Leonov-Gladyshev) with a captured 98b.

Machine guns

Degtyaryov DP-28 Light Machine Gun

Degtyaryov DP-28 light machine guns are used by Soviet soldiers.

Degtyarev DP-28 machine gun - 7.62x54mm R.

A soldier with DP is seen at the left.

A soldier with DP at his back is seen at the right.

Andrei Lukyanov (Aleksandr Lukyanov) fires a DP at advancing German soldiers.

Petty Officer Vakulenchuk (Aleksandr Denisov) carries a DP after the battle.

Maxim M1910/30 Machine Gun

Maxim M1910/30 machine guns are used by Soviet soldiers.

Maxim 1910/30 - 7.62x54mmR

A Maxim is seen in Soviet trench when the marines platoon readies to repel a German attack.

Two marines carry the machine gun.

Petty Officer Vakulenchuk (Aleksandr Denisov) fires the Maxim.

Another view at the same scene.

MG 34

German troops use MG 34 machine guns, often mounted in motorcycle sidecars.

MG 34 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

A German officer fires an MG 34 during the Sovier counterattack.

A German soldier fires MG 34.

An MG 34 is mounted in motorcycle sidecar.

KPV heavy machine gun

KPV heavy machine guns in ZPU-2 dual mounts are used by German troops in several scenes, standing for German 20-mm AA guns.

KPV heavy machine guns in ZPU-2 dual anti-aircraft mount - 14.5x114mm

Twin KPV, mounted on BTR-152 APC (standing for German half-track), fires during the night battle.

Another view at disguised BTR-152 with twin KPV.

A ZPU-2 is mounted on a flatcar, used by German troops for patrolling the railroad.

German soldiers fire ZPU-2 during the battle for the railway station.

Hand Grenades

RGD-33 stick grenade

RGD-33 grenades are used by Soviet soldiers, often in bundles.

RGD-33 high-explosive fragmentation stick grenade, shown with the diamond-patterned fragmentation sleeve.

Petty Officer Vakulenchuk (Aleksandr Denisov) carries two RGD-33 and an F-1 hand grenade.

Pvt. Semyon Bondarenko (Evgeni Leonov-Gladyshev) holds a RGD-33.

A Soviet marine throws a bundle of RGD-33 grenades during the night attack.

Okhrim Shmil (Evgeni Shutov) holds two RGD-33.

Vakulenchuk throws an RGD-33 at a German car.

F-1 hand grenade

F-1 grenades are used by Soviet soldiers.

F-1 High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade

Petty Officer Vakulenchuk (Aleksandr Denisov) carries two RGD-33 stick grenades and an F-1.

RPG-40 anti-tank grenade

A training version of RPG-40 anti-tank grenade is briefly seen in one scene.

Soviet RPG-40 anti-tank grenade

A Soviet soldiers tries to stop a German tank (T-34 in disguise) with a RPG-40.

Dummy Training Grenade

Dummy training stick grenades are seen in several scenes. They stand for RG-14/30 hand grenades.

Training stick grenade. Such cast aluminum dummies were widely used in USSR for basic training.

Radio operator Natasha Bondarenko (Svetlana Sukhovej) is armed with PPSh-41 and a stick grenade.

Several stick grenades are seen next to the machine-gunner.

Other Weapons

SPSh Flare Pistol

SPSh Flare Pistols are seen in hands of Soviet officers.

SPSh Flare Pistol - 26.5mm

Nikolai Sergeyevich (Vladimir Zamansky) fires a SPSh.

45 mm anti-tank gun M1937 (53-K)

45-mm AT guns are used by Soviet soldiers in several scenes.

M1937 (53-K) anti-tank gun - 45 mm (1.77 in)

A 45-mm AT gun on position during the attack of German bombers.

See Also:

• Front Beyond the Front Line (Front za liniey fronta)
• Front in the Rear of the Enemy (Front v tylu vraga)