They Were Known Only by Sight (Ikh znali tolko v litso)

They Were Known Only by Sight (Ikh znali tolko v litso) Original Poster Country USSR Directed by Anton Timonishin Release Date 1966 Language Russian Studio Dovzhenko Film Studios Main Cast Character Actor Galina Ortynskaya Irina Miroshnichenko Sergei Kulagin Aleksandr Belyavskiy SS Standartenführer Hube Yuri Volkov Admiral Reinhard Vladimir Yemelyanov Lt. Wilma Martinelli Elena Dobronravova Capt. Prince Victor del Sarto Anatoliy Verbitskiy Matvey Gordeev Stepan Krylov Lev Bychkov Aleksei Smirnov

They Were Known Only by Sight (direct translation of the original title Ikh znali tolko v litso) is a Soviet 1966 war movie by Anton Timonishin. The story is set in Summer 1942 in a Soviet town on Black Sea coast, occupied by German troops. Soviet frogmen make several successful actions against German ships and port facilities. Unable to counter their activities, German powers involve Italian special unit Gamma (a fictional depiction of the real Decima Flottiglia MAS) that is stationed in the town. The underwater war begins.

The following weapons were used in the film They Were Known Only by Sight (Ikh znali tolko v litso):

Pistols

Walther PPK

The Walther PPK is personal sidearm of chief of Gestapo SS Standartenführer Hube (Yuri Volkov). Some Gestapo agents also carry Walther PPK pistols. Sergei Kulagin (Aleksandr Belyavskiy) draws a PPK in the climax.

Early Waffenamt marked Walther PPK. Note the differences: orange bakelite grips, lanyard ring, smaller rear sight, grooved top, and irregular front - 7.65x17mm Auto (.32 ACP)

A Gestapo agent at the left holds his PPK during the arrest of Soviet radio operator.

Standartenführer Hube carries the PPK in holster.

Hube draws his pistol but is killed by a thrown knife (it's worth noting that the knife is naval dirk, not very suitable for throwing).

Kulagin raises his PPK on an Italian frogman.

Galina Ortynskaya (Irina Miroshnichenko) picks up Kulagin's pistol.

Luger P08

Some German officers, including Hube's assistant SS Sturmbannführer Paul Norte (Vladimir Volchik), carry Luger P08 pistols. Regia Marina officers carry Luger holsters (instead of correct Beretta M1934 holsters) but these holsters all appear to be flat and empty.

Luger P08 - 9x19mm

Sturmbannführer Norte (at the right) fires his Luger.

Another view of Norte's P08.

Italian officers carry holsters for P08s but without pistols.

Submachine Guns

MP40

Wehrmacht and Waffen SS soldiers and Kriegsmarine sailors are armed with MP40 SMGs. It is worth noting that all the German soldiers hold them incorrectly by the mag - while incorrect, that happened to actually be a common error made by soldiers.

MP40 - 9x19mm

Feldgendarmerie soldier holds the MP40.

Sailors with MP40 on board of a destroyer.

SS soldiers break in the pub during the raid.

A close view of MP40 in the same scene.

Rifles

Karabiner 98k

Some German soldiers carry rifles that appear to be Karabiner 98k.

Karabiner 98k - German manufacture 1937 date - 7.92x57mm Mauser

The barrel of 98k is seen at the far left.

Machine Guns and Autocannons

MG 34

MG 34 machine guns are seen mounted on motorcycle sidecars.

MG 34 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

MG 34 is mounted on motorcycle.

37mm 61-K

37mm 61-K AA autocannons stand for German AA artillery in several scenes. Naval 70-K mountings are seen on Project 30-bis destroyer that appears as Kriegsmarine ship.

37-mm M1939 (61-K) automatic air defense gun - 37x252SR

61-K autocannon is seen at the background.

37-mm 70-K naval automatic air defense gun, a naval version of 61-K - 37x252SR

70-K autocannons are seen near the funnel.

Trivia

Soviet destroyer Project 30-bis stand for Kriegsmarine ship. Stern 130mm B-2LM twin mounting and 85mm 92-K AA twin mounting are seen.

The German cruiser Helgoland (a cruiser with the same name existed in WWI), the target of Soviet frogmen, is a mockup, built over the hull of an old cargo vessel.