M-1985 Khaki Ground Crew Uniform

 


Aircraft Armorer (1988)

 

  
The airman is wearing:
The tropical weight khaki M-1985 two piece coverall for ground crewmen serving in Afghanistan.  His headgear is a tropical weight ShShL noise protection helmet (of uncertain year) without the internal  communications gear.  A pair of synthetic leather boots complete the uniform.

Sources Cited  

 

Back to Air Force Uniforms
of the Afghanistan War

   

More about the uniform...

This two piece uniform consists of a jacket and trousers that are somewhat similar to the dark blue M-1971 pattern ground crew coveralls.  A notable difference are the mesh vents in the underarm areas and a back vent along the back across the shoulder blades.  This helps keep the user cool in tropical climates.

Otherwise the jacket is identical to its predecessor.  It has a single pocket fastened by a snap closure and it is closed by means of a row of concealed buttons (likely to prevent them from being snagged on anything).

 

Closeup of Collar and Tropical ShShL helmet
Closeup of Underarm Vents Closeup of Concealed Buttons

The trousers have two thigh pockets each fastened by means of two snap closures.  A mesh vent section can also be found in the crotch section to keep the wearer comfortable.  On each side of the trousers are a set of tensioners that can be used to tighten the waist for a better fit.

The tropical weight ShShL helmet worn here is one of several models used to protect the hearing of ground crewmen around noisy aircraft engines.  This model is a summer weight one without communication gear and having a mesh top.  Other versions have communications gear and different padding around the ears.

 

Closeup of Waist Tensioners

Closeup of Crotch Vent

 Closeup of Trouser Pockets


 

 
 

Service Chronology

Due to the lack of detailed sources regarding Soviet ground crew uniforms it is difficult to date its entry into service or its retirement.  Examples of this uniform can be seen in 1980's photographs and in videos covering the period from the late 1980's to the early 1990's. 

Perhaps the best indication of its entry into service is found on the production label.  Its 'Ту' production designation: 01-7898 84 indicates that it was accepted for service in 1984, while the production year of our example is 1987.  This would be consistent with other uniforms accepted in the 1985 regulations in that their production standard was adopted the year before.
This Uniform Replaced... M-1971 Khaki Ground Crew Coverall This Uniform was Replaced by...
M-1985 Khaki Ground Crew Coverall Uncertain at Present*

*(It was documented well into the 1990's, but may have been replaced by the new 2010 'Yudashkin' pattern uniforms seen in use during the Russian Syrian intervention of 2015).

 

Sources Cited
 

(1) "The Last Generation", Wings of the Red Star, Discovery Communications, 1993. Television.