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| A 1940 Model (M40) Service Dress Uniform to Lieutenant General N. S. Skripko |
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Nikolai Semenov Skripko
Joined the Red Army in 1919
Joined the Red Air Force in 1924
Member of the Communist Party since 1927
Graduated Leningrad Military Technical School - 1925
Graduated Commanders School - 1938
Commander (commisar) of Air Detachment 1934
Air Brigade Commander 1938
Air Corps Commander, 3rd Air Corps - 1940
Commander, 5th Air Army (Northern Caucasian Front), 1941
Deputy Air Commander at Stalingrad, then commander of all air units in the Caucuses
Air Commander for East Prussian Campaign, 1944-45
Commander of all air transport 1950-1955
Retires as Inspector General of Air Forces - 1969 |
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| General Skripko's M40 tunic features the the renewed rank of General that was rehabilitated back into the Red Army in 1940. His tunic is custom made as uniform regulations of 1940 specified this uniform be Olive Green. Gen. Skripko has retained the blue color of the Red Air Force in place since 1935. The insignia and cut of the uniform are correct for 1940. They feature the three collar stars for the very high rank of Lt. General, the highest rank in 1940. |
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The uniform pictured features only one award as there was only one hole for this early tunic - one of his two Orders of Lenin.
General Skripko's Awards
2 Orders of Lenin
5 Orders of the Red Banner
1 Order of the October Revolution
1 Order of Suvorov 1st Class
1 Order of Kutuzov 1st Class
1 Order of Suvorov 2nd Class
1 Order of Kutuzov 2nd Class |
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| On the General's uniform is the Sky Blue piping of the air force. With the return of General's rank also saw the return of the special General's breeches with two wide stripes in branch of service color as opposed to the thin piping for all officer ranks. The holster is for the Tokarev pistol. |
The rank of General was noted on the collars and sleeves. All ranks of General had the wide chevron and star shown here with the branch of service piping. |
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| Here is a close-up of the General's three collar stars, made of heavy bullion thread. They are topped by a gilt winged propeller of the air force. This device was moved to the shoulder board in 1943. These collars would be the same for the General's coat. |
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The General rank also saw special buttons for the most senior rank. Based on the seal of the Soviet Union, the gold gilt buttons feature the central hammer and sickle, enclosed within a wheat wreath around which is wrapped a ribbon. Each loop of the ribbon represents one of the eleven republics that made up the Soviet Union until 1949 (then became 16). All is surmounted by a 5 pointed star. |
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| © Tod Rathbone |
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