Only Old Men Are Going to Battle
(V boy idut odni "stariki")

Cinema Poster

Country	USSR
Directed by	Leonid Bykov
Release Date	1973
Language	Russian
Studio	Dovzhenko Film Studios

Main Cast
Character	Actor
Titarenko	Leonid Bykov
Schedronov	Sergei Podgornyj
Aleksandrov	Sergei Ivanov
Makarych	Aleksei Smirnov
Masha	Yevgeniya Simonova

Only Old Men Are Going to Battle (V boy idut odni "stariki") is a 1973 Soviet war movie about World War II fighter pilots. The movie is directed by Leonid Bykov who also appeared in the lead role of Captain Titarenko, nicknamed "Maestro" for his singing. The title of the movie comes from the order of the squadron commander: during very hard air battles against German fighter aces only "old men" - veterans of the squadron were sent up, while those fresh from flying school have to wait on the ground.

The movie was filmed as B&W, but in 2009 it was colorized. The screenshots below are taken from color version of the movie.

The following weapons are seen in the movie Only Old Men Are Going to Battle (V boy idut odni "stariki"):

PPSh-41

Soviet soldiers are often seen with PPSh-41 submachine guns.

Soviet PPSh-41 Submachine Gun - 7.62x25mm Tokarev.

A PPSh-41 is seen.

A Soviet nurse carries a wounded fighter pilot. She is armed with PPSh-41.

PPSh-41 are seen in hands of Soviet soldiers near the banner.

Soviet soldiers and officers fire their Mosin Nagant M1891/30 rifles, PPSh-41 submachine guns and handguns (most likely TT-33 pistols), giving the salute at the funeral of the pilot.

Mosin Nagant M1891/30

Another weapon seen in hands of Soviet soldiers is Mosin Nagant M1891/30 rifle.

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

A Soviet soldier with M1891/30 rifle.

Soviet soldiers and officers fire their M1891/30 rifles, PPSh-41 submachine guns and handguns (most likely TT-33 pistols), giving the salute at the funeral of the pilot.

DP-28

DP-28 light machine gun is seen in hands of a Soviet soldier.

Degtyarev DP-28 machine gun - 7.62x54mm R.

A Soviet soldier carries DP-28.

OSP-30 Flare Pistol

OSP-30 Flare Pistol is seen in hands of a Soviet officer.

Russian OSP-30 Flare Pistol - 26.5mm.

Soviet officer readies his OSP-30 flare pistol to get the signal to the airplanes.

The Petty Officer examines her OSP-30 flare pistol.

Footage

The following weapons are seen in documentary footage inserted in the movie (and colorized with the other parts of the film).

Maxim M1910/30

Maxim M1910/30 machine gun is used by Soviet soldiers.

Russian Maxim 1910/30, post 1941 manufacture with top hatch on cooling jacket allowing it to be filled more quickly or with snow - 7.62x54mmR.

Maxim M1910/30 is seen on the tachanka horse carriage. It is a post 1941 manufactured version.

Berezin UB

12.7mm Berezin UB machine gun is mounted on Il-2 ground attack plane.

Berezin UB - 12.7x108mm.

Berezin UB is poorly seen in the rear cabin of Il-2.

Volkov-Yartsev VYa-23

23mm aircraft automatic guns Volkov-Yartsev VYa-23 are main attack weapon of Il-2.

Volkov-Yartsev VYa-23 - 23x152 mmB

Il-2 fires two wing mounted VYa-23 guns.

2 cm FlaK 30

German light 2cm FlaK 30 is used against Soviet airplanes.

2 cm FlaK 30 - 20x138mm B

German 2 cm Flak 30 fires at the Soviet planes.

Trivia

Most of the wartime fighter planes seen in the movie are in fact postwar training planes: Yak-18P appears as Soviet Lavochkin La-5 fighter and Zlin Z-326 - as German Messerschmitt Bf 109.