The Fourth Year of War (Shyol chetvyortyy god voyny...)

The Fourth Year of War (Shyol chetvyortyy god voyny...) Theatrical Poster Country USSR Directed by Georgiy Nikolaenko Release Date 1983 Language Russian German Studio Gorkiy Film Studio Main Cast Character Actor Capt. Nadezhda Moroz Lyudmila Savelyeva Capt. Aleksandr Mikhailovich Spirin Aleksandr Zbruev Col. Nikolay Vladimirovich Pavlov Nikolay Olyalin Lt. Antipov Nikolai Yeryomenko, Jr. Zhurba Aleksandr Denisov Arthur Timofey Spivak Ptakhin Vyacheslav Baranov Saveliy Khomutov Lev Durov Sgt. Burenkov Vladimir Smirnov

The Fourth Year of War (Original title: Shyol chetvyortyy god voyny..., "It was the fourth year of the war...") is a Soviet 1983 war movie directed by Georgiy Nikolaenko. In Autumn 1944 Soviet troops prepare for a main offensive. A reconnaissance group, disguised as German Feldgendarmerie (military police), must establish within three days what is happening in the German special zone in the direction of planned strike.

The following weapons were used in the film The Fourth Year of War (Shyol chetvyortyy god voyny...):

Revolvers

Nagant M1895

Several Soviet officers, notably Col. Nikolay Vladimirovich Pavlov (Nikolay Olyalin), carry Nagant M1895 revolvers in holsters.

Nagant M1895 - 7.62x38R Nagant. Note the angular front sight which was used from 1930s.

The revolver grip is seen in the holster of unnamed Soviet officer.

The grip of Pavlov's Nagant is seen in holster.

Pistols

Walther P38

A Walther P38 is Capt. Nadezhda Moroz's (Lyudmila Savelyeva) sidearm on the mission.

Walther P38 WWII dated with black grips - 9x19mm

The grip of the P38 is seen in holster.

Oddly, Nadezhda Moroz carries the P38 pistol in Soviet holster for Nagant revolver.

Moroz aims her pistol at captured German Gefreiter Krappe (Vasiliy Kupriyanov).

Moroz interrogates Krappe.

Moroz holds the P38 in the final scene.

Luger P08

Lt. Antipov (Nikolai Yeryomenko, Jr.) carries a Luger P08 on the mission. In the final scene Zhurba (Aleksandr Denisov) takes a P08 from captive Maj. Kübler (Aleksandr Fridental).

Luger P08 - 9x19mm

A German tank officer carries a Luger in holster.

Antipov fires at escaping Hilfspolizei Khomutov-elder (Leonid Trutnev). The motion of the jointed arm is seen.

Antipov draws a Luger when his PPSh runs out of ammo.

Antipov captures a German lorry.

He fires at a soldier in the back of the car.

Zhurba holds his MP40 and captured P08.

Capt. Nadezhda Moroz (Lyudmila Savelyeva) unloads the P08 and returns the empty pistol to Kübler.

Submachine Guns

PPSh-41

Soviet soldiers, notably scouts Egor Krasilnikov (Aleksandr Lebedev), Sgt. Burenkov (Vladimir Smirnov) and soldiers of his group, are armed with PPSh-41 submachine guns. Lt. Antipov (Nikolai Yeryomenko, Jr.) takes a PPSh from a scout when he makes a break to frontline.

PPSh-41 - 7.62x25mm Tokarev

Krasilnikov holds a PPSh in the opening scene.

A scout fires his PPSh.

Krasilnikov, the only survivor of the recon group, makes his way to the frontline.

PPSh-41s in Soviet headquarters.

A scout of Burenkov's group (Sergei Samojlov) with a PPSh.

Antipov takes a PPSh.

Scouts of Burenkov's group with PPSh-41s.

Antipov fires a PPSh.

MP38

Arthur (Timofey Spivak) carries an MP38 on the mission (in several scenes he is seen with an MP40). Some German soldiers are also armed with MP38s.

MP38 - 9x19mm

A German soldier with an MP38 in the opening scene.

Arthur fires his MP38.

A German soldier fires his MP38 during the ambush on Burenkov's group.

Arthur holds his MP38 during the ambush on German radio direction finder car.

Unfolded stock of Arthur's MP38 is seen.

MP40

Zhurba (Aleksandr Denisov) and Ptakhin (Vyacheslav Baranov) carry MP40 submachine guns on the mission. MP40s are used by most of German soldiers, including Feldgendarmerie NCO (Aleksandr Savchenko), Gefreiter Krappe (Vasiliy Kupriyanov), Gefreiter Grueber (Zhorzh Novitskiy), and a soldier in the lorry (Aleksandr Tyutin).

MP40 - 9x19mm

German soldiers encircle Soviet recon group in the opening scene.

Ptakhin with an MP40.

A Feldgendarmerie NCO (Aleksandr Savchenko) carries an MP40.

Feldgendarmerie soldiers with MP40s.

Krappe carries an MP40 at the background.

Zhurba with an MP40.

Antipov (Nikolai Yeryomenko, Jr.) fires an MP40, taken from an incapcicated soldier in the lorry.

Arthur (Timofey Spivak) holds an MP40. In most scenes he carries an MP38.

Arthur's MP38 again switches to an MP40 in the final scene.

Rifles

Vz. 24 Czech Mauser

Two Khomutov brothers (Leonid Trutnev and Vladimir Shikhov), serving in Hilfspolizei, carry Karabiner 98k style rifles. One of these rifles, due to the length of the handguard and the presence of grasping grooves, uncommon for 98k, can be identified as vz.24 Czech Mauser.

Czech Mauser vz. 24 - 7.92x57mm Mauser. Unlike this sample, screen guns have turned-down bolt handles.

Khomutov-junior (Vladimir Shikhov) with a rifle. Note the grasping grooves on the stock and longer, closed-top handguard.

Turned-down bolt handle is seen. Such feature is common for Vz.24, produced under German control after the annexation of Czechoslovakia and designated Gewehr 24(t).

Vz. 24 rifle in hands of Arthur (Timofey Spivak).

Karabiner 98k

Another rifle of two said guns is a common Karabiner 98k.

Karabiner 98k - 7.92x57mm Mauser. Manufactured in Germany, 1937.

Khomutov-elder ((Leonid Trutnev) carries a Karabiner 98k (the attachment of the sling differs it from Vz.24).

Arthur (Timofey Spivak) takes one of the rifles when Khomutovs are disarmed.

Antipov (Nikolai Yeryomenko, Jr.) holds his Luger P08 and a 98k rifle.

Machine Guns

MG34

MG34 machine guns are seen mounted on German motorcycles and APCs.

MG34 with front and rear sights folded down - 7.92x57mm Mauser

An Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track APC is seen at the background. It appears to be armed with an MG34 (the gun is seen only in distance).

An MG34 is mounted on a motorcycle.

Other Weapons

F-1 Hand Grenade

Wounded Capt. Aleksandr Spirin (Aleksandr Zbruev) blows himself with an F-1 hand grenade to avoid being captured alive.

F-1 High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade

Spirin readies a grenade.

Trivia

Holsters

Capts. Aleksandr Spirin (Aleksandr Zbruev) and Nadezhda Moroz (Lyudmila Savelyeva) carry holsters for TT-33 pistols but no part of TT can be seen, and it is impossible to determine if the holsters are empty or not.

Spirin's TT holster is seen.

Armour

An Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track APC is seen at the background.

Poster

English language release poster