Squadron No. 5 (Eskadrilya No. 5)

Squadron No. 5 (Eskadrilya No. 5) Modern DVD Cover Country USSR Directed by Abram Room Release Date 1939 Language Russian Studio Kiev Film Studio Main Cast Character Actor Mayor Pyotr Grishin Nikolai Garin Capt. Aleksandr Nesterov Boris Bezgin Sr.Lt. Olga Grishina Sofiya Altovskaya Soviet Front Commander Yuri Shumsky Gen. Hofer Viktor Gromov Col. Horn Yakov Zaslavsky

Squadron No. 5 (Eskadrilya No. 5) is a Soviet 1939 B&W war movie directed by Abram Room. This is one of so-called "defence movies", filmed in 1938-1939, started with Esli zavtra voyna. Eskadrilya No. 5 depicts a Nazi Germany invasion in USSR and and the following victorious operations of Soviet bomber squadron, equipped with SB-2 bombers. During the raid on German airfields one of the Soviet bombers is shot down, and two surviving crewmembers, Mayor Pyotr Grishin (Nikolai Garin) and Captain Aleksandr Nesterov (Boris Bezgin), land on enemy territory. Assisted by a group of German Communists, Soviet pilots disguise themselves as high rank Wehrmacht officers, infiltrate in the headquarters of air base, hidden under ground, and direct a new successfull attack of Soviet bombers.

The following weapons were used in the film Squadron No. 5 (Eskadrilya No. 5):

Revolvers

Nagant M1895

Nagant M1895 revolvers are service sidearms of Soviet pilots. When Mayor Grishin (Nikolai Garin) and Captain Nesterov (Boris Bezgin) land on enemy territory, they hold their Nagants until dressing in German uniform. Then they give the revolvers to German Communists and carry FN Model 1900 pistols instead, but in the final scene Grishin and Nesterov again use Nagants during their escape from underground air base.

Nagant M1895 Revolver - 7.62x38R Nagant

Grishin (at the right) and Nesterov hold their Naganst after the landing.

Grishin with his revolver in hand. Note the unusual extended position of the ejector rod; such defect is common to well-worn Nagants.

Nesterov searches the barn with Nagant in hand.

A closer view of Nesterov's revolver.

A German Communist fires a Nagant, given to him by Soviet pilots. Again we can see the extended ejector rod.

Grishin in disguice holds his Nagant instead of previously seen FN Model 1900 pistol.

Pistols

FN Model 1900

FN Model 1900 pistols are used by most German officers, including Gen. Hofer (Viktor Gromov), and by German Communist resistance fighters. When Grishin and Nesterov disguise themselves as German officers, they also carry FN Model 1900s.

FN Model 1900 - .32 ACP

A German Communist soldier (at the right) holds an FN Model 1900 in the scene in abandoned barn.

Gen. Hofer interrogates arrested Communist soldier...

...and personally executes him.

Conuterintellegence officer Col. Horn (Yakov Zaslavsky) hands FN M1900 pistols to disguised Grishin and Nesterov.

Nesterov holds the pistol.

Gen. Hofer's pistol on his table.

Steyr M1912

One of German Communists is seen with a Steyr M1912 pistol. In the final scene Col. Horn (Yakov Zaslavsky) uses a Steyr in shootout with Grishin and Nesterov.

Steyr Hahn Model 1912 - 9x23mm Steyr

A Communist holds his Steyr pistol in the scene in barn.

Col. Horn fires his Steyr.

Rifles

Mosin Nagant M1891/30

Soviet border guards and paratroopers are armed with Mosin Nagant M1891/30 rifles.

Mosin Nagant M1891/30 - 7.62x54mm R

A number of M91/30 rifles are seen in stand at the background on Soviet border guards outpost.

A Soviet paratrooper holds an M91/30 rifle in documentary footage.

Soviet paratroopers break in German headquarters, aiming their rifles at Gen. Hofer.

Mauser Gewehr 1898

German soldiers are armed with Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifles, mostly fitted with bayonets.

Mauser Gewehr 1898 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

A sentry in underground hangar.

Sturmabteilung soldiers with Gewehr 98 rifles search the barn where Soviet pilotes hide in previous scene.

Previously seen sentry holds his Mauser 98.

Another view of the same character with his rifle.

The same soldier fires his Mauser 98 in the final scene.

Machine Guns

Shpitalny-Komaritski ShKAS

Each SB-2 bomber carries four Shpitalny-Komaritski ShKAS machine guns: twin mounting in nose, manned by navagator, single in dorsal and single in ventral position.

Shpitalny-Komaritski ShKAS aircraft machine gun - 7.62x54mmR. This is a turret version.

Sr. Lt. Olga Grishina (Sofiya Altovskaya), navigator on SB-2, readies twin nose mounting.

ShKAS in dorsal position.

A closeup of muzzles of twin ShKAS.

Mayor Pyotr Grishin (Nikolai Garin) mans twin ShKAS during the attack of enemy fighters.

Gnatenko (Andrei Apsolon), dorsal gunner of Grishin's plane, opens fire.

A good view of twin ShKAS in action.

A dorsal gunner in action.

Another view of twin ShKAS. This is a different version of the mounting.

Nadashkevich PV-1

PV-1 machine guns are mounted on I-15bis fighter planes that stand for German planes.

Nadashkevich PV-1 - 7.62x54mm R

The muzzles of PV-1 machine guns are seen over and at side of the engine. I-15bis carried four machine guns.

Other Weapons

Hand Grenade

When a group of German Communist resistance fighters is hunted down by Sturmabteilung, the Communists use stick hand grenades to break the encircling. The grenades are seen very briefly and unclear but they are possibly training version of RGD-33.

A Communist resistance fighter throws a grenade.

Trivia

Polikarpov I-15bis fighter plane stands for a German plane.

Polikarpov I-16 fighter planes on airfield.

A pair of Tupolev SB-2 bombers in flight.