WARSAW PACT Recognition Aids

During the Cold War, out in BAOR, W. Germany, British Armed Forces were constantly reminded of, and expected to recognise, Warsaw Pact Uniforms, Armoured Vehicles and Aircraft. Some of the ways the Army tried to assist soldiers with this, was the issuing of Aide Memoire's, Posters displayed around various locations in Barracks and Films and models.
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[@MikeJ-c72]

Thank you for the mention Mr Potter..yes they put them out at a set distance and give you a pair of binnos and you had to identify a certain number of vehicles and tanks and other Russian fighting vehicles it was hard and took a lot of practice and training to pass I loved it thanks Kieth

[@Katmando376]

Keith my brother this is mind blowing so much support.We salute you and Tracey. God bless you both.🙏💂‍♂️🫡👍

[@johnnycooper7019]

Dear Tracey & Keith, Wishing you both success on your venture tomorrow. Keep well & safe. Best Wishes Johnny 'Rocky' Cooper & OA Karen x PS No points awarded for my 'original' call sign! (LoL)

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Thank you both very much. We will be posting videos every day, should be a few laughs.

[@davehopkin9502]

I remember the poster of the charging russian sodier (a bit like a #12 Target) with the caption "This man is prepared to die for his country. Are you ready to ensure he does?"

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Bringing back some good Cold War memories 🫡🇬🇧🇩🇪

[@kurtsteiner8384]

Yes we also had posters , of ships, aircraft, tanks , uniforms on rn ships and shore units both regular and reserve force units. Got some thing in training manuals, nbcd, firefighting, damage control survival at sea, first aid etc

[@Wargaming_Miscellany]

I friend of mine bought one of those boxes of WARPAC (and NATO) recognition models from a second-hand military memorabilia dealers, and actually set it up for us to use as per the instructions in the box. I think that the manufacturer of the original models was a chap known as Bish Iwasko, a Polish soldier who settled in the UK after the Second World War. I understand that he made his living as a manufacturer of detailed scale models of military vehicles for the military, museum, and for collectors (including wargamers). His company was called MILTRA (Military Training Aids) and was still in existence in 2015.

[@cujimmy1366]

Janes publications was the best for recognition.

[@user-gw4ld2wl6r]

yep Janes good book

[@TheAndyram]

Hello Keith, you are such an informative man. How you remember everything you know is beyond me. Thank you.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Cheers Andy me old mucker. Great chatting on the phone earlier, look after that leg of yours, hopefully see you again in November .

[@JohnGBlackBelt53]

Keith, whenever you post one of your videos, it always makes me want to pull up a sandbag, put on a brew, and listen to your story. Great stuff again mate.

[@geofschofield7963]

Well done mate 😎 😂 Just watched a bit more. F = Fighter, B = Bomber. I've been led to believe 👍

[@chrishewitt4220]

I was an intelligence rep for my infantry company (B Coy, 2/51 Highland [Gordons])in the TA. Went to a couple of TEWTs in Catterick during the 80s. It was brilliant, as I got to gameplay a whole 8th Tanks Guards regiment on the right flank of the main effort. Totally decimated my opposition. They had to call in two squadrons of Harriers to stop the advance, but the RAF were judged to have lost nearly 2/3 of the force. OC of Alpha Coy wasn't best pleased, as it was his position I overran! LOL. When doing recognition lessons, I swear half my Jocks were taking the mickey... I'd say kill or not when putting up a slide and they would invariably say kill for one of ours!

[@allanxxxxxxxx]

Awesome Keith take it easy on your left ankle Sir You know you're not getting a sick note lol PS - Love to tracer round

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

I was going to ask for a Biff Chit from you and the lads out there, but then I realised that someone would tell me where sympathy lays in the dictionary 😂😂🤣🫡 passed on your comment to the Tracer Round

[@adrianbanks2089]

Have A Safe Week ! Sorry Rain on The Way ! ( From The Old Sea Dog )😊

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Yes, we were looking at the forecast this morning for the next weekend, not good however, no raining , no training lol, all the best, thanks for your support.

[@keithwalker3460]

i remember all i was a recoition exspert

[@MickyChowMein69]

F stands for fighter. H stands for helicopter. S stands for SAM. They all stood for a class of thing as I recall. Cheers.

[@davehopkin9502]

B for Bomber, C for transport too

[@ianjackson8643]

@mickychowmein69 Sagger wasthe nato name for the At-3anti tank missile and was not a Sam missile S was for surface to to surface sa-15 was gauntlet in in nato reporting parlance whilst the sa2was the guideline

[@MickyChowMein69]

@@ianjackson8643 Ah yeah thats right Sagger. I remember now. Spigot as well. It was G for SAMs. Gecko and Gauntlet.

[@johnnunn8688]

S was for surface to surface missile, hence Scud.

[@jameslynch-h8q]

C was transport AC- cargo Candid Cock Etc.

[@redeamer01]

Those minitures were a very regular thing with our Milan Pl back in the day. Some of the lads were brillaint at naming what each one was.

[@raveninblack2505]

£5500 well done Keith and Tracy im only a civvi but both my kids served, Int Corp and Reme.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Thank you so much from both of us.

[@Tg-cb7ly]

An old soldier doing is bit very well done upmost respect to you and tracer great great stuff.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Thank you Tg, your support is appreciated mucker, all the best from both of us.

[@plumduff3303]

Fantastic film mate was in Mablethorpe yesterday saw my first tattooed bum cheek. Art knows no bounds. Cheers all.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

There are a few sights around this area lol.

[@DesmondsDonders]

Last time I was in a NAAFI Bar there were REME in the rafters and Infantry chasing them. I was orderly dog and just turned around and let them get on with it LOL.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

🤣😂🤣 so typical of that time brilliant

[@donxz2555]

I remember the good old days when we had a military in BAOR/RAFG The briefing we got was SOXMIS identification and assorted other bits Life expectancy if the USSR decided to visit the NAAFI was 5 minutes . The often repeated question was, can we ram a SOXMIS vehicle ! A colleague was on BRIXMIS who had many interesting stories about his exploits like finding the Soviet ICBM’s for a parade in East Berlin on a railway siding were made of cardboard and plywood … Many years later I flew on an soviet era bomber converted to passenger role, canvas seats facing backwards, walkthrough bomb bay and hydraulic suspension so after every ten people got off there was a halt as the steps were jacked up, I am still changing my underwear at the thought of that very different flight experience.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Cheers Don. Mate I've never been a good flyer so I would have been in real clip flying in that old Russian bomber . Brilliant story mate thanks for sharing. All the best.

[@JayMac-gh1kx]

😊😊 hoping that ur all ok n well an family members brother . Hoping ur tab mucker goes well an get it smashed out!! Gd luck to u an tracer round keep going it can only get better m8 ok cheers mucker well done lads green on mucker!! 😊😊green on mucker lots of memories from a oldswet my self an ex'service AB ALL THE WAY BROTHER 😊😊

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

All good Jay, we are ready for the roof on Saturday, we'll give it our best shot Brother. All the best mucker, take care 🫡🇬🇧

[@scdpunk8388]

BRILLIANT And good luck with the Tab good stories and memories,My Dad was ex 17th21st lancers.From Ne lincs.Both Newphews were Royal ANGLIANS 1 a Poacher the other a Viking.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Thank you very much for your support, all the best

[@NicholasSpencer-u4y]

Good afternoon Sir, thank you for your help with your stories and your incentive to get me out tabbing again, my dog and my health thank you. You joined 1976 at 17, I joined 1972 age 17, you are lets tap 59 hence in support of you I chose lets tab55, assuming you were born 59 I was born 55, stay fit and lucky, chhers Nick Spencer

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Great stuff Nick, yes I did think that's what it was when I saw Lets Tab 55. Brilliant that you are getting back out there mucker, thank you for your support 🫡

[@kevinwilkes5115]

Always remember doing loads of recognition training for operations department in subs, as an AB always wondered why as i could not belive the CO would ever turn to me during an attack and say have a look henry and tell me what you think as i went up through the rates i realised why we did it.. love the vids and the content..it was f for fighters b for bombers if it had one sylabel it was prop driven and two was jets.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Cheers Kev, I was hoping someone would know the reason, great comment mate. thanks! All the best.

[@mikeplatts2603]

Somewhere I have still got my old SOXMIS card.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

I've looked through all my old crap, and the only thing I found was my very first NAAFI Ration Card. Hang on to your SOXMIS Card.

[@mikeplatts2603]

@@LetsTab59-bd4fd I will Keith, its like an old friend now.😆😆

[@kevinadamson5768]

I was in the reconassaince platoon in Germany in the 80,s and it was our job to identify enemy vehicles when they rolled across the border 10km away. We were spearhead right on the border so had to know our stuff, forgot most of them now though. Our life expectancy was only minutes after the Russians hailed their missiles and artillery shells at us but most of our time was spent sitting around waiting for the attack that never came, (thank god) 😊

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Was a very strange time when you look back at our Cold War days.

[@kevinadamson5768]

@@LetsTab59-bd4fd it certainly was Keith.

[@icecoldalex63]

No worries Keith, email from big Russ should be with you soon. It’s Friday night here, about 24 hours I think before you start, go tab it yer buggas!!😊

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Yeah I got it this morning mate, lovely, thank you. Yep all set here for the start tomorrow morning, weather forecast looks ok, should be good. Tracer Round just going off to work. All the best.

[@pauljones620]

Hi I was based in West Germany in osnabruck and I was in Anti tanks in support company MILAN weapon system In the attic of the accommodation block is where all the training use to be done They had a green long canvas which at one end was one of lads winding this moving canvas and on it was those little Models which we had to identify at a distance away You mentioned Bosnia my regiment was deployed there me and some of the lads were attached to c company at VITEZ Half way through the tour I was seriously injured by mortars landing around us What picks me up all the time is watching you on KZbin From Jonah 0828

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Jonah, cheers mate, I'm glad others are remembering the same stuff as me. Sorry to hear you got spanked out in Bosnia, becoming a bit of a forgotten conflict that one. Thanks for your support mucker

[@NicholasSpencer-u4y]

We were told if being attacked by a ground attack aircraft, if the air intakes along side the nose were rectangular it was Russain, if they were curved it was a Harrier, like any of us were going to wait for them to get that close.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

🤣😂exactly

[@johnnycooper7019]

Hello Tracer-Round & Keith, were your ears burning today? I was having a chat with our GSM today and mentioned 'Let's Tab 59' on you tube & Scotties Little Soldiers challenge. I've been asked to get more gen and to arrange a tab/sponsored walk later in the year..... Best Wishes Johnny

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Fantastic Johnny, you can always email me mate if you want to chat off line so to speak.

[@johnnycooper7019]

@@LetsTab59-bd4fd Dear Keith, Ack. Out.

[@leeennis9177]

Wasn’t the plane known as FOXBAT. We had to do tons of AFV recognition as a tank regiment. Most was done on fablon projectors. We also had the full third shock army lined up on the wall in RHQ in afv format. Just to show us what we faced if the balloon ever went up!

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Thats right, this sort of stuff was posted all over the place, it was scary if you think about now, but back then it didn't really seem to stress us that much, crazy young lol

[@leeennis9177]

@@LetsTab59-bd4fd yes just wanted to drink grolsch and sleep in my cab all morning

[@andreaslinck9706]

The planes was easy F= fighter 2 syllable was for jet on for airscrew ( fishbed= MIG21) B= bomber ( Bear= TU95 ) H= helicopter like Hind for Mil 24. Forgot the most of them after 30 years. My job in the army was to protect the platoon with a 20mm canon against planes but was good at groundt targets to. We ad to a lot of poster with the different tanks weapon etc on the walls to. Hope your march go well.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Cheers mucker

[@WayneGrierson]

I was with the German army reserve training weekend, as a guest and one of the stands was exactly that with the small models of vehicles and tanks , placed out and you with binoculars had to spot and name them...

[@keithhenley3982]

i used to make the 1 ,100 scale afv,s for vehicle recog

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Bloody small world

[@petersmithm9]

With regards to the aircraft names. Mainly it was fighter aircraft their names began with F, ( Flogger, Foxbat, Fulcrum) Bombers began with B, ( Bear, Bison.)

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Thank you Pete, there is a wealth of knowledgeable people on this channel, much appreciated.

[@mbengineeringltd4896]

Further - 1 syllable = prop (Bear, cub, colt, crate, coke, clank...), 2 syllable = Jet (Flanker, flogger, Candid..)

[@Bob-dh7bv]

Bonjour 😃 We had the RATT AT recognition manual it was a sort of 90s comic AFV thing. We used the same model tanks with LEGO on cord to simulate formations and MK1 binos. All part of MILAN cadre then you got a live round at the end of the day 👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧1A+SH

[@Simon_W74]

This was before my time, but you did hear the odd bit about them during Basic Training, not sure if that was just for those of that joined the Infantry or whether it was something all recruits got to hear about as it was only a few years after the fall of the USSR. Interesting video as always, and an education. Hope the Ankle is sorted soon.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Yes, it must have kept going for a while so glad you caught the tail end of it. Ankle will be fine, won't need a Biff Chit lol

[@Simon_W74]

@@LetsTab59-bd4fd My Biff Chit became laminated in the end. Hence one of the reasons for only doing 6 out of the planned 22 years. Looking at starting to run again after a 27 year break, some of that unable to walk. Been walking for the last 9 years now and even did a 28 mile walk with my dog about 3 years ago.

[@millerwatson7109]

MiG-15. That was the one with the, ahem, British Cigarette name. All NATO reporting. The civilian stuff had ones starting with C. Tu-154 Careless, IL-76 Camber, Tu-134 Crusty. Transports too. Condor for the An-124, Cub for the An-12.

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

“John Player Special”?

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

😂😂🤣

[@poulterbaz]

As MickeyChowMein says, the B is bomber. Yes Keith Adult, squadron commander for last 8 years, but joined before we won the world cup with a round ball, so a bit long in the tooth now🤣

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Fantastic, I sort of guessed you would be an adult instructor. Squadron Commander , done well Sir, nice one 🫡

[@keithhenley3982]

the box had yellow writing saying afv reocg by a company called miltra it would have had some building some bushes and some road

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Must be a real collectors item now

[@scottlincoln9660]

When Russia invaded Ukraine, I pulled out that fold-up thing from 1988 with the tortoise, the bear and the snakes. Imagine my surprise that the Russians were still using the same sh*t 😂😂😂😂

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Incredible the kit they are pulling out

[@Safetychecker]

Royal Anglian Reg only have one reserve Bn now the 3rd known as the Steelbacks.

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

We've lost so many TA/Army Reserve Units, real waste there.

[@brianhanmer885]

I think you will find the names for aircraft start with F for fighters B for bombers C for cargo etc ex R A F fireman 9 yesrs

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

I think you're right there Brian. Bet you must have done a bit of training at RAF Manston back in the day?

[@brianhanmer885]

@@LetsTab59-bd4fd No when I joined up,in 1967 Fireman trained at R A F Catterick as for some strange reason the r a f fire service was in the r a f regiment even down to the mud guard s cheers Bryan

[@radiosnail]

Being a bit of an "anorak" (not a vet' only a plane spotter ) I used to love the Jane's recognition manuals for ships, aircraft and even "tanks" (actually anything green with wheels or tracks) Alas, I think Web has killed the market for them. (They don't see to be published anymore) Never really understood why as a handy sized book beats the hell out of a smartphone or tablet (assuming you've even got a good internet connection . Plus try looking at a screen on a sunny day)

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

I agree, especially about looking at a screen in sunlight

[@jamesbodnarchuk3322]

❤️🇨🇦

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Cheers James. 🇬🇧❤️🇨🇦

[@artmallory970]

Are English subtitles available?

[@LetsTab59-bd4fd]

Yes, and we can always arrange for you to begin doing joined up writing too 😂😂