Spy Photos

[Slick]

Ended up with 100+ b/w photos labeled D.I.A.(Defense Intellegence Agency?) from what appears to be a parade of sorts. My guess is '70s era Soviet equipment, passing in review. Some are ground level shots, some from an elevated position. Many appear to be duplicates. A lot of the pics are of specific areas of the equipment, such as wheels, tracks, gun ports and the like. I've included a sampling with views of assorted armaments. Interesting, if nothing else.

 

[HAZORD]

Nice items Rick! One of the reasons for the photos of wheels, etc. would be that the people that put together training materials regarding how to identify Russian equipment use the number of wheels and spacing between wheels as a means to identify specific machines.

It was the study of photos like these that resulted in the invention of the starlight scope. New devices were observed in photos of the outside of Russian armor. Stragetists though it was some type of device that allowed them to see in the dark, so the U.S. Military figured they needed to develop something ASAP, and the end result was the first starlight scopes that were used in Nam.

 

[EOD]

Nice historical documents!

As usual all available sources for "enemy equipment" were (are) used. Many sources were public, many not. Tha latter usually staying classified. Except for technical evaluation many of these images went into the training material for CFE inspectors.

Today many things are easier since some things became easier in Russia and digital cameras are everywhere and are in use by the lowest ranking soldier. Many leaking out through the internet. I bet the Russian govt. hates it.

 

[Slick]

Another interesting aspect, or question, is: who took the photos? A double-naught spy? And what kind of camera was used? Lots of unaswered/able questions. My guess is these were declassified in 1989. Am unable to decipher the rest of the "catalog" number(s).

The latest tank pictured was/is a T72, which is where I got my 70s era timeframe. Could be the early 80s, I suppose. Not all that well versed in Soviet arms and armor, so just a WAG on my part.

Zero pics of ordnance :-( other than that attached to the assorted vehicles. There are some interesting up-close photos of sections of a large missile in its cradle. Again, the focus, pun intended, was on the details of the vehicles and the armament seems of secondary importance.

Rick

 

[EOD]

Rick, it probably depends on who took the images and what he was responsible for. Usually the military attachee's crew was doing this as far as I have been told by people involved. Certainly there were several people and agencies involved in screening and documenting/photographing.
I am sure that even today the parades in Russia are being photographed in detail.

 

[HAZORD]

If you stroll through any of Melton's books on CIA and other agency equipment, you can get an idea of what some of the spy cameras looked like.