"While the enemy is drawing maps of the offensive, we are changing landscapes, and manually." These words of a warrant officer from one well-known Russian comedy are the best fit to characterize a set of measures to disguise. However, it should also be noted that such measures are quite universal, regardless of the army of the world. Soviet tactical art during the war years in this field not only did not lag behind, but even set a trend in places.
"Masks" and shadows
The imitation of equipment and fortifications in order to deceive enemy intelligence is one of the most important points in the art of camouflage.
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During the Second World War, aerial photography and visual observation from reconnaissance aircraft occupied an important place in the field of tactical and strategic reconnaissance. They tried to deceive them with the help of special masks imitating the technique and the shadows from it on the ground.
Useful things.
In fact, the mask is a large drawing with the image of the technique on top and the same image of the shadow from it. This method of camouflage is especially effective against flying aircraft. It is doubly effective in cloudy weather when visibility is seriously impaired. The action of flat layouts was reinforced by leaving characteristic traces of technology, as well as using camouflage nets.
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On sunny days, complex masks with separating shadows were used for deception, which were periodically moved by fighters manually, depending on the current position of the sun in the sky.
Mother earth
One of the most accessible materials in the European part of the USSR was, of course, wood. Together with ordinary land, it allows you to implement very effective methods of deceiving the enemy.
You can make a tank out of the ground on a wooden frame.
Most often, to mislead the enemy, false trenches and trenches were torn off, and fake artillery crews were also installed. The cannons were made from trees cut down around them. Covered with a camouflage net, layouts of artillery guns helped to distract not only aircraft, but also the enemy on the field, who wasted time, ammunition and adjusted his movement in accordance with the situation.
They also made cannons from wood.
With the help of wooden cannons, they diverted attention from the location of the real artillery, and also diverted attention from the real location of the infantry, creating false targets, including for enemy tanks.
Such tricks work well.
Even a false trench needs to be dug.
In addition, from the earth and one palen, with the help of an ax and a couple of soldiers with sapper shovels, it was possible to make an earthen model of an entrenched tank. The most important thing was to work out as best as possible the key nodes visible to the enemy. When the situation permitted, earthen tanks were made around a pole frame. It made it possible to make the layout even more believable, even at a relatively short distance.
You can also make a tank out of snow.
Similarly, snow could be used to create layouts. First, a wooden form was made, and then snow was poured into it, which was given rigidity with the help of a sapper tool. If the snow was loose, then pine needles, soot, ash were added to it and covered with earth around it.
Inflatable tanks
The main disadvantage of inflatable "bogus" is that they must first be produced at the factory. This imposes additional restrictions and complications.
They were widely used by the allies.
Nevertheless, it is the installation of inflatable models that is the most effective way to mislead the enemy. Similar techniques were widely used by Allied soldiers during the Second World War. However, the Paint Army also had its own inflatable tanks. So, one of the first inflatable tank models in the Red Army was the T-26. The most important thing was to properly fix the inflatable model so that it would not be carried away during windy weather.