Soviet USSR Shoulder Boards

[IrishGunner]

Okay, I've had these two pairs of Soviet shoulder boards for about 20 years... They are dated 1989 on the reverse.

These first are artillery private boards... My question is this... Which one is the "right" side board and which one is the "left" side board?

[IrishGunner]

These field grade officer boards have one star... Major. They came with "artillery" branch insignia pins with screw backs in the top holes - but I'm sure the hole is for a button. And the branch insignia should be placed between the button and the stars. But isn't the star supposed to be more toward the outside edge to allow a branch insignia to be placed there? I think these were made up just to be sold to a tourist (I got them in Berlin). Although, I am fairly sure they are original boards.

[Paul R]

The black shoulder boards are on the correct representative side, based upon the photos.

The last set of boards are definitely original. As stated, the holes are for buttons. If cyphers are to be placed on them(dependent on era and etc), it is between the button and the last inboard star, centered onto the board.

[Asjemenou]

These field grade officer boards have one star... Major. They came with "artillery" branch insignia pins with screw backs in the top holes - but I'm sure the hole is for a button. And the branch insignia should be placed between the button and the stars. But isn't the star supposed to be more toward the outside edge to allow a branch insignia to be placed there? I think these were made up just to be sold to a tourist (I got them in Berlin). Although, I am fairly sure they are original boards.

These Soviet-Russian shoulder boards (field uniform) are original but they are post war variants. M43 wartime shoulder boards for field grade officers are pentagonal. See; http://www.rkka.ru/uniform/terms/pog_arm.htm .

Post war variants are hexagonal like your examples. The type of stars on the shoulder boards is for subalterns and not for field grade officers like a Mayor.

The top hole in the shoulder board is for a button to fit it on the tunic. The artillery branch insignia pins with screw backs are also post war. Wartime branch insignia's have pins, which have to be fold to fit them on a shoulder board. The branch insignia should be placed between the buttonhole and the star(s).

Like you already suggest the shoulder boards are made up to be sold to an ignorant tourist. I have seen the strangest combinations of rank awards, uniforms and fit together medals at the street sales in Berlin.