Overview

This figure represents a Republican machine gunner armed with the Soviet Degtyaryov DP-28 — a weapon that arrived in Spain, along with the first large shipments of Soviet arms, right around the time of the Battle of Madrid in November 1936. Leather jacket over a work shirt, a Spanish M1926 ("con ala") helmet, and improvised webbing capture a newly-armed but still improvised Republican militiaman of that period.

Historical Context

Through most of 1936, the Spanish Republic's militias fought with whatever weapons they could seize from barracks or buy on the international arms market — a chaotic mix of ageing rifles and few machine guns. That changed from October 1936, when the Soviet Union began large-scale arms shipments to the Republic. On 25 October 1936 the freighter SS Kursk docked at Cartagena carrying, among other matériel, 150 Degtyaryov machine guns. Through 1937 the DP-28 became one of the standard light machine guns of the Republican forces, fed by its distinctive 47-round flat pan magazine mounted on top of the receiver.

This new Soviet weaponry reached Republican units just as the Nationalist assault on Madrid was reaching its climax in November 1936 — the defence of the capital, rallied under the slogan "¡No pasarán!", became the first major battle where Soviet-supplied arms and International Brigade volunteers fought alongside Spanish militia in large numbers.

Sourced from GlobalSecurity: DP-28 Light Machine Gun and Wikipedia: Degtyaryov machine gun.

Clothing & Equipment

Chaqueta de cuero (leather jacket): a brown leather jacket, a garment with real political resonance at the time — Bolshevik commissars had worn black leather jackets as an informal uniform since the Russian Civil War, and the style travelled to Spain along with Soviet advisors and equipment. Not every Republican gunner wore one, but it's a fitting, period-plausible pairing with a freshly-arrived Soviet machine gun.

Camisa (shirt): a plain blue work shirt worn underneath, civilian rather than military issue.

Casco M1926 (helmet): the Spanish M26, nicknamed "con ala" ("with brim") for its more flared rim compared to the earlier brimless M1921 — designed at the National Arsenal of Artillery at Trubia, adopted in 1930, and one of the two most widely used Republican helmets of the war. Pre-Civil War helmets like this one were painted plain grey; the switch to green paint only came with a 1943 refurbishment, well after this figure's setting. This kit includes a second, interchangeable head wearing a chapiri instead — a soft cloth barracks cap with a front pompom, descended from the "Isabelino" cap of the 19th century. It was worn informally by troops on both sides during the war (later becoming the signature headgear of the Spanish Legion), so either head is a legitimate option for this figure.

Pantalón (trousers): loose khaki trousers, army stock.

DP-28: Degtyaryov Pekhotny obr. 1928 — note this is the infantry pattern with its wooden buttstock and bipod, distinct from the turretless DT tank version. Recognisable by its flat 47-round pan magazine on top of the receiver and perforated barrel jacket.

Pouch and canteen: a canvas bag (for spare pan magazines) and a metal water bottle carried on shoulder straps — the improvised load-carrying gear typical of Republican militia rather than matched Army webbing.

Built from Linden Models' own reference photography and approved sculpt; some details may be refined once final box art is confirmed.

Colours Overview

Colour names are generic mixing targets, not brand-specific codes. Swap in your preferred paint range (Vallejo, AK Interactive, Scale75, etc.).

Glossary

DP-28 (Degtyaryov Pekhotny): Soviet light machine gun, 7.62×54mmR, adopted 1928, fed by a distinctive top-mounted 47-round pan magazine. Not to be confused with the DT, a turret-mounted tank variant without a buttstock.

Casco M1926 ("con ala"): the Spanish steel helmet, nicknamed "con ala" ("with brim") for its flared rim; one of the two principal Republican helmet types of the war.

Chapiri: a soft cloth barracks cap with a front pompom, worn by troops on both sides during the war; later became the signature headgear of the Spanish Legion.

This glossary is shared across the Linden Models Spanish Civil War series. Terms already defined on other guide pages are not repeated here.

Historical References

This figure is a composite type representing a newly Soviet-armed Republican gunner around the Battle of Madrid, rather than a portrait of a named individual.

Sourced from GlobalSecurity: DP-28 Light Machine Gun, Wikipedia: Degtyaryov machine gun, and Wikipedia: M1926 helmet (Spain).

Recommended Reading

• The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936–1939 — Antony Beevor
• The Spanish Civil War: Reaction, Revolution, and Revenge — Paul Preston

Links carry the lindenmodels-20 Amazon Associates tag. We haven't yet verified a title specifically on Soviet arms shipments to Spain — Beevor and Preston both cover the Battle of Madrid and the arrival of Soviet aid within the wider war.

Downloads

A print-ready PDF of this guide — handy to keep next to your paints while you work.

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