David Wilson
Contributor
Over the last few months, I've been collecting Soviet diving books on eBay and exploring the Russian auction site Avito to trace the development of basic diving gear in the USSR and to improve my rudimentary knowledge of the Russian language. I thought I might share some of my findings here, which I hope a few of you will also find of interest. I will begin with a selection of fins made in the 1960s and early 1970s in Moscow and Leningrad (now St Petersburg) factories. To begin with, these fins were simply named Model 1, Model 2, Model 3, Model 4, Model 5, Model 6 and Model 7, although those numbered 5, 6 and 7 eventually acquired more distinctive names. These are only a fraction of the fins designed and manufactured in the USSR and I may be prepared to write about other Soviet fins if people are interested.
Model 1
Model 1 was a fixed-open-heel fin made in the Mosrezina plant. "Mosrezina" is a combination of the first three letters of the Russian word "Moskva" (Moscow) with the Russian word "rezina" (rubber). I am struck by the more than passing resemblance it bears to the Owen Churchill fin used by military swimmers during World War II and now a favourite of bodyboard surfers.
Here are two (translated) descriptions of these fins from the diving literature of the period:
1. These fins were the first model in domestic production. The fins are made of light, porous rubber, usually green in colour. The blade of the fin is straight and flexible, with two stiffening ribs. The fins came in a 40-ish size. In later years, fin production focused on models sized 42-43.
2. This open fin from the Number 4 (‘Mosrezina’) rubber goods plant is a soft, heavy type of fin. When the first fins of this type appeared, they were made of foam rubber, and so they did not sink in the water. Subsequent batches of this fin were made of rubber with a specific gravity of a little more than one, and so they sink. The elastic, smooth and flat fin blade working area has thickened ribs only at the edges, which gently taper towards the tip. The fin blades have obliquely cut tips. Overall, the fin looks like a fishtail in shape. The heel strap forms an integral part of the body of the fin and is non-adjustable. One drawback is the uncomfortable shape of the foot pocket, subjecting the foot to undue pressure. The fin serves the purpose of low-speed swimming over long distances.
Model 2
Model 2 was a "semi-open" fin with an extended heelplate and an adjustable strap made in the Mosrezina plant as well as a factory in Leningrad. Fins like these with soles extended to protect the heels were also popular in Europe and the USA in the 1960s.
Here are two (translated) descriptions of these fins from the diving literature of the period. Note the negative criticism of the fins by the second Soviet writer:
1. The fins are straight and trapezoid-shaped. On the top of the blade, there are five stiffening ribs. On the bottom, these ribs barely stand out from the blade, ending underneath the heel.
2. This semi-open-fin from the Moscow Number 4 (‘Mosrezina’) rubber goods plant and the Leningrad LOO industrial combine is a hard lightweight fin. The working area of the flat hard rubber fin blade features reinforcing ribs, which in extreme cases are very thick and hard. Making the fin easier to walk in on land is the sole reason for prolonging the body of the fin. Too little elasticity, a poor hydrodynamic shape and a durable enough foot attachment make this type of fin ineffective and of limited use when swimming.
Model 3
Model 3 was a closed-heel fin with an instep strap made in the Mosrezina plant. It had the same kind of blade as the Model 2 fin, namely two tall side rails and three central ribs. Western diving equipment manufacturers, notably Cressi of Italy, made full-foot fins with the added security of instep straps during the 1960s.
Here are two (translated) descriptions of these fins from the diving literature of the period:
1. The fins have a trapezoid shape. Open-toed foot pocket. The blade of the fin is much shorter in length than the foot pocket and it is set at a slight angle. The heel of the fin is very deep, causing abrasions during prolonged swimming. There are two buckles at the sides of each heel for fastening the strap at the top.
2. This hard, closed and heavy fin takes the form of a solid rubber base with two ribs along the edges and three ribs at the centre radiating out from the base. The fin attaches to the foot using a shoe with an open toe and a strap located at the instep. This fin serves the purpose of high-speed swimming over short distances.
Model 4
Model 4 was a fixed open-heel fin made in the Mosrezina plant as well as the "Red Triangle" factory in Leningrad.
Here are two (translated) descriptions of these fins from the diving literature of the period. Note the adverse criticisms:
1. Fins made of light, flexible rubber, pale green in colour. There are three ribs on the top of the fin and none on the bottom. Blade has a smooth curvature. Ineffective fins for both swimming and diving.
2. This open fin with double-oblique tips is a soft semi-heavy fin. The Leningrad RTI and Moscow Number 4 (‘Mosrezina’) rubber goods plants manufacture this type of fin. The fin blade has three thickened ribs (two along the edges and one at the centre), giving this fin slightly greater hardness than the single-oblique soft fin. The end of the fin blade has a double-oblique cut and presents a slight smooth curvature. The fin is the same for either foot. The heel strap, which forms an integral part of the fin, is non-adjustable for length and may cause discomfort in individual cases. The fin serves the purpose of low-speed swimming over long distances.
In my second posting to this thread I shall give some details about the remaining fins in the Soviet "Numbered model" series. Models 5, 6 and 7 were more enduring fins in the Soviet repertoire and went on to be given proper names other than model numbers.
Model 1
Here are two (translated) descriptions of these fins from the diving literature of the period:
1. These fins were the first model in domestic production. The fins are made of light, porous rubber, usually green in colour. The blade of the fin is straight and flexible, with two stiffening ribs. The fins came in a 40-ish size. In later years, fin production focused on models sized 42-43.
2. This open fin from the Number 4 (‘Mosrezina’) rubber goods plant is a soft, heavy type of fin. When the first fins of this type appeared, they were made of foam rubber, and so they did not sink in the water. Subsequent batches of this fin were made of rubber with a specific gravity of a little more than one, and so they sink. The elastic, smooth and flat fin blade working area has thickened ribs only at the edges, which gently taper towards the tip. The fin blades have obliquely cut tips. Overall, the fin looks like a fishtail in shape. The heel strap forms an integral part of the body of the fin and is non-adjustable. One drawback is the uncomfortable shape of the foot pocket, subjecting the foot to undue pressure. The fin serves the purpose of low-speed swimming over long distances.
Model 2
Model 2 was a "semi-open" fin with an extended heelplate and an adjustable strap made in the Mosrezina plant as well as a factory in Leningrad. Fins like these with soles extended to protect the heels were also popular in Europe and the USA in the 1960s.
Here are two (translated) descriptions of these fins from the diving literature of the period. Note the negative criticism of the fins by the second Soviet writer:
1. The fins are straight and trapezoid-shaped. On the top of the blade, there are five stiffening ribs. On the bottom, these ribs barely stand out from the blade, ending underneath the heel.
2. This semi-open-fin from the Moscow Number 4 (‘Mosrezina’) rubber goods plant and the Leningrad LOO industrial combine is a hard lightweight fin. The working area of the flat hard rubber fin blade features reinforcing ribs, which in extreme cases are very thick and hard. Making the fin easier to walk in on land is the sole reason for prolonging the body of the fin. Too little elasticity, a poor hydrodynamic shape and a durable enough foot attachment make this type of fin ineffective and of limited use when swimming.
Model 3
Model 3 was a closed-heel fin with an instep strap made in the Mosrezina plant. It had the same kind of blade as the Model 2 fin, namely two tall side rails and three central ribs. Western diving equipment manufacturers, notably Cressi of Italy, made full-foot fins with the added security of instep straps during the 1960s.
Here are two (translated) descriptions of these fins from the diving literature of the period:
1. The fins have a trapezoid shape. Open-toed foot pocket. The blade of the fin is much shorter in length than the foot pocket and it is set at a slight angle. The heel of the fin is very deep, causing abrasions during prolonged swimming. There are two buckles at the sides of each heel for fastening the strap at the top.
2. This hard, closed and heavy fin takes the form of a solid rubber base with two ribs along the edges and three ribs at the centre radiating out from the base. The fin attaches to the foot using a shoe with an open toe and a strap located at the instep. This fin serves the purpose of high-speed swimming over short distances.
Model 4
Model 4 was a fixed open-heel fin made in the Mosrezina plant as well as the "Red Triangle" factory in Leningrad.
Here are two (translated) descriptions of these fins from the diving literature of the period. Note the adverse criticisms:
1. Fins made of light, flexible rubber, pale green in colour. There are three ribs on the top of the fin and none on the bottom. Blade has a smooth curvature. Ineffective fins for both swimming and diving.
2. This open fin with double-oblique tips is a soft semi-heavy fin. The Leningrad RTI and Moscow Number 4 (‘Mosrezina’) rubber goods plants manufacture this type of fin. The fin blade has three thickened ribs (two along the edges and one at the centre), giving this fin slightly greater hardness than the single-oblique soft fin. The end of the fin blade has a double-oblique cut and presents a slight smooth curvature. The fin is the same for either foot. The heel strap, which forms an integral part of the fin, is non-adjustable for length and may cause discomfort in individual cases. The fin serves the purpose of low-speed swimming over long distances.
In my second posting to this thread I shall give some details about the remaining fins in the Soviet "Numbered model" series. Models 5, 6 and 7 were more enduring fins in the Soviet repertoire and went on to be given proper names other than model numbers.
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