Platsch-Palatka:
Rain gear, shelter
and much more.
Very few things are as important as staying
dry when inclimate weather prevails. Fewer yet are having some
sort of shelter when you need it in really inclimate weather prevails.
The Soviet Army knew this and from its early days it sought to
provide both to its troops. This was acheived by the development
of one simple, but very versatile piece of gear. The Platsch Palatka.
At first glance it is simply a big square piece
of canvas (about 4'x5'). However upon closer inspection it is
seen to be so much more. There are grommets secured in its four
corners. There is a strange slit cut into it in one of the quadrants
of the canvas and a series of draw strings sewn into channels
within portions of the fabric.
As the diagram below illustrates, the plastch-palatka
can be used in a variety of applications. It can be worn as a
raincape (complete with hood) or it can be combined with an extra
(or a few extra) platsch to form a shelter.
Take a few moments to familiarize yourself
with the diagrams, they will come in handy when you are in the
field trying to figure out what to do with your platsch.
*Note: These can be found on ebay often enough,
or you can contact Eastwind
Command for sources.
The Platsch-Palatka configured for
poncho (personal wear) use.
Yes we know, it'll make you look like
a hobbit bound for Mordor...
The following tutorial will show you
just that.
First lay the platsch with the slit
in it facing 6o'clock. Then take the corner that's at 2 o'clock
and fasten it to the wooden/plastic toggle in the middle of the
canvas via the grommet in the corner of the platsch. Like in the
photo above.
Detail of toggle/corner.
Then go to the opposite corner and
pull steadily on the drawstring that is in the canvas. This will
make the "hood" portion of the poncho.
Slip it on and tuck the corner of the
canvas up into the hood completing the hood. There usually is
a second drawstring on the platsch that will help further with
securing the hood about your neck/shoulders.
Detail of the "hood".
The slit in the side of the platsch
is meant so that you can still have one hand "free"
to continue the People's Revolution while you're wearing the Platsch
in inclimate weather.
The Platsch can also be rigged in other
ways in addition to the earlier diagram above.
By staking three corners down and tying
the fourth to a tree, a simple "diamond" tent can be
erected.
While its not the most luxurious of
dwellings, it will serve to keep a man fairly dry/secure if need
be.
Two plastchs can be fastened together
using the toggles/slits on the sides of the tarp to form a larger
shelter.
As you can see, two people with their
gear could easily fit under this shelter.
Or without a tree (most often there's
not many of them on a battlefield.) You can use the issued poles
and rope and arrange just like a diamond tent again.
Another handy thing, is that you can
wrap you platsch around your blankets, then tie it all onto the
Veshmeshok (Soviet Rucksack)...and Slap on a couple of canteens
and fill with gear and you're ready for the march to New York
City!
Special Thanks:
Desantnik of Red-Alliance.net for posting
of the diagram.
Matt Cardinale of St. Louis Airsoft
Players for being the uniformed model.
Tascabe and Coyote of St. Louis Airsoft
Players for the platsch demonstrations.
All information copyright 2008, Operation
Eastwind, All Rights Reserved.