Army equipment

thumb|1917 and 1939 MPL-50 models. Note that the 1917 model has a double-headed eagle. thumb|Post-World War II|WWII design. The blade cover to the left allows the MPL-50 to be worn on the belt in a blade-up manner. The MPL-50 (, malaya pekhotnaya lopata-50, small infantry spade-50) is a small spade ( length) invented by Danish officer in 1869. It has been used by rank and file military personnel in the Russian Empire, Soviet Union and its successor states since the late 19th century. While nominally an entrenching tool, the MPL-50 has seen wide-ranging wartime applications, from a close-quarte