Plastic Platoon Vietnam Marines Paratroopers we have received photos of a series of figures being done in Russia. At the moment I have very little information on them other than they are from someone call Plastic Platoon. We will give you what we have for now.
Plastic Platoon Vietnam Marines Paratroopers Photo
Here we have a photo of the twelve poses we of know so far.
Here are the six paratroopers (Greg let know me know what the various weapons they are carrying)
This photo show the six U.S. marines. Look at the detail on these figures, I was blown away. The guy covering his ears is missing a boot.
As we get more information we will post it. they are in a vinyl soft plastic. The figures shown are prototypes. As I get more information I will post it.
The detail on these figures is outstanding. I would love to see what else they produce.
They have not start yet but of course VC are next.
These are prototype.
Best…
very well done in spite of the collusion,,
Wow, very nice, even Rambo, although the guy with his boot off is probably in violation of the Marine manual.
WOW!
As a poster has said – OUTSTANDING! Thanks for the heads-up Paul – ahead of the game once again.
Seriously, those may be the best figures I have ever seen, you can almost tell what time it is on the one guys watch and the brand of the cigarette the one guy has dangling from his lips. I suppose someone will find issues with their unifroms, equipment or shoelaces, but they look great.
You’re right Ed !
The watch is at 1500 hrs or 0300 hrs and the eyelet holes are missing from the marines boots 🙂
I second Ed’s opinion. These are the best detailed figures ever made in plastic. However I predict you won’t be able to get all 12 figures for under $100, so I probably won’t be buying any.
I don’t really collect that era, but I may buy them just because they are probably the best I have ever seen and they will probably be made in limited numbers. Unless they are produced in hard plastic then I won’t be interested even if they were free.
Limited number plus high price …
I’m currently painting up Mars and TSSD Nan figures and these look like the gold standard! My only minor complaint is that in all the current TSSD, Mars and this company’s Nan figures there is no prone shooting poses. From what I’ve heard that was the most common fighting position in Vietnam firefights. Stengel Jr did some but I wasn’t able to purchase them before he stopped production.
I agree in lack of kneeling poses ,Stengel set actually most of then are either kneeling or in ground and almost not standing poses.So it went to far opposite but realistic jungle poses .Funny .
but also in my opinion the high price x the bad quality sculpt was not worth .
I pass all those x good and ever.There some figures i will never get in my collection.
best.
In a firefight low is good.
I’ll never forget what my older brother told Mom at the airport as he left for Nam, “Don’t worry Mom; when I get there I’ll start digging my foxhole and keep digging, the only way they’ll find me is by the empty C-ration cans and the smell…”
Low is good.
But guys hunkered down firing over walls hoping they’ll hit something or lowcrawling like an earthworm on its belly do not exciting poses make.
Sorry Nam. Autocorrect!
The figures are made by a friend of Alex who had informed me are prototype and made by same maker of PL .
They are done by same artist.
Price will be high as PLV o more.
Plastic is same used in last PLV.
As soon Alex inform me I will pass to admin.
So far these figures kick out any done out there in poses , detail and Dynamism.
Best..
very nice! but i don’t think they are all Marines. unless i am mistaken, i think i see a 25th ID and a 1st CAV patch on two of the figures, making them Army.
Well, the title shows Paratroopers Marines, so I guess that gives them some leeway.
The title was from direct pass info to me from maker..
If not quite described is not that importantly so as could bewell used as or w minor convers ion
My thoughts
OIF-Retread, I agree on the patches. But a minor detail to me. There WERE some guys on jump status in the 1st Cav at least in the early days of the conflict (can’t say without looking it up how long that was) – but I know I had a First Sergeant who wore a 1st Cav combat patch with an Airborne tab. That general denotes jump status or a unit that was on jump status – the exception being the 101st Air Assault Division which carries the tab out of tradition. But that’s a quibble – both outfits were among the earliest be deployed to Nam. The name is just a name – they can be whatever we went them to be.
This is a superb set and unless they’re made of chalk will be an awesome addition to anyone’s collection. Great job! I just hope I won’t have to take out a second mortgage to pay for them.
25th and 1st cav are not paratrooper units, I do believe that these are the very best looking figures I’ve ever seen also, I will buy them if the actual figures look like the proto types.
Just hope the PC Police don’t notice the Shotgunner is OMG Smoking!!LOL.Again my only thing is could we just have a plain flat base.
I agree with Wayne W. I knew a couple MP’s with jump wings.
Yeah, Ed, I know that at least the 1st Bde of the 1st Cav was Airborne when they first deployed to Nam; eventually I believe they took them off status as they moved more to the Air Assault role, but off the top of my head I can’t remember the exact year. My First Sergeant had several tours in Nam and had served with about every Airborne unit over there; the joke in the battalion was you could tell when he changed his shirt by the combat patch. The 25th Infantry currently has a brigade on jump status (they were in danger of being taken off due to budget cuts but I think that has been staved off for the time being), but none that I know of in Nam.
I meant to mean “names” in my earlier post.
Erwin the guys are superb – no criticism here – as I said, except for the two guys with the unit patches, the old M1942 helmet and OG107s could be anyone in Nam – the US Army name tapes and USMC Globe and anchor would have to be painted on. Geez, I wore that exact same gear and uniform myself at one point in my career so…
Both thumbs up for a great job. If I don’t want my grunts to be 1st Cav or 25th Infantry I have an X-acto knife… but it would seem a shame to put a knife to such beautiful sculpts.
Thanks Wayne for data ..i think the figures were done either or to make more variable generic or artist did follow some books where those detail were put wrong maybe,but to ask more is way too much I think in generic way talking …
Paint and knife could diminish any as you say but the figures are superb made to do any unless doubles of course.Now that is up to price too as it will hurt.
Again the price would be as Publius or a bit more so far..
Just thoughts and in accord with all you say..
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Flak Vests
Whenever outside the wire, the flak vest was part of the UD.
Many wore it inside the wire too.
Denver
Please keep us updated as soon as they are available. Thanks, Ed Bearnson. 8-4-17.
Interesting that the pictures were taken on the dashboard of his car.
Anyway, if the finished product looks close to as good as the pictures do, I’ll buy them damn the torpedo’s. Of course with the disclaimer that they aren’t made of hard brittle plastic and they aren’t 70mm or larger.
ED.I think.Outside the factory were are made…just the first fresh prototype as Alex told me
Scale is as all publius figures.not 70mm at all.
Will have see soon other photos.
Best..
And not bad plastic at all..
But price will be typical high….
Literally to find minor errors in these figures is nonsense.These figures Kick A.. versus all done in Viet Nam era .
Ironicle made by Russian artist .
So once again Russian beat the top as makers and extremely well done.
They should send some artist to teach other make figures.
In viet nam Uniformity was the less see and American armies are not at all the best in keeping it at field as far can be see least WW2,KOREA and Viet nam.
About prices we will know are high .But if collectors paid top for those made super limited never enough x buyers by stengels Jr that were nowhere near close to this in sculpts and dynamism i bet they could too paid x these.
So far Publius is selling all or most they do ,but i heard 75% are European from to important direct russian sources got .So it looks that there more big-deep pockets and willing paid these particular high price figures out there than here.
Still we will see what it take and if these move good x maker continue making the VC or others …
So far some pre purchase orders had been made by few dealers in Russia
So lets keep finger cross for those us interested to get then
my thoughts.
best.
hi Erwin, i agree they are some of the best sculpting i’ve seen recently. i think the “marines”/”paratroopers” title might just be an error carried over from the original Russian, something lost, or added, in translation. maybe the fact that the 1st Cav troopers were called “sky soldiers” sometimes added to the confusion.
however, i don’t think it’s nonsense to point out the error. if a manufacturer released some beautiful figures in kepis and carrying 1873 trapdoor Springfields, and called them “Alamo Defenders”, i’m sure we’d have a bit to discuss. 🙂
OIF-Retreat ..
X me it is.The marines names else title was pass along by me as I already explain before.Not Russian error.If that is too much fuss , just move on please ….
The soldiers do not carry unknown non era weapons. I F THOSE minors things are errors then entirre hobby toy soldiers is much worst than these…
If want perfection then i guess we should dress in uniform exact as you may think is 100% perfect have 3D scan and print a replica cloned.
I bet some still will find a critisism of it somewhere still.
Nothing or none is perfect.
Not maker will do everybody happy.
I had see non such critisism x figures made by many others such TSSD or horrible overprices Stengels figures.
Again is my opinion and my view.
You may agree …I may not
Everyone is entitled too do so..
Best…..
Are these to be sold as two separate sets or is it one set?
Ed .not clue yet.
As soon I get info I post here.
Sorry.
These guys annunce literally come out before maker would annuce it.
Thanks to a friend from Russia that got hands in prototypes and send me pics las night on his morning hours.
Best
Would have liked the Radioman to be up and moving instead of wondering where he left his boot!
He could be wounded. He does have a hole in his pants in that leg.
It almost looks like his toes are in the wrong order,The Big Toe looks like it is on the wrong side but maybe he is supposed to have foot on a stone or is shadow on picture.Quality of scuplting of figures I don’t think scupltor would have put a foot on backwards!!
I guess a second pose could be taken out of the radio man .If separated from base and radio off, could be used as wounded been carry up by other man like Marx poses .
Just a simple observation base in these prototype of course..
Best..
Look at the stuff in their helmet straps. You can see cigarette packs, bottles of insect repellent, and the radioman has a crucifix. Incredible details!
Yes that russian artist is the best ever in plastic.insanely detail ..
Also the detail and proportion of gear and weapons are very well taken as well gesture and poses..
Best looking figures I’ve seen in a long long time.
FYI – the band around the helmets are called camouflage bands; they’re used to stick foliage or whatever to break up the silhouette of the helmet. Of course, as the figures show, GI’s and Marines found other uses for them.
A couple of the guys seem to have flak jackets, but I don’t find the absence a problem; out of curiosity I Googled GIs in Vietnam and found a lot of pics of our guys without Flak vests in action. I figured at least some LRRPs units and other snake eaters might have gone without them. We used the same jackets during my time – they were pretty ragged by my time (we used to joke that we hoped the vests we were wearing saved the life of the guy who wore it in Nam – it sure looked like it caught it). And we had them in Grenada where we sweat our fourth points of contact off.
My first First Sergeant – in Germany – had served in World War 2 (he joked he ended the war as he got to his unit in time for the surrender; the Germans must have heard he was there), Korea, and Nam. He kind of took to me (I guess it was because I was an Army brat) and would have me drive him to the main Kaserne on errands. He’d entertain and educate me with his stories. Among the things that stood out in my mind was his thoughts on flak vests. He said in his multiple tours in Nam (I think he had three) he had three rules: 1) His men never had their weapon more than arms’ length away from them; 2) They kept their pots on; and 3) they kept their flak vests on at all times out of the wire or on perimeter and close by the rest of the time. He said he only had one man killed in his tours in Nam and that was because the guy disregarded his orders.
When I pushed troops I kept that in mind. Those were my rules, too. I slept with my M16A1 curled up in my sleeping bag or under my poncho liner depending – when my first marriage busted up I was surprised my ex didn’t sue my weapon for alienation of affection – after all, I spent more nights with her than my wife!
Sorry to ramble and not trying to take the thread off track, just hope it helps in judging these figures. I still think they’re great – flak vests or no.
The guy with the cross stuck in his camouflage band reminds me of the story of the atheist who went to Nam. About a month after getting there his buddies see him walking through the firebase with a Cross, a Star of David, a Crescent Moon, a Buddha, and a chicken’s foot on a big chain around his neck.
One of his buddies says, “Hey Dude, what’s with the necklace?”
The guy answers, “I believe!”
“But in what?”
“I don’t know but I figure where we’re at I need to cover all my bets!”
Those are a bunch of funny and interesting experience Wayne Thank you x sharing.
Yes if we see all pictures of war and documentary there not such thing as when who and what unit use the vest ,
I think in that war uniformity was not well observed .I had seen entire platoons with and with some on ,others not or else,it is a mess.
Again these are multipose generic figures ,
if collectors want standard uniform soldier i think the set will be call” arriving to viet nam from plane with all gear and uniform from training camp day ONE”
In WW2 you can see one with shirt inside ,other all out other with net and other with out net in helmet …
My thoughts..
Ed B. and whoever else does Alamo, did you see new Paragon figures at CTS?
http://www.classictoysoldiers.com/
I though they were out already!!?.
They been on ebay for some weeks too…
So if they are so new why not annunce more…! ?
I will think is lack advertising in my opinion.
In other side I keep seen the same issue to most long run plastic figures have .Bending spaghetti weapons and parts.
Conte, CTS, TSSD Paragon , LOD, OWN, others
My thoughts..
Cool, I got to get me some, more parts for the cutting.Thanks.
OK, ol’ buddy. I like all the loose parts with Paragon. Converters’ dream. That ladder guy looks good as is.
Hmmmmmm… Just checked their web site. A lot of great scenic pieces I wasn’t aware of:
http://www.paragon-scenics.com/miniatures/Playsets.html
They have a tendcy to be a little too thick, but they will work. He always does real good action poses, so you at least have something to work with and those extra arms and hands come in handy.
I’ve been waiting for this; was concerned they after they didn’t show up in Texas it might be OTSN before we saw them.
As I stated great figures but as a long time plastic collector these are not yet on the market, they are coming from Russia so let’s not start writing our checks out yet for these figures. Can you say Conte?
Having said that I would think doing VN figures they would be geared to the U.S. market. Probably $50 for a set 6 poses of 2 each so 2 different sets. I would be more than happy to pay that for these figures although prototypes always seem to have a bit more detail than the finished product.
amazing detail !
The standing figure with the radio and pistol has
Staff Sergeant chevrons on his shirt sleeve.
USMC wears small metal chevrons on their collars.
OK, late but here. Here’s the weapons break out for those who don’t already know. Then I have a question for somebody out there. BTW, my only criticism is the weapons seem a bit small for the figures, especially the M-60 MG. Weapons: Pic 1 (left to right): 1. The famous .45 Cal M-1911A1, 2. M-79 grenade launcher, 3. M-60 Machine Gun, 4. Shotgun (Remington?), 5. CAR-15 , 6. M-16 w/ M-72 L.A.W. Rocket strapped on his back. Pic 2 (left to right): 1. M1911A1, 2. M-16 (looks like the A1 version), 3. M-60 MG, 4. M-16 (A1?), 5. AK-47, 6. M-79
There was no difference in uniform between Airborne, line infantry or Marines, with very few and rare exceptions. My question is this: The Army switched to collar rank about 1966, when did the Marines? I can’t find a Reg or statement. Small note: Airborne troops could not use metal pin on collar rank as it was a jump hazard. Picture the wind grabbing that collar and flipping that up in ur face (chin on chest when exiting the aircraft) when you step out of the bird moving at 120 knots.
Shotgun definitely looks like a Remington 870 with an extended magazine to me. Did not serve in Vietnam, but if my reading is correct, we were using either 870s or Ithaca 37s (and maybe some leftover Stevens 520/620s). The Ithacas and Stevens were popular as they did not have a trigger disconnect, meaning that you could hold down the trigger and work the pump and the gun would immediately fire the freshly chambered round until you emptied the mag or stopped pumping. Made for one GRAND s**t storm in close quarters.
Greg The weapons are made separated in prototype once plastic mold feel should looks a bit bigger.However weapons proportion versus figures had been always the hardest part x artist as in fire weapons calibers are hard to adjust. STILL few had been able do so.
TSSD VC figures had horribles weapons while Marines are better but some odd too.
Mars vietnam fugures are the worst in weapon and Stengels limited never seen any more righ after in quality.
My thoughts.
Greg and yes you are right ;the M60and others are too short ,so is the AK …
i agree ,hope final figures are in better scale proportional,otherwise we will have to take as that ,Airfix did same mistake with MP 40,38,STEN and PPS41 …
best
For the sake of conversation and agreeing with Greg, the Army switched to pin-on rank after VC snipers targeted officers and NCOs so we (both Army and Marines) went to subdued rank insignia on our OG-107s (Jungle fatigues) in the mid to late 1960s. First we tried subdued sleeve insignia but I think (can’t be too sure) it was discovered even THOSE could be spotted by a sharp eye and/or rifle scope. So the services went to pin-on collar insignia. According to this site (http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/HeraldryMulti.aspx?CategoryId=9168&grp=2&menu=Uniformed%20Services ) subdued insignia wasn’t authorized until 1967. I remember my dad being stationed at an isolated outpost in late 1968 – early 69 and some of the guys were still wearing full-colored chevrons on their work uniforms (fatigues) – but this was Stateside. It was sometime around then that Dad came home with a handful of subdued unit patches for Mom to sew on his uniforms.
I can’t find any official Marine info on the subject, but doing a Google Search (this thread got my curiosity roused) I saw a pic of a Marine sergeant wearing similar subdued sleeve insignia on his dungarees (I think that was the Marine term) in the 1950s, so I would assume the Marines followed a similar path as the Army moving toward subdued collar insignia. I did find a picture of a Marine gunnery sergeant in Nam with his stripes on his collar in 1969. So if anyone can find anything definitive on when the USMC adopted the collar rank I’d greatly appreciate a share – just to satisfy my curiosity.
I do know I still stifle a shudder when I see pics of our guys in the very early days of Nam with full color rank, unit patches, and even white name tags with black and yellow US Army tags in a combat zone. You would have thought we would have learned something fighting the Japanese in the Pacific – if not Korea.
As Greg said, pin-on collar insignia was hazardous for paratroopers during jumps so the solution by the time I came in (mid-70s) was to pin our rank on our left breast pocket flap on our fatigues (later BDUs) during jumps. In every Airborne unit I served in it was recommended all sew embroidered rank insignia on their collars to eliminate the need for that. It was required at least for corporals and above. A personal aside: In 1981-82 I was a prior service SP4 (same pay as a corporal but not considered an NCO) and was pretty much told to do it. I had a wife and two kids and with my prior service didn’t expect to be a SP4 long so I was reluctant to spend the money just to have to do it again when I got promoted, but started getting my uniforms gradually “fixed.” We were also switching from the old green fatigues (pickle suit) to the BDUs and that was added expense buying an entirely new issue of work uniforms. I think I got my last uniform sewed the month I got boarded. Within 90 days I had to get the new stripes sewn on. Oh well…
My first impression looking at the figures is these are early war troops. That is not to say you couldn’t use them later (you know my take on that). If you wanted to use them for late war one could always use an X-Acto knife…
Sometimes the very detail that makes these so great can be limiting. One of the reasons I delayed painting my 1/32 figures is once you’ve painted them they can be locked in. If I paint my WW2 paratroops do I paint them in early war khaki colored jump suits or later OD? What about patches?
I think the Marines moved toward the collar rank before the Army did. Can’t find any evidence to prove it either way for sure, though.
Wayne, thanks for the memory jolt. I recall that now. I’d forgotten we could put the rank on the pocket during a jump.
I’d like to add, I am by no means saying these are bad figures. They are some of the best we’ve seen, certainly in the Vietnam War era.
Greg, it’s been awhile. I had to think about it a minute myself – then look at my Jump School Graduation book to make sure I remembered right – and which pocket we wore it on.
I agree with you – these are great figures. I think the tenor of the conversation is a testament to that. We are talking about UNIT PATCHES and RANK INSIGNIA as to accuracy or appropriateness. How many sets can you say that about?
Usually, it’s is that a HUMAN face? What kind of club is that dude carrying, didn’t they have automatic weapons in that war?
Did any body notice if the watch in righ hand was correctly depicted ? …
I just joking guys. ..:-)
My point Erwin, folks are talking about very small minute details. These guys raise the bar to a level beyond. Great job!
Wayne a direct question x you and maybe to any involved.
Is correct to name paratroopers the 1st and 25th.?
I know they were mainly air transported but I though only de 101 and 82 are the real paratroopers. !?.
Hope I got this clear as I can not find the paratroopers name related to those made.
Best
No, the watch is not correctly depicted, he has the numbers on the watch face reversed and he mispelled Timex.
Oh noooo!!
What a huge mistake …
Did the 1st or the 101 use Timex?
…..
I think termination of existence is in order. I believe they provided their own watches, at least they did in Pulp Fiction, Christopher Walken went into great detail on that matter.
lol….
Accuracy isn’t important.
I will convert these to Kepi Heads,
paint them blue, and
use them in my ACW set-ups.
That is a big job and sad x such well done figures , but i bet could be done…Why not …!!
Would really like to see Plastic Platoon do a set of Australians for Vietnam.
I think Gun Ho sets poses were enough x an army that fought so few and loose so few too x another brand expend in it make such sets again .It would no sale good in my opinion ;Those GUN HO sets are still around a lot because of one reason.
In line all est US units ,South Vietnam ,ROKO and enemies will go first .Still too early for thinking in what will come.Hope the first even at super high price sale good x then otherwise they won’t even touch thematic any more.
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Well if a set of Castro Cubans can sell then Diggers in Nam scuplted by Plastic Platoon should be Fair Dinkum!
Ask Gun Ho as they never continued doing any else.
But EB did sale and continued.
I guess that said a lot.
Castro revolution sold a lot as is a hot thematic x russian Soviets nostalgic …
Nostalgic I mean..
While GH australians took many years to sale .Still around and not more productions after.
So it looks not much support. Not even at home….
Best…
And do not get me wrong…
Nothing against it of course ,just looking at what happen to one before base in their own home experience please.They did not go well at all.Even after they did Apaches they did not sale well either.Still their figures well dinamic in poses and variety but not as clean cut made as these if course.
I wish they could do all sets of the world,but i guess there is BIG reason this new maker choose a good HOT item set army to start.They saw that MARS first from Russia broke the ice in Viet Nam war sets in 1.32, with TSSD and Stengels Jr making after .Still Notice how none of those either had touched any of Australians either.There is a reason there ….they look what happen before to one maker.Is a very limited room x competition and production.Already w these there will be 3 makers as I do not count Stengels JR .
May be Mars that make cheap figures and already cover 6 sets could do them .Who knows!!?..
My thoughts..
best
Well if the sets do sell well I’d like to see them go back about 15 years and do the French Indochina War. If not we can use more Vietnam figures maybe a Sgt. Barnes and Elias inspired figures, a prone figure firing like Timmee’s, wounded, Huey Doorgunner, The Duke as Green Beret…
Erwin to my knowledge, the 25th Infantry Division was a non-Airborne (“leg”) Infantry Division during Vietnam. I think the confusion might have come with the 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team 25th Infantry Division that is currently stationed out of Ft Wainright, Alaska. That was attached in 2005 during the post-9/11 reorganization of the US Army. Prior to that the Airborne Brigade was an independent Airborne Brigade.
Now, the 1st Cavalry is a bit more complex. Being designed as a new “Airmobile” Division, formerly the 11th Airborne/Air Assault Division, AT LEAST one Brigade, the 1st was Airborne (parachute) when the Division arrived in Nam in 1965. It consisted of three Airborne Infantry battalions (http://www.first-team.us/tableaux/chapt_08/). Now, as I said, how long did those battalions stay on jump status I can’t say. As I’ve said before I served under NCOs and officers who wore the 1st Cav patch on their right sleeve (combat patch) with an Airborne tab. With the exception of the 101st back then that usually denoted a jump unit.
If I had been doing the sculpting I might have put 173rd Abn Infantry Bde (Skysoldiers), 82nd (of course), 101st (which by the end of the war had only one brigade left on status – it was taken off in Aug 74, right before I signed up), Special Forces, there were even some MACV (Military Assistance Command Vietnam) who had Airborne tabs. I might be missing one or two others, but those would be the main Airborne Infantry units I think. If anyone can think of others it would be great – I know there might have been some other small units who got the tab, but again I can’t think of any off the top of my head.
So the patches might be out of place, but it is a minor point. What’s in a name? In my opinion these guys are a superb rendition of Vietnam infantry in action. In the bush except for the patches and wings paratroopers were pretty much indistinguishable from our “leg” brethren (except for maybe our (I speak “we” as paratroopers in general as I missed Nam by an “inch or two” agewise). I wouldn’t fuss over it much. But that’s my opinion.
This set is incredibly detailed. I can hardly wait to see what their NVA and VC sets look like. I picked up many of the Pvblius and Engineer Bassevich World War Two Russian and Partisan sets because they are some of the best I’ve ever seen in that range. They were expensive, but worth it.
Please keep us posted with release details.
Cheers,
Jeremy
Here’s a link to patches of units that served in country and the time frames in which they served.
http://www.173rdairborne.com/rvnunits.htm
Thank you so much Wayne for all time explaining all this with your expertise. I apreciate all your info and personal touch..ironicle in my reseach I got above link..
I even google and find several vets forum were discussion were talk about .Yet not quite detailed..
So after all is not quite correct call these figures as paratroopers I will think right???.
The 1st Cav guy AND the 25th Inf guy would have had an Airborne tab over their patch if they were on status, I would think. I couldn’t see them not wearing it if they were going to the trouble of wearing the patch in the first place.
The other guys with no patches could be whatever you wanted. Personally, were I going to paint them and use them as paratroopers I would just do over the patches to keep from defacing them.
But as I said, I think the maker just put a tag on them to differentiate them from the other Vietnam Era sets out there? It really doesn’t matter IMHO – unless I was doing a museum display or something.
hey Erwin,
i think i need to apologize, as i think you mistook my comments as criticism (which they were not) based on my misunderstanding. i thought these figures were called “Marine’s Paratroopers”, as in paratroopers of the Marines, as in Marine Force Recon. i merely wanted to point out that some of them having Army patches (a beautiful touch, the first i’ve ever seen on 54mm figures, i think) meant they could not be Marines. from your later comments i realized they were “Marines and Paratroopers”, which is a perfectly fine description.
Oh boy..lessee here..Jarheads in combat AOs all wore flak jackets& helmets
(3rd Mar Div 3/68-4/69).Only para-jump in RVN was by the “Thundering Herd”,
173rd AB Brigade.Never saw a doggie in a flak jacket(up with us-1st Cav,101st,
Americal,5th I.D.(Mech)and mixed bag of useless marvin the ARVN types.
New figs here…very intricate sculps!
Critique;Nicely covered by your panel..I would add 1911s to M-60,M-79
gunners,each swingin’…..w/2 canteens.Buff 60 gunner heavy malaria bait.
We all wore metal chevrons on collars at this point and on our ‘soft’cover.
All had gas masks,1st aide pouch,K-Bars,E-tools,bandoleers..On Company
moves you carried extra 60 rounds and 60mm mortar rounds.C-rat spoon in front pocket or helmet (sometimes watches secured on left pocket..I wore mine
face down as ruck sack/deuce gear would grab same).Most wore no socks/undies
—jungle rot..foot powder in use.RTO(poor bastard)carried a ton including
smoke grenades.
Ah,there’s more but………