Loaded or Unloaded FIRST TIME IN ‘NAM?
Surprise” by Darryl Young is a paperback worth its weight in gold. On page 32 of the book Darryl Young gives us the lowdown: “As we walked down the streets of Can Tho, we always drew a lot of hard stares and suspicious looks from military personnel and Vietnamese alike. Our hair was longer than military specs, some of us had beards, which were not then authorized, and we wore a mix of civilian and military clothing. Levi’s jeans, cammo top, protective coral booties or tennis shoes. And occasionally we packed Stoners. Even most military personnel didn’t recognise the Stoner. After taking a look at us, normal GIs would say “Who or what the f##k are you?” This simple paragraph gives you an idea of where you can take things and where you can make everything affordable. First off you can save on the footwear by buying something like a pair of black converse style boots which work well and of course can be worn every day, although I’ve stuck with my jungle boots. Blue jeans; five quid from the supermarket! The ERDL pockets sewn onto these came from a trashed pair of pants I found online again for £5.00; this was not a regular thing that you’d see although reference pictures do sometimes show the modification. Trousers (either camo or non) should be left unbloused so as not to hold water. I picked up an old
WHERE TO BUY and RESOURCES www.sofmilitary.co.uk Based in Wales Soldier of Fortune can also be found at most good military and living history shows. They carry probably the most complete line of real and reproduction Vietnam War uniforms, footwear, equipment in Europe and you don’t even have to worry about import duty!
www.mooremilitaria.com When it comes to all things “’Nam” then Moore Militaria in Texas are just superb. Trey Moore is an excellent guy to deal with and as an avid collector himself really understands what re-enactors are looking for. All of his gear be it genuine or repro, is absolutely first rate and you can often find some extra-special items in the “one offs” sections of his website.
www.vietnamgear.com If you want to find out more about the Vietnam War or any of the gear used the vietnamgear.com is the place to go. Everything is concisely listed and catalogued with individual descriptions of just about anything and everything ‘Nam related.
www.vietnam-airsoft.com The international Vietnam Airsoft Forum is an absolute goldmine of information and has some first rate sections detailing how to nail your loadout. There are sections for gear, guns, and even rations and listings of games worldwide. Tread carefully though, these guys are serious about what they do!
http://s6.zetaboards.com/vietnamairsoft/ index/ The UK Vietnam Airsoft Forum is a much more relaxed place to visit and has some equally fabulous loadout ideas. You’ll also find listings of games within the UK which are updated regularly.
Vietnam War Collectibles: Identification and Price Guide
ERDL shirt from a friend for £10.00 and once again, a couple of green bandanas cost £2 from the market. With the LBE you can make things really simple too; I’m lucky enough to have picked up one of the excellent Stoner replicas from G&P so I just run an M56 belt with the nylon first aid pouch, two canteens, a magazine pouch to carry grenades, a black leather K-Bar sheath and a leather holster for my “hush puppy”; this is a customised suppressed Ruger and the holster was made for me by a fellow ‘Namsofter for the price of materials and postage. If you’re going to run an M16 with this loadout you can simply add a couple of Universal Magazine Pouches and you’re good to go. So, there you have it. If you’re of a mind to give ‘Namsoft a go this year, then either of these loadouts will set you in good stead. You really don’t need to pay out silly amounts of money on your gear but whichever way you decide to go, do your research and make sure that you’re doing the best job that you possibly can. Historical airsoft honours the participants of horrific conflicts so do bear in mind you do carry the weight and responsibility of that with you. As always, research is your friend, and in this case really do make sure you do your homework! 56
October 2015
This excellent full-colour book by David Doyle (ISBN 978-0-89689-6048) is an absolute “must have” if you’re looking to get into ‘Namsoft as it details every tiny item that a GI might have carried. The prices quoted are now out of date sadly, but the sheer volume of information and pictorial reference makes this worth having.
The Element Of Surprise As mentioned earlier Darryl Young’s account of SEAL Team One operations in the Mekong Delta is a cracking read (ISBN 978-0-8041-0581-1). Not only does it take you right into “the belly of the beast” but there are numerous sections which clearly and succinctly outline their gear and how it was used. You’ll also, after having read it, know all about the “Banana Raid”! “Zeke” Hair courtesy of the local golf shop and a little imagination!