What are people buying?

[Etranger]

It's quite possible that the Australian Army Training Team members carried the M1. The ARVN were equipped with them before getting the M16. The SASR of course used everything and anything..


M16, 2 Owen guns & (probably) a couple of SLRs.


A mix of SLRs and M16s.


and the inevitable AT-ST's...

EDIT: Here you go. http://australiansatwarfilmarchive.unsw ... t-snelling who served in the AATT 1968! It's an interesting read if you have the time.

[Buff Orpington]

Looking at the period covered by the range, the Malayan Emergency, the carbine is actually the short lived Lee Enfield No5 Mk1. That makes sense as the only British M1's that I know of were used by the RUC. 3 of the figures I couldn't spot in the British/Commonwealth range turn out to be Gurkhas, albeit rather tall Gurkhas. This lot will make a more ragtag unit than the later ones although the Aussies did take Owen guns to Vietnam.

[Etranger]

Some Commando units used the M1 carbine in WWII, especially in Burma. From memory it was Peter Young's weapon of choice.



Kachin patrol in Burma. British or American? From https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldn ... ctory.html and http://ww2today.com/15-march-1944-offic ... ards-india which calls them American!


At least two M1s in this patrol. From Wiki.


Mike Calvert & officers, 77 Chindit Brigade, Burma. From http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/ ... -in-burma/

[Vintage Wargaming]

Isn’t that Joanna Lumley’s dad in that last photo?

[Buff Orpington]

I think that irregular warfare saw more semi official weapons loadouts than records would have us think.
One of the Gurkhas in the range has an Owen gun. Could well be an officer who has adopted one.
On a slight tangent, today's Times has an obituary notice for Major General Corran Purdon. He was a subaltern at St Nazaire, spent time in Colditz. While he was at GHQ Far East Land Forces he managed to slope off up country to join in. I daresay he would have been happy to use whatever he was offered.

[Tim Hall]

They should be FNs plus either Brens or more like M60s. NCOs and Officers would be using Owen or less likely STEN, sections might have two scouts with SMG or M16. I don't know if shortguns were official issue, but I can see they might be useful.

Not heard of M1s, but maybe replacing SMG.

The Australians also had this little beauty, the F1. An Owenised version of the Sterling smg. https://www.militaryfactory.com/smallar ... rms_id=463

[Tim Hall]

As I was in a buying mood this week I picked up some Kumbayah extras at the club. I got a Grubby's 28mm M113 and 10 60's era Australians. It's an interesting mix of weapons, sten guns, Owen guns, a couple of M1 carbines, a Brent and a combat shotgun. The package says that they are by Inkerman Castings, does anyone know anything about them?

Edit: I've just found out that Grubby's still have some of them, along with the command team and the trackers.

Buff, if your'e interested I have 10 of the Eureka Vietnam Aussies that I am not going to use. Yours if you want 'em.

[Buff Orpington]

Ooh, yes please. Are you sure you don't want them for Kumbayah because that's where I'll send them.

[grizzlymc]

Ah yes. The Aussie Vietnam vets in Kumbayah had a shotgun to supplement the awful tinned rations.

[grizzlymc]

Calvert and his mates remind me of GMF's description of their turnout in Quartered Safe Out Here.