Preview: AFV Club's new Vietnam War era Australian Army Infantry and M113 Crew (2 Figures Set)
Vietnam War era Australian Army Infantry and M113 Crew
(2 Figure Set)
From AFV Club
1/35th scale
Set No #HF767
The subject: Aussie "Diggers" & tank crews in Vietnam
Approximately 60,000 Australians, consisting of a mix of ground troops, air-force and naval personnel served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1972. 521 died as a result of the war and over 3,000 were wounded.15,381 conscripted national servicemen served from 1965 to 1972. The Australian soldiers were easy to spot in their uniform that was made of more breathable material, with no gaps between the trouser leg and the new GP boot. a "giggle" or "bush hat" was also an important part of the Vietnam uniform, as the environment was not suitable for steel helmets.
Members of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment during a patrol in September 1967
1 RAR soldiers with an M113 armoured personnel carrier in August 1965
A Digger talks to the APC commander, a little like the figures of this kit...
The Australian Army also used the M113 in Vietnam. After initial experience showed the crew commander was too vulnerable to fire, the Australians tried a number of different guns shields and turrets, eventually standardizing with the Cadillac-Cage T-50 turret fitted with two .30 cal Browning machine guns, or a single .30/single .50 combination. The Australian Army refers to its M113A1s as "Buckets", "Bush taxis" and the modified M113A1 fitted with 76 mm turrets as "Beasts".
Vietnam War. Phuoc Tuy Province. 1967. Australian infantry hitch a ride on a 3rd Cavalry Regiment M113A1 APC.
M113s from the 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron carrying soldiers of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in South Vietnam during 1966
Australian M113A1 armoured personnel carrier (APC) driving through a river. This vehicle is the troop leader as indicated by the additional radio aerial on the right-hand side.
The figures: #HF767 Vietnam War Australian Army Infantry and M113 Crew (2 Figures Set)
This set of two figures comes in 1/35th scale, with the tank crew commander posed to be talking to the Aussie infantryman, looking directly at each other while talking. Hard to see here, but these two would be talking about something due to their eyelines.
The soldier is sen with the A 7.62 mm L1A1 self-loading rifle or "SLR" which was the standard infantry weapon used by the Australian Army during the Vietnam War. The SLR has the parkerized finish, green plastic carrying handle and oval section handguard of later production Australian weapons; the plastic handle was introduced in 1968, as the earlier wooden handles were prone to breaking off. The other hallmarks of the Australian soldier in webbing, small brimmed hat and light fatigues are here in the figure.
Australian Diggers with the standard-issue L1A1 SLR during the Vietnam War showing much of the same gear as our figure.
The tank commander is seen sitting atop his armoured cupola, leaning back on the open hatch of the tank. The light green Australian fatigues and the black beret and badge of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC).
Below is General William C. Westmoreland, Commander, US Military Assistance Command Vietnam, speaks with members of 1 Troop, C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC), about an enemy attack on the Fire Support Base (FSB) Coral, in North-West Bien Hoa Province.
We are not sure when the kit is going to be released, but along the lines of their recent releases probably early in 2022.
You can find more about this kit on the AFV Club website...