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Camonut314
michelwijnand
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    Australian Vietnam War loadout

    michelwijnand
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    Post by michelwijnand Sat Nov 03, 2018 10:11 am

    Just made this, relatively sure it's all correct, but if there's still a mistake, point it out and I'll fix it asap.

    Jungle uniform
    Boonie hat
    Australian made US M56 type webbing (belt, H-suspenders, first aid pouch, 2 canteen pouches with canteens, buttpack)
    2 British 1944 Pattern Basic Pouches (left and right)
    Mk1 bandoleer
    Toggle rope
    L1A2 bayonet with webbing frog
    P37 large pack with supportstraps and L-straps (pack in thin "Ersatz"style material)
    Vulseal boots

    Australian Vietnam War loadout Austra12
    Australian Vietnam War loadout Austra11
    Australian Vietnam War loadout Austra10

    The boonie is a repro, the rest is all original kit
    Camonut314
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    Post by Camonut314 Sat Nov 03, 2018 4:23 pm

    Nice. Those pixie shirts with slant pockets are hard to get. Someone more knowledgeable should correct me on this, but with that uniform, the pouches would have been Australian copies of the M56 webbing like with your buttpack and canteens. The P44 webbing was used early on, but with more of the older style jungle fatigues similar to what was worn in Borneo.
    michelwijnand
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    Post by michelwijnand Sat Nov 03, 2018 5:22 pm

    Well my Australian pouches (at least one of them) are of a later type after Vietnam, so I did it like this. I did see these pouches still worn with later gear too, even some P37's
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    Post by Camonut314 Sat Nov 03, 2018 9:47 pm

    That is true, the P37 pouches were worn, usually modified to hand off the belt similar to how the SAS did it.
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    Post by gnashernz Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:08 pm

    The pants are well past Vietnam, the bush hat looks like a repro from those pics, p44 pouches are not Australian but were used and the toggle rope is set up in a ridiculous manner.
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    Post by michelwijnand Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:47 pm

    Yes IIRC the pants are later dated, but the type should still be the same.
    The bushhat is indeed a repro, couldn't find an original.
    How is the toggle rope set up ridiculous though?
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    Post by gnashernz Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:26 am

    No, those pants are not the same ones. Maybe look at some pics of Australians in Vietnam?
    Same for the toggle rope, pretty sure there are enough out there.
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    Post by Wolverine Fri Dec 07, 2018 12:25 pm

    Great to have a friendly new member to the forum.

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    michelwijnand
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    Post by michelwijnand Fri Dec 07, 2018 1:08 pm

    How about substantiating what you mean, I've looked at plenty of old photos, so how are my pants different than the ones in these pics?

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    Post by Gulf91 Sun Dec 09, 2018 9:09 am

    The trs,Im afraid while very close are different to the Vietnam period ones in that(if this makes sense as I have no camera to post pics) on Vietnam era ones,the cargo pockets are a bit more forward with the edge of the pocket running parallel to the trs seam where as the 70s one,the trs seam is down the centre of the pocket.

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    michelwijnand
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    Post by michelwijnand Sun Dec 09, 2018 10:17 am

    Ok thanks, I'll keep them on there for now, if I do come across earlier trousers like that I might pick them up if the price is right.
    I also have the earlier type crossdraw jungle trousers, so I can also see if an eralier shirt turns up and just put the whole earlier suit on this set
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    Post by Gulf91 Sun Dec 09, 2018 10:21 am

    michelwijnand wrote:Ok thanks, I'll keep them on there for now, if I do come across earlier trousers like that I might pick them up if the price is right.
    I also have the earlier type crossdraw jungle trousers, so I can also see if an eralier shirt turns up and just put the whole earlier suit on this set

    I have taken,and posted pics on my FB group to better explain what I mean.
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    Post by michelwijnand Tue Dec 31, 2019 9:45 am

    And there we go, wrong pants replaced by early ones!

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    Australian Vietnam War loadout Dsc00712
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    Post by Gulf91 Tue Dec 31, 2019 10:22 am

    Glad they arrived safely,and quickly for a change!!
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    Post by filupe Sat Jan 11, 2020 8:57 am

    Re the trousers - the pockets moved to the side sometime in the mid-80s.  The toggle rope should be attached to the M1910 hooks at the back of one of the canteen carriers in the absence of grenade carrying straps on the sides of the pouches.  

    Aust VN uniforms could almost be characterised as early war and later, with some crossover elements.  Elements like the Patt '37 pack, the cross buckle trousers and to some extent the Patt '44 pouches would be classed as early war.  Things like the Pixie shirt and two pocket trousers (Pixie trousers were very similar) would be later.  Each rotating battalion and even sub-units could also have their own particular dress standards eg. some units strictly forbade pixie shirts as mosquitoes could easily bite through them.  Some sub-units ditched their issue packs and procured ARVN or US rucksacks as standard.  

    Many individuals eschewed the bumbag (buttpack) for extra canteens in the humid tropical environment (two was usually NOT enough).  Some individuals would have done multiple rotations through Vietnam and may have carried items from earlier deployments which worked for them - the Aust Patt '37 pouches were a consistent favourite due to their superior carrying capacity - indeed some Aust soldiers were still using them out of choice up to the adoption of the new camouflage webbing in 1988!  

    In short, as suggested before, just look at pictures and references and go by those - they provide a snapshot of what ONE platoon of ONE Battalion was wearing during a SPECIFIC period of time.  

    Hope this helps ...

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