Ted Hayward reviews the RAAC Centurian Tank Crew and Infantry Set from Hobby Fan, a three figure resin set in 1/35.

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Thanks!

Thanks for the review, its saved me a lot of money. I have to say these are not a very good representation of Australians in Vietnam (even the early part of the conflict).

Starting on the two "Grunts":
- The Bush Hat is all wrong for the distinctive Commonwealth/Aust Bush Hat (Trust me I wore one for a lot of my career)
- The Weapon - nice L1A1
- The Webbing - not complete and the pouches and H harness look nothing like the real thing.
-backPacks - look nothing like the 37 pattern or later Austpacks
-Boots - the Australians wore a uniquely Australian pattern GP boot which was a high top boot. These have the wrong cut of construction and look nothing like a GP Boot. The Earlier AB boot looked like these but they were worn with a distinctive Gaiter (not depicted) and only for the very earliest (1 RAR) rotation
- Uniform trousers - Pocket on one side only for the 58 pattern or 44 pattern trousers. The later Aust Jungle greens had the pockets on the front of the legs and not the sides.

The "Turret head"
- Same comment for Boots
- The Headset appears to be the US pattern H 82/ 161 type. The Cents had Brit Radios with a distinctively brit headset with Rubber Ear covers with Vent holes.

Given the price of these figures I could not recommends them as eith Aussies or Kiwis
Al

Ya beat me to it Al.

Jason

Hi Al.

Would I be correct in thinking that the troops would have worn 2 canteens, or did they carry an extra one in their packs?

Did the Aussies have their own style of webbing, jungle webbing for the British at that time was still the 44 pattern and 2 canteens would have been standard due to the heat. Belts were really uncomfortable though and we wore the webbing without the straps which meant when your ammo pouches were full then tended to tilt forward as the belt loops were on the lower end of the pouch lol, lol. If you had a 58 pattern belt in your spares it was a better option. It was a Regimental thing and not a very good one at that as all the weight was on the belt.

Pity about the kit issues these would have been a welcome addition.

Al

Hi Alan, when Australia first committed mainstream troops to Vietnam (as oppossed to trainers and other "interesting" forces they wore essentially 58 and 44 pattern Jungle Greens. The webbing was a mix of US M1956 H harness, Belt, Bum Pack, FAD pouch and Waterbottles. SOP is a MINIMUM of two waterbottles but many more including collapsible canteens were carried depending on Op duration. Packs were initially the old WW2 era large 37 pack which were replaced by the Austpac and US lightweights where these could be begged, borrowed or stolen.
Initally the pouches (basic) were M1956 and 37 pattern with the Aust Pattern 44 Bren Pouches being extremely popular. These were usually attached to the belts (US pattern preffered) by cutting slits in the back or using the brass hooks. The upper buckles were generally cut away. The Larger Aust F1 Basic pouch similar to the US large ALice ones but in Canvas duck were introduced in 68 but 44 Bren pouches were prized for their size (I was still using mine in 92 until the new Minimi pouch was issued).
With 3 and 1 RAR there was a little bit of Brit kit from working alongside in Borneo but the Brit 58 Pattern kit was despised as it soaked up water and got very heavy then rotted. The Brit 44 Pattern Waterbottles were highly prized but rarely seen after 67. I have yet to see a Brit 44 Patt Rucksack carried by an Aussie in Vietnam. Bushhats were almost always worn in preference to US M1 Pots but these were worn along with US Flak Jackets when operating in the mined areas around the Long Hais 69+.
We wore essentially the same webbing through to 1992 in some cases.
Cheers
Al

Thanks Al, useful info.

Alan