introduction

BRAVO-6 lately added another two-figure kit to Tet Offensive Marine figures. It is noticeable that while keeping the sculpting and casting quality at high level ,Vladimir Demchenko is making the kits more attractive with very good additions like photoetched parts.

The new kit B6-35032includes two figures – an U.S.M.C. Officer and a RTO – Radio Telephone Operator in a communicating pose.

box

The figures come well packed in standard BRAVO-6 light brown 50x80x25 mm cardboard box . The front part of the box shows a photo of the assembled and painted figures which can serve as a painting guide. On the other side of the box; a schematic assembly guide for radio rack is shown.

The parts are represented with the casting blocks and parts of each figure are seperately inserted in a small plastic zip-lock bag to avoid unexpected damages during transfer. Small parts are secured in different plastic bags.

parts

The figures are sculpted by Russian master sculptor and owner of BRAVO-6 Vladimir Demchenko and comes in medium grey resin parts. The resin quality is very good and details are crisp. No air bubbles, excess resin or any casting mistakes on the figure. The junctions between figure parts and casting blocks were well placed and the parts can be easily removed from the blocks with no damage. The figures are again almost ready to prime figures with no or very small need for a cleanwork.

U.S.M.C. OFFICER

The figure comes in 3 body parts and 6 pieces of personal gear.

The main part is Body with head and legs. The figure is posed slightly leaning on left side while talking on the radio. Some parts of personal gear is cast on the body. Facial details ,hair and moustache are well defined. Hair on the top is carved for the easy fit of the helmet. He wears typical US Army tropical combat uniform with 4 flip-top cover pockets jacket ,trousers with 2 flip-top cover cargo pockets on the sides and black leather- olive drab canvas jungle boots on his feet. Over his uniform, he has the typical garment of Marines - M1955 Flak jacket . Cloth folds of the flak vest and trousers ,details of the vest like zip front closure, integral cartridge belt holder for attaching equipment and rifle guard over the right shoulder, loaded pockets of the trousers and torn effect on the right knee are well defined. He carries a First aid kit pouch and a M3 ammo pouch on the back.

Other parts are;

Left arm : Posed to carry the handset of the AN/PRC-25. Hand set, wrist watch, buttoned sleeves and cloth folds are well defined.

Right arm : Posed to close his ear with his hand to hear his communication better . It shows nice cloth folds.

M1956 one quart canteen

KA-BAR knife

M1911 A1 .45 caliber Colt in leather holster

M1 steel helmet with Mitchell pattern canvas cover

M3 Submachine Gun, also known as Grease gun, was developed as a cheaper war-time alternative to famous Thompson M1 and M1928 submachine guns. M3 submachine gun is full-automatic only, blowback operated firearm that fired from open bolt. The receiver is made from steel stampings. M3 featured spring-loaded ejection port cover (which also also act as safety, locking the bolt when it is closed) and crank-type bolt retracting (cocking) handle at the right side of the receiver. In M3A1 the designers removed cocking handle assembly (which was source of malfunctions) and replaced it with simple finger hole in the bolt body, accessible through enlarged ejection window. Also, M3A1's could be converted for 9x19mm Luger ammunition by replacing the barrel, bolt, and installing the magazine adaptor to use British Sten magazines.

Stock of Grease Gun ; The retractable stock, made from steel wire, could be used as cleaning rod (when detached), and it also featured a magazine loading tool. The hollow grip of the gun contained a small oilier, which was necessary as the all-steel gun rusted easily in wet climate.

RTO – RADIO TELEPHONE OPERATOR

The figure comes in 3 body parts and 11 pieces of personal gear.

The main part is Body with head and legs. The figure is posed kneeling on the ground to let the officer communicate with radio. Facial details and hair are well defined. He wears US Army OD utility T-shirt, trousers with 2 flip-top cover cargo pockets on the sides and jungle boots on his feet. Over his T-shirt, he wears M1955 Flak jacket and carries a canvas radio harness . Details of the vest,radio harness and cloth folds of the trousers are well defined. Some parts of personal gear is cast on the body. He carries wo cartridge ammo pouch for shotgun in front and M17 gasmask case on the left hip.
Other parts are;

Right arm : Posed to put his fist on the ground to support his body. The short sleeve of the T-Shirt and muscles are well represented.

Left arm : Posed to hold the shotgun.

Handset pocket of radio backpack frame

M1956 buttpack. It will be added to the back of the figure under the radio rack. A First aid kit pouch is sculpted on the buttpack.

AN/PRC-25; It was the most widely used radio set in Vietnam war by the US troops. The radio is known as the "Prick 25" and is very similar to the modern PRC-77 in looks and operation. It is a light weight Synthesised VHF man-pack, solid state with the exception of one tube. 2 Watts power output.

Remington model 870 shotgun ; The 870 features a bottom-loading, side ejecting receiver, tubular magazine under the barrel, dual action bars, internal hammer, and a bolt which locks into an extension in the barrel.

M1956 one quart canteen

KA-BAR knife

M1911 A1 .45 caliber Colt in leather holster

M1 steel helmet with Mitchell pattern canvas cover and helmet band.

M61 Fragmentation Hand Grenade aka M26A1 -3 pieces. They will be attached on the radio.

Photoetched parts for the radio packboard and shelf. An assembly guide for bending and gluing metal parts are shown on the box.

reference

The following books and websites can be useful when painting this figure.

Osprey Publishing – Warrior 023 – Marine Corps in Vietnam by Charles D. Melson & Ramiro Bujeiro

Osprey Publishing – Campaign 004 – Tet Offensive 1968 Turning Point in by James R. Arnold

David Brubaker’s Vietnam Uniforms and Equipment website

conclusion

Another unique figure kit sculpted in great details ,cast in high quality and enriched with metal parts. This team will add a great realism to Vietnam dioramas and vignettes.

Very Highly Recommended