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Rhodesia and South Africa Special Forces

105K views 86 replies 28 participants last post by  panzerwerk 
#1 ·
Add your reference pics here!
 

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#5 ·
Nice stuff Toyking !
I know we had a Selous Scout refference thread going about a year ago .
Will try to track it down a bit later .
I know PD has some great pics as well .
 
#8 ·
#9 ·
Bren gunner


Deception team


Gympy tm


Gympy


Rhodesian poster


Plate from the Blandford ARMY UNIFORMS since 1945 by Digby Smith and Michael Chappell


Selous Scout from Orbis WAR IN PEACE magazine #26 - one inspiration for Aly's great Ridgeback


Scruffy lads


SOF cover


SOF cover 2


Stick


The last pic was scanned in before I figured out how to get a good scan on some of these pics. I'll see if I can find it and scan it back in better quality.
 
#11 ·
#12 ·
The troops pictured above are various Rhodesian units, wavehawk. Renamo was a movement backed by the Rhodesian government, and later the South African government. Renamo was supposed to counter the Mozambique Frelimo government, and the Zanla (Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army) it supported in operations against Rhodesia. Confusin', ain't it?
 
#18 ·
pukingdog said:
Confusin', ain't it?
- I'll say. So they were previously a government-sposored force, then switched sides? Or the governmentchanged hands and they didn't like the new changes (thus changing allegiances)?

I've just read a bit about Renamo, and what I've read isn't flattering by any stretch of the word.
 
#19 ·
OK troops sorry it took me so long but here are some scans from a recent "Combat and Survival" magazine Hope ya enjoy........





 
#20 ·
here are some more. By the way, the reason I stated this thread is because I am in the middle of some bashes featuring the wars in Africa from the 60's to the 80's. There is some awesome kitbash potential since many of these units used whatever gear they could find from the US, Britian, and USSR.
 

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#26 · (Edited)
PD: Thanks - these pics are already a few years old, I have since obtained other items which need to be visually archived when time permits.

Saw249man: The SADF vests were marketed in the US during the mid-1980's for a limited time - I recall a small advert in the classified section of SOF Magazine. I do know they were manufactured in ALICE material, but I don't know whether they were US, SA or Asian made. A colour plate of a US Ranger wearing one exists on the cover of Osprey's Elite # 13 'US Army Rangers & LRRP units 1942-87'.
I have myself a version of this vest but in the pattern 83 SADF Nutria cordura - sourced in SA years ago.


South African 'Recce' vest, Pattern '83 version - front view


Rear view


Rhodesian 'Fireforce' assault vest - front view


Rear view - note difference in shape of upper pouch flaps - this was so one could be identified from the other at night.


Rhodesian soldiers from Support Commando of the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI) wearing Fireforce vest - note their youth
 
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