Now that we've been over this up, down, and sideways, I aim to put forth this in the specified format, in a useful manner, and with the aim of pointing on things that I feel are incorrect based on the sources I have at my disposal.
They are presented in the order they appear to me in looking the OOB, but with the appropriate information supplied.
Units 047 (Rifle Squad), 060 (Marine Squad), 061 (Marine Squad), 076 (Marine Squad), 077 (Marine Squad), 082 (Recon Team), 203 (Mech Squad), 206 (Mech Squad), 207 (Mech Squad), 213 (Scout Team), 216 (Support Squad), 276 (Pioneers), 278 (Assault Eng), 279 (Assault Eng), 286 (Civil Guard), 287 (Civil Guard), 350 (Tank Riders), 368 (RF/PF Squad), 369 (RF/PF Squad), 402 (Sandbag Foxhole), 407 (Sandbag MG Pit), (454 (Montagnards), 458 (Montagnards): All these units use either weapon M14 Rifle (Weapon 007) or M14A1 SAW (Weapon 012), and with simple modification of existing units are non-essential. These units should be removed, as the ARVN made no significant use outside of the Strategic Technical Directorate and ARVN Rangers. The weapony configuration of M16A1 Rifle (Weapon 008) and M14A1 SAW found on Unit 207 (Mech Squad) is one that has only been photographically shown to have existed in Ranger units.
Units 051 (Ranger Squad), 052 (Ranger Squad), 054 (Ranger Squad): These units should be modified to fit the existing evidence of how M14s were deployed, and I would recommend the use of the "rare" X1 code for all M14 equipped Rangers.
Unit 057 (Para Squad), and other units previously using M14s: Units in the 1/56-12/67 timeframe should use either the M1 Garand (Weapon 004)/BAR (Weapon 011) combo or M1/M2 Carbine (Weapons 003 and 244 respectively)/BAR (Weapon 011) combo, and post 1/68 should use the M16A1 (Weapon 008)/M60 LMG (Weapon 014) depending on status. Non-elite units given these weapons should have X1 rarity to account for shortages of these weapons. The M1/BAR combo should continue to exist for non-elite units right up until 4/75 when ARVN ceases to exist.
Unit 021 (M132): The co-ax machine gun on this is an M73 7.62x51mm machine gun. This can be substitued with the M60 MMG (Weapon 036) or something similar.
Unit 088 (UH-1H -), Unit 089 (UH-1H), and Unit 090 (UH-1H +): These units have rolling start dates of 1/66, 1/67, and 1/68 respectively. All are wrong. First ARVN helo units began to convert to UH-1H during 1970. These completely replaced the H-34 pattern by 1972 (H-34 is Unit 086, which has incorrect end date of 4/75).
Unit 099 (AUH-1H), and Unit 100 (AUH-1H): The only known UH-1H gunship configuration in the ARVN/VNAF was the two door mounted miniguns and 2x 7-shot rocket pods. Neither of these gunships are technically correct.
Unit 299 (FD-25 Defender), and Unit 300 (FD-25 Defender): No source I have come across mentions the Toyo FD-25 defender in VNAF inventory. This should be, and is in the Cambodian OOB.
Unit 303 (F8F Bearcat): Uses HE Cluster Bomb (Weapon 199). Judging by those stats, it is generally supposed to model more model cluster bombs. The weapon this is intended to be on this aircraft, however, would most likely be the AN/M1 cluster adapter for 6 25 lb bomblets. This weapon is not nearly as effective as the one modeled.
Unit 315 (F-5B): F-5B is the dual-seat training variant of the F-5A, and features no guns. It was, however, used in the combat role by the VNAF, so that's accurate.
Unit 320 (B-26K Invader), 340 (B-26K Invader), and 341 (B-26K Invader): While some of the remaining B-26K/A-26A Invaders from the 609th Special Operations Squadron were supposedly transfered to the VNAF, there is no record of them actually making it into combat.
Unit 325 (USMC Hellcat), 326 (USMC Hellcat), and 328 (USAF OV-10): These should all be removed. If there is a need for more aircraft over a broader period, there are more than enough real ammo loadouts and additional aircraft that can be added. No need for ficticious Hellcats and a lone USAF stand-in.
Units 280-1 and 283-287 (Civil Guard) and Units 365-370 (RF/PF Squad):
Firstly, the Civil Guard and Territorials exist until 1964 (their formations and units are wrong, latest end date, 12/70) and the Territorial formations (Formations 195 and 200) are for the RF/PF not for the Territorials. Territorials are replaced by the Regional Force (RF) from roughly 1/64 and Civil Guard is replaced by the Provincial Force (PF) from the same period. The last localized milita, the People's Self Defense Force (PSDF), is not modeled at all, and comes into play after 2/68.
EDIT: Correction, the total RF/PF organization
was sometimes referred to as the "Territorial Army," but as a whole. Civil Guard is replaced by RF, Self-Defense Corps replaced by PF.
The Regional Force and Provincial Force were not the same. They used seperate organizations and were allotted different levels of weaponry. They were also often demostrated to be at two levels of training and competance (which should be shown by seperate RF and PF formations, not just Formation 195 Territorial Co and Formation Territorial Pl).
Unit 380 (AC-47D Spooky), 381 (AC-119G Shadow), 382 (AC-130A Spectre) and 383 (AC-130A Spectre): All these units have far to high vision ratings. This is true of their counterparts in the US OOBs. AC-47 provided illumination via pyrotechnic flares, should have vision of 5 max. AC-119G had a starlight scope and IR illuminator (10-15 IMO), and AC-130A again had only a starlight scope and IR illuminator (10-15 IMO). The two AC-130As are also identical, one should be deleted.
Units 597 (SA-316) and 598 (H-13): To my knowledge there was no H-13s ever in ARVN/VNAF service. The only helicopters that existed in addition to the H-34, UH-1H, and CH-47, were 1 Alouette II, 1 Alouette III, and 2 UH-1B, none of which had a combat role. These should be deleted along with the relevant formation (Formation 139 1 Light Helo).
Formations 357 (CIDG Company) and 358 (CIDG Platoon): The Civil Irregular Defense Group program was started by the CIA cira the date it starts in the OOB, was turned over in 1964 to MACV under Operation Switchback in 1964, remained under MACV control by incorporated ARVN elements by 1965, and was only handed over to them completely January 1970. I understand that it still fits best as a default in the ARVN OOB, but there should be some note of the final switch over. Firstly, the CIDG ceased to exist and were replaced with Border Ranger Defense Battalions, with a similar, but different TO&E (that unfortunately I have no yet found concrete information on), and with the general Montagnard/Vietnamese relationship, their moral/experience factors should go down significantly post-1/71.
Unit 322 (F-5E Tiger II) and 323 (F-5E Tiger II): I don't have any sources that suggest the VNAF recieved the F-5E, but the armament loadout for Unit 322 is even weirder. Weapon 210 is listed as AS-7 AGM. The only AS-7 AGM I am aware of is the Kh-23/AS-7 "Kerry" Soviet-era missile.
EDIT: Correction, the VNAF
did receive the F-5E, but only in the '73/74 time frame, and their actual combat usage is unclear.
Various things that could be added and are more than just a one-off vehicle variant are outright missing as well.
Relevant sources:
Print:
- Davis, Larry.
Gunships: A Pictorial History of Spooky. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1982
- Drendel, Lou.
Aircraft of the Vietnam War: A Pictorial Review. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, 1980.
--
Air War over Southeast Asia, Vol 1. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1982
- Gervasi, Tom.
Arsenal of Democracy III: America’s War Machine. New York, NY: Grove Press, 1984
- Lundh, Lennart.
Sikorsky H-34: An Illustrated History. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Military/Aviation History, 1998
- Mesko, Jim.
A-26 Invader in Action. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1980
--
A-26 Invader in Action. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1993
--
VNAF South Vietnamese Air Force 1945-1975. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1987
- Mesko, Jim and Leroy Thompson.
US Infantry – Vietnam/US Elite Forces – Vietnam. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1983
- Mutza, Wayne.
H-13 Sioux Mini in Action. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1995
-- Walk Around:
UH-1 Huey Gunships. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 2004
Electronic:
-
AC-119 Gunship Website. 17 July 2006. The AC-119 Gunship Association. 27 July 2006.
http://www.ac-119gunships.com/
- “American Military Aircraft.”
Joe Baugher’s Homepage. 5 June 2005. Joe Baugher. 27 July 2006.
http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/uscombataircraft.html
- “US Army Special Forces 1961-1971.”
Vietnam Studies. 31 May 2001. US Department of the Army, Center for Military History. 27 July 2006.
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/BOOKS/Vie...-23/90-23C.htm
-
VNAF, 1951-1975. 6 May 2006. 27 July 2006.
http://www.vnaf.net/
Official Government Documentation (Full references can be provided on request):
- RF/PF Handbook for Advisors (3 editions, 1969, 70, and 71), produced by MACV-CORDS
- The April 1963 edition of "The Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces," a publication from the Psywar Directorate of [the] National Defense Deparment [of South Vietnam]
- US Army/MACV Lessons Learned 32: Eagle Flight Operations, October 1963
- MACV Command Histories or partial Command Histories for 1967, '68, and '69
- Operations Report, Lessons Learned, HQ 5th SFG(A), October 1966
- MACV-CORDS Handbook for Senior Advisors, August 1970
- Partial Quarterly Command Reports for 5th SFG(A) for periods during 1965 and '66
- History Outline [basis for command history] for Company D, 5th SFG(A), 1 Special Forces, Oct 1971
- Indochina Refugee Authored Monograph Program (IRAMP) documents on Pacification and Intelligence
OOB 24 Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Linear Mode
