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Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

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  • Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

    As mentioned already on the Northern Ireland thread, I have gone a bit 1970's-tastic recently. (SLR, M16a1, plus listening to a load of brother's Genesis lp's. If I start drinking Watney's Red Barrel, the transformation will be complete.) and have been reading "Storm Front" by Rowland White, an excellent book about the campaign, and a lot on the Battle of Mirbat, specifically the role played by "contract" pilots in an often ignored and very bloody conflict.
    The 1970's are a great era for cheap kit - '58 webbing, OG trousers and shirt and low cut desert boots (a surplus store in Exeter supplied these all for under £60). On a certain online auction site, there is one of those 1960's/70's windproof smocks, purporting to be genuine, but instead a copy of the 1940 pattern smock is available from Silvermans which with a zip in place will do the job fine for airsoftiness. I'm surprised that not more people are doing this as a load out, considering how cheap and easy it is to replicate.
    Any opinions expressed by me may not be mine. I don't have opinions anymore. I have a mortgage and teenagers. I used to be a wild, party animal. Now I buy my trousers at M & S.

  • #2
    Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

    Yeah, sadly its a very much overlooked campaign considering its significance. I think some folk perhaps dont know enough about it & the fact that the SAS have been fighting insurgent wars long before they were door kicking in Iraq in the 00s. & as the battle of Mirbat was 40 years ago this year what better time to have a go (basic or otherwise) at a loadout of the conflict. Theres quite a few other books out there on Oman that are worth a look. Off the top of my head 'This is the SAS' by Tony Geraghty & 'SAS The Illustrated History' By Barry Davies have some nice Oman shots. I read 'SAS Operation Storm: Nine men against four hundred' by Roger Cole & Richard Belfield a few months back. Its a great book that deals with the battle of Mirbat, but also takes you from the beginning of the SAS involvement to the end.

    Originally posted by Hawke View Post
    I'm surprised that not more people are doing this as a load out, considering how cheap and easy it is to replicate.
    Well....

    Adoo Hunter '76.













    One of the belt kits with two 20 round Armalite mag pouches, 2 44 pattern water bottle pouches, E&E pouch & altimeter pouch, all on a roll pin belt.

    I took these last year on practically the only scorching day we had. It was a case of 'this weather would be cracking for an Oman impression...grab what ever is near & go before it rains!'. But now, from reading Cole & Belfields book, it the weather wouldn't matter at all. Oman has its cold & wet season. So much so that the lads did their training, surprisingly, up the north east of England! It had some scratching their heads at 1st until they got out there.

    Had I not been so quick to do them, I would have included some of the kit below...



    72 Pattern light weight combat pack (aka SAS Vest)



    Original ww2 windproof smock dated '43 on the left, Silvermans repro on the right





    Danny Elliot (top) & Lofty Large (above) showing us how they did it for real.
    Rustys Rigs & Old School SAS/SBS Airsoft on Facebook & Old School SAS Airsoft on Instagram

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    • #3
      Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

      BRILLIANT photo's Rusty. (I didn't know the sun ever shone in Scotland. Never did when I was in Faslamabad or Arbroath.) May I also add Tony Jeapes book "Op Storm". I read Roger Coles book a month or two back." This is the SAS" is a brilliant reference piece, picked up a copy for a fiver in a Sue Ryder shop last year.
      Any opinions expressed by me may not be mine. I don't have opinions anymore. I have a mortgage and teenagers. I used to be a wild, party animal. Now I buy my trousers at M & S.

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      • #4
        Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

        Thanks a lot, i try to make them as interesting to look at as i can. Its what i love seeing in other peoples pictures. Yeah its fair to say we see more of the sun on tv, than in the sky! Whilst im mentioning it (a little off topic) i thought id make the most of it that day & get a couple of Borneo 'Claret Op' type pictures too








        I havent read Jeapes' book yet, but ive seen the pictures in it. Its one of those things Ill have to add to the never ending list. All my attention has been on the Falklands the last while, that i havent been focusing on anything else tbh. But im a Massive Oman fan too, so will be good to do some more stuff at some point. Yeah 'This is the SAS' is a must for anyone interested in proper old school SAS. Some Great pictures in there.
        Rustys Rigs & Old School SAS/SBS Airsoft on Facebook & Old School SAS Airsoft on Instagram

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        • #5
          Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

          Picked up the Roger Coles book yesterday for £2.99 in "The Works". That's been my day sorted....
          Any opinions expressed by me may not be mine. I don't have opinions anymore. I have a mortgage and teenagers. I used to be a wild, party animal. Now I buy my trousers at M & S.

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          • #6
            Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

            Edit too late, but I also have some webbing being altered to make "drop pouches" at Timpsons, along with a 58 pattern belt with a rollpin buckle, original ones being rare as hens teeth and VERY expensive.

            Happy Fathers Day to me indeded!
            Any opinions expressed by me may not be mine. I don't have opinions anymore. I have a mortgage and teenagers. I used to be a wild, party animal. Now I buy my trousers at M & S.

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            • #7
              Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

              Originally posted by Hawke View Post
              ... along with a 58 pattern belt with a rollpin buckle, original ones being rare as hens teeth and VERY expensive!
              Have you had them done yet? Because we have a few sets of 58 lying around in stores if you'd like me to see what I can find? Sometimes you get lucky and pull up a real gem
              Of you send me a pic or description of what you are looking for I'll try to dig it up
              | Systema L119A1 UGL PTW || Echo 1 L7A2 GPMG || G&P L110A2 Minimi || Custom L129A1 || KSC Glock 17 || Inokatsu Sig P226 || KSC Glock 18C |

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              • #8
                Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

                Yes, had them done - I wouldn't use real drop pattern pouches, they are of more value to a collector. I had loads of '58 pouches in my garage, some mine, most my dad's, so I had plenty to to butcher. The real find was some pouches similar to 44 pattern water bottle pouches, and some metal water bottles. I've got a 1944 dated bergan as well as a 1970's Berghaus Cyclops which I'm fairly pleased with as well.
                Any opinions expressed by me may not be mine. I don't have opinions anymore. I have a mortgage and teenagers. I used to be a wild, party animal. Now I buy my trousers at M & S.

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                • #9
                  Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

                  Hows the impression looking these days Hawke, nearly there yet?
                  Rustys Rigs & Old School SAS/SBS Airsoft on Facebook & Old School SAS Airsoft on Instagram

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                  • #10
                    Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

                    Yeah, if I could work out how to load picture on here, I'd show you. Even shaved my beard off and started a mantache.
                    Any opinions expressed by me may not be mine. I don't have opinions anymore. I have a mortgage and teenagers. I used to be a wild, party animal. Now I buy my trousers at M & S.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

                      These were done very quickly to show some Gunman players the sort of 70s kit that was used.



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                      • #12
                        Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

                        Oman fan as well Gadge?

                        Originally posted by Hawke View Post
                        Even shaved my beard off and started a mantache.
                        haha i dont do 'method' any more, the last time i had a tache the slagging was legendary! I just stick to the kit these days. Much easier

                        But yeah handlebar taches were all the rage in the Regiment in this era & well into the Falklands too...& beyond.
                        Rustys Rigs & Old School SAS/SBS Airsoft on Facebook & Old School SAS Airsoft on Instagram

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                        • #13
                          Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

                          Having Gadge on here is going to make it a good thing for the kit groupies like me and Rusty. I especially like the tactical use of a metal garden furniture..
                          Any opinions expressed by me may not be mine. I don't have opinions anymore. I have a mortgage and teenagers. I used to be a wild, party animal. Now I buy my trousers at M & S.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

                            Heheh

                            The real problem i have is a very modern garden (for a 1930s house) and if i want to do anything more 'in keeping' it means trekking off to the local Marina, popping into the police station, spending about 30 minutes letting them know what shoot i'm doing, with who, what wepaons etc so they dont send some ARU unit on a narrowboat or something ridiulous like that.

                            It doesnt look too bad when it gets really overgrown (the garden that is) but again Sian has other views on how things should look...

                            Having found a cute, geeky, airsofting, re-enacting missus I do my best not to push things

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                            • #15
                              Re: Op Storm (Oman/Dhofar 1970-76)

                              Originally posted by SBS Rusty View Post
                              Oman fan as well Gadge?
                              Very much interested in all the 'small wars' really but in particular Borneo and Malaya. Trying to compile a lot of veterans acounts at the moment for a possible PHD on the army and its social structure in contrast to its effectiveness in times of conscription.

                              The main purpose for throwing that impression together was that we recently did a 'cold war gets hot' weekender set in Afghanistan during a global WWIII and we had 'sas' advisors among the Muj forces. I was trying to show the chaps the sort of stuff that was popular with the regiment in the late 70s and early 80s when the were in arid areas.

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                              About the Author

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                              Hawke Middle aged and in middle management. Airsoft to cope with a midlife crisis. Find out more about Hawke
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