Loadout based around M65 jacket?

[JRTIGHE]

Hi all, I quite like the look of the M65 jacket, just as it's got good all round features etc. What else would look good with this? Any particular boots, trousers? Anything! Starting from the ground up here.

For the record I have a TM M14 SOCOM, and I like the look of the standard green M65 jacket.

[Brandon]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

This may be a tad old school or boring to the latest trends but if you fancied the Black M65, you could have gone with a 'Delta Force in Iran 1980' impression. Look up the ill fated 'Operation Eagle Claw'. Theres pics of Delta getting ready for the mission. Black M65 jacket, Denims, ALICE webbing, black ski hat & jungle boots. not sure about the M14 but iirc the M16A1, M60, Grease gun & the XM177E2 were used. Just an idea

[JRTIGHE]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

Actually that sounds pretty interesting! Do you know where I could get some of this gear from? Thanks

[Brandon]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

Ive seen the jackets on a well known auction site for around £36. The webbing- same place or alternatively check out its US cousin for more range (& its cheaper too). Denims..take your pick. Just plain straight leg, none of that G-Star carry on Jungle Boots- well lots of places do em, just a case of shopping around. Though not every single one of them had them so anything that resembles the reference pics would do as an alternative. I forgot 203s were used as well, as i remember seeing someone with a 203 40mm grenade vest.

This is an impression ive been thinking of on/off for a while now. Hoping to do it at some point as its really basic & I already have everything...except a Black M65. Though consider if you run with it, you'll have seen more action in it than the real guys.

You can pick up lots of info about it on the net, but i recommend 'Delta Force' by Charlie Beckwith for much more detailed info.

Hope it helps.

Cheers.

[JRTIGHE]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

Thanks for all of the info, I think we've seen the same jacket on the 'well known auction site' :P

[Sprockets66]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

M65 - 1965 puts you in the middle of the Vietnam War - plus the M14 was the Marines weapon of choice in the early period of the war. So why not go with a Nam look. The Marine webbing was designed for the M14 mag.

[Johnno]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

I have a set of M65s but being an old Git I'm not bothered about looking "with it" LOL
The Jacket has a winter Liner and Hood and is superb in adverse weather conditions :-)

[JRTIGHE]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

Sounds good Johnno :P
Sprocket, what do you mean by 'marine webbing'? Also what type of trousers, boots, and shirts would have been worn with the M65?

[Johnno]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

I wear M65 Trousers and Public Order Boots with mine. Used to have pukka ALICE Webbing with Canteen/Pouches etc but recent got rid and wear a Viper Load Carrying Vest and Camelbak over the top, M65s are Woodland but Vest is Black and Camelbak Desert pattern, bit of a mish mash but it's cheap and works for me :-)

[JRTIGHE]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

I'm thinking of maybe buying an olive M65 jacket with black M65 trousers, does that sound good? I do want to go with the Vietnam Marine style but can't find any info on it

[Sprockets66]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

Hiya,


Have a look at the UK Vietnam Airsoft Forum - http://z6.invisionfree.com/vietnamai...ex.php?act=idx.

You can wear 3rd Pattern Junngle Trousers and Jungle boots, or plan black leather boots.

The Vietnam USMC webbing is the M61 type, but they still used a load of WW2 webbing as well. Once they changed from the M14 to the M16 the M61 webbing made less sense and they used more of the Army M56 Webbing. If you want to keep it very simple you could use a BAR belt, again WW2 but used in Korea and 'Nam. It is an "all in one" 6 pouch belt order, often worn with shoulder straps. But you would need to check a M14 mag in the pouches, I've only used it for m16 mags.

Have a look at Soilder of Fortune for an idea of prices.

Hope that helps.

Neil

[BaggyPants]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

You'll not find the M65 being used much in Vietnam. It's a cold weather jacket, and was usually not an issue item as such. It was given out to troops as needed in specific climates, northern states, europe, etc., then returned when they left that environment.

And most vietnam era webbing is the M56 stuff, with the later nylon pattern coming in towards the end.

[JRTIGHE]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

Thanks for your help Neil I'll take a look.

Hi Baggy, I'll take on board what you said

[tomlegg]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

Baggy, you're quite right about the M65 being used more often in Europe and North America etc. but there are quite a few pics of the US Marines fighting in Hue in 1968, wearing the trusty M65s and foul weather jackets under thier M55 frag vests. The weather in/around Hue in 1968 was pretty crappy and so M65s were issued. Also there are some first hand accounts from 1st Cavalry Division troopers using the M65s in the Central Highlands at night throughout the war. The temperature drops quite a bit a night (I can testify to that during my trip to Vietnam!) and so M65s were sometimes choppered into forward firebases etc as required.

On the subject of webbing, in Vietnam the issue webbing for the US Army was M56 however the USMC was mainly issued M61 field gear and the some surplus WWII webbing. From around 1968, various bits and pieces of the nylon M67 started to be supplied to the troops in the field, however it wasn't issued in sets, so it was common to see a mixture of M56 and M67 on soldiers and (to a lesser extent) marines.

Cheers,

Tom

[Gadge Europa]

Re: Loadout based around M65 jacket?

M65 were used a lot by various Bosnian/Serbian units during the Balkans troubles of the 90s.

I've got an 80s dated woodland M65 jacket at home that got 'Kosovan Liberation Army' insignia on it... for that reason i dont wear it out and i'm loathe to take the badges off as it's historically interesting.