Hi Folks,

http://www.guns.com/2014/01/17/walther-p38-godfather-modern-combat-handgun/

The handgun used at the time was the 9mm Walther P38 or Pistola 9 mm Walther m/961

When playing "dress up", its much more fun to be the rebel with the stolen rifle.  Then you can have whatever sidearm you want.

That is awesome, because I don't think my modern tactical vest, Revision Sawfly eye protection, Howard Leight electronic earmuffs, BCM baseball cap, and FNX-45 would have fit in too well in the jungles of Mozambique

 

As usual, Armeiro, you come through! It's great to see you on here again; did you happen to catch my Portuguese bayonet find?

 

What is the purpose of the triple pouch on the left leg of the first soldier?

Smoke grenades. Note that the other guy has one on his harness as well.

Can't say i did,sorry...

From the image,there are two diferent uniforms,probably French inspired possibly.











...

You can always go as far as to use the Paratrooper badge,if we cant find a original one we can always see if we can get a "original" one...

















The early ones are from 1955 to 1961.

This was the next badge from 1961 (as far as i know)

Decree No. 40395 of 23NOV55 offering legal support to the first qualification badge paratrooper Portuguese military.

"The # 1 cap and cap campaign will be replaced by the green beret of the model of Fig. # 4.

§ 1. Qualified personnel will use the right side, chest and above the pocket, the distinctive specialty constant of Fig. # 1 attached - gold for instructors and monitors and silver for the rest.

§ 2. The wear emblem to the left side of the head cover is the constant of FIG. # 2 attached."



From the image we can see the #1 badge goes over the chest as the #2 badge goes over the beret,and they are the early ones from 1955 to 1961 (badge cronology 1955 to 1961-1961 to 1966...).





With the AmaLite AR-10,it had no military designation apart from  Espingarda Automática  ArmaLite AR-10.



With the FBP Pistola-Metralhadora FBP m/948.

Beret badge from 1961 to 1966.

The helmet is pissibly a M1 (that we had,at some point),from this list we had a M1 helmet,apart from the M/940-M/940-63 helmets,but from the look of it it may be a M1 or a French copy of the same helmet.

The use of a helmet in Africa was unpractical as it was too hot and probably eliminated as the change was made from the use of airplane jump for helicopter.

The uniform was (probably) a copy from the French PARA TAP modéle 47-56 as it is almost identical.

The french inspiration came from the fact that the French gut stuck with the Algerian War from 1954 to 1962 and the First Indochina War from 1946 to 1954.



French paratroopers in Dien Bien Phu,french Indochina,Vietnam.



Algeria (note the MAS-36 rifle with the aluminium butstock)

"French way"

"Outset that several Portuguese military, Army and Air Force (Paratroopers) contacted with Marcel Bigeard in Algeria, when they moved there to observe the techniques that at the time the French paratroopers employed to combat terrorism. The "French way" of war was in many respects copied and then adapted by us. I remember for example an officer of the Special Hunters former militiaman, later attorney who religiously kept in his office, after 40 years in French and manuscripts that had been the basis of Portuguese textbooks."



"Dedication of Bigeard their "Portuguese comrades" (file photo magazine Baluarte)."

"One side note, though, is that the only places I've definitely seen the holster is on specialists like those with rocket launchers. Does anyone know whether the regulars in Batallions 21 and 31 (the only ones who were issued the AR-10) carried pistols?"

BCP21



BCP31

Early beret badge 1955 to 1961.





Ebay



Beret badge from 1961 to 1966.



Ebay

Ebay

The Barret.

" RED NO , LET IT BE GREEN AS THE INK WITH WHAT I WRITE THIS ORDER . "

"The GREEN COLOR
In Portugal , the "green" color was chosen for the beret " you stop ." Second one understands ( * } , this color was determined by the Minister of National Defence ( 1955 } , Colonel Santos Costa .
Faced with a proposal of " founders " , it was suggested in the "red " (or " brown " } , color the Minister , who was in the habit " GIVE ORDER " with a permanent ink pen green , have written about this . " RED NO , THAT IS HOW GREEN INK WITH WHAT I WRITE THIS ORDER . "
Everything points that would have been ideological reasons motivate this attitude , understandable at a time when the color red was too connote the international communist movement , predictable enemy of the Portuguese presence in Africa policy .
Over these 48 years the beret of the paratroopers have undergone some , few , slight modifications , both in manufacturing as the distinctive Berets were first acquired in civil firms , but in the late '60s , Green Berets were distributed of OGFE ( of dubious quality , for that matter } . Though the official distribution were the berets OGFE many " you stop " continued to acquire firms in its specialty .
The green beret ( and not only } was officially defined by Ordinance No. 20911 , from 16NOV64 , who created the color " Jade Paratrooper ." This color was not always respected . Indeed , from the outset that some officers and NCOs , especially or almost alone, those who attended courses in France , wore a French beret green , but a lighter shade than the official . berets With the arrival of OGFE the situation has not improved , since these debotavam very easily getting " brownish " or " rucas " in following the end of the war period in Africa , and the multinational exercises that CTP increased , a new " generation " , though again refer to punctual, green berets appeared . Besides the French ( Legion , Navy } , also the Belgian ( Parachute Commands} , and even American ( Special Forces } , appeared to be used by Portuguese you stop . Apart from being a certain brand of individualism also use this if seeking a beret quality to evade officially distributed . Finally , in 1988 , began to be distributed from the new berets OGFE , but with significantly better quality than earlier . Since 1989/90 Berets originated in the firm " PARAGRUP " are being distributed , being very similar to the current OGFE . Regarding berets " imported " and perhaps the result of improving national , allied to strict guidelines on their use , seem to have disappeared ."

OGFE (Oficinas Gerais de Fardamento e Equipamento)

The ones made by OGFE (Oficinas Gerais de Fardamento e Equipamento),came with a interior logo and with a logo OGFE paper (probably the paper bag)







(this one in the image is a RED commando...)

ZÉ is a normal name abbreviation from José,translating to English,José is Joseph and a normal abbreviation for Joseph is Joe,this makes Zé the same as Joe.

NIHA,i have no idea as it stands for nothing on its own,sorry.



The Tarzan print refers to the translation of the books.

Replica of the beret badge from 1961 to 1966 for 6,00 €



Note that it is not a  exact copy as there are some small diferences as the holes are diferent and the disposition of the 7 Castels is diferent,but for 6€...or just go for the original ones on Ebay.

See the diferences...

Original (as the one on Ebay)


Copy


...but even with the original ones there are some diferences,take a note at the eagle wings,in the Copy they curve down as in the Original they are straight...but when compering with the original one from the Original Paratrooper Photo one can see that the one in it is more similar to the Copy...

This chest badge is a reproduction of the ones udes from 1961,4,50 €.

Or you could be diferent and go Fuzileiro (Marine),as the Fuzileiros used the ArmaLite AR-10,for a short period,when they were reborn in 1961 (Founded in 1618) with the beginning of the Colonial War.



Ebay



FUZILEIROS BERET BADGE



Replica badge 6,00 €

"THE DISTINCTIVE
The first badge used (Fig. 2 ) beret was created by the same law that the beret . Although its origin is unknown or his author, he recalls the distinctive Alcantarilla Instruction  Battalion; coincidence or not ? This first badge was exclusive to staff in preparation for , or already paratrooper , and was used from 1955 to 1961 and is usually called 1st grade .
The new badge , 2nd grade , was legally established in 06FEV1961 by Order No. 378 of SEA (Fig. 3 ) and was no longer exclusive to the Paratroops , but common to the entire Air Force beret and bivouac . Legally , should not have been used until 1966 , when it was replaced by a new , through Ordinance No. 41 229 of 30SET66 (Fig. 4 ) . However, perhaps due to it being generally considered " the most beautiful " , was used by many " you stop " until much later."

The early Paratroopers also used a qualification badge over the left side chest,this was the Spanish qualification badge as the qualification jumps for the first ones was done in Spain (Alcantarilha).



"The brevet of most of the pioneers of Portuguese Paratroopers formed in 1955 in Alcantarilla (Spain). The 22. º Basic Course Paracaidismo. Started with 232 and ended with 192 volunteers."

Found all the needed qualification badges in one site,all modern made quality replicas from the original ones.



Barret Badge (1955 to 1961)



Qualification Badge (1955 to 1960)



Barret Badge (1961 to 1966)



Qualification Badge (1961 to 1966)

"Berets were first aquired from civil firms, but in the late '60s, the Green Berets were distributed by OGFE.Although the official ones distribution were the berets made by OGFE many continued to acquire from firms in its specialty, Rodrigues & Rodrigues, Buttuler, and Sousa e Martins, etc.."

Uniform And equipment,extracted out from " THE UNKNOWN WAR: PORTUGUESE PARATROOPERS IN AFRICA"