Operation Leopard (La légion saute sur Kolwezi): Difference between revisions
Operation Leopard (La légion saute sur Kolwezi): Difference between revisions - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games
Operation Leopard (La légion saute sur Kolwezi): Difference between revisions
[[File:La legion saute sur Kolwezi-Grenade-5.jpg|thumb|none|500px|Capt. Maurois ([[Jean-Claude Bouillon]]) carries two grenades.]]
[[File:La legion saute sur Kolwezi-Grenade-5.jpg|thumb|none|500px|Capt. Maurois ([[Jean-Claude Bouillon]]) carries two grenades.]]
== Unidentified mortar ==
== 81-mm mortar ==
French paratroopers use several mortars during the battle for Kolwezi.
French paratroopers use several mortars during the battle for Kolwezi. They appear to be of 81-mm caliber, most likely of French origin.
[[File:La legion saute sur Kolwezi-Mortar-1.jpg|thumb|none|500px|The paratroopers carry the baseplate and the bipod.]]
[[File:La legion saute sur Kolwezi-Mortar-1.jpg|thumb|none|500px|The paratroopers carry the baseplate and the bipod. The shape of the baseplate matches several models of French mortars.]]
[[File:La legion saute sur Kolwezi-Mortar-Promo.jpg|thumb|none|500px|The mortar in action on the promotion still.]]
[[File:La legion saute sur Kolwezi-Mortar-Promo.jpg|thumb|none|500px|The mortar in action on the promotion still.]]
Operation Leopard (original title La légion saute sur Kolwezi, "The Legion jumps in Kolwezi") is a 1980 French war movie directed by Raoul Coutard. It depicts the Battle of Kolwezi in Zaire in May 1978. A large number of European and local citizens of a mining town of Kolwezi was hold as hostages and partially massacred by Katanga rebels. A Franco-Belgian airborn operation ("Operation Léopard") was organised, and paratroopers of French 2nd Parachute Regiment of French Foreign Legion and Belgian Paracommando Regiment liberated the town and saved the hostages. The movie is mainly based on memoirs of French officer Pierre Sergent and follows the real events quite closely.
The following weapons were used in the film Operation Leopard (La légion saute sur Kolwezi):
Marcel Debruyn (Pierre Rousseau), the chief manager of the mining company in Kolwezi, owns an Mle 1892 Revolver. Later it is seen in hands of his son Georges (uncredited) and the local medic Bia Kombo (Gérard Essomba).
Belgian paratroopers are armed with FN FAL rifles. Due to unclear reason, all these rifles are seen unloaded. Some of Katanga fighters also carry FN FALs. Different versions of FAL are seen, with wooden and black furniture.
Zairian government troops in Kolwezi are armed with M16A1 assault rifles. In one scene Pierre Delbart (Bruno Cremer) stores an M16, taken from the slain soldier, and later uses it during the battle for the town.
All French soldiers and officers carry hand grenades that appear to be X F1 training grenades (identified by the blue color) with Mle 1935 fuze. Some Katanga fighters also use these grenades.
