The Chinese variant of the Russian SKS, the Type 56 Carbine with spike bayonet, is used by the NVA combatants in the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingChinese Type 56 Carbine with spike bayonet - 7.62x39mm.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAn NVA soldier is killed after wounding Duffy (Harry O'Reilly) in the arm during a battle. The Soldier holds the Chinese Type 56 Carbine with spike bayonet - 7.62x39mm.Error creating thumbnail: File missingNVA soldier bayonets Sgt. Franz (Dylan McDermott) in his side during the final battle - 7.62x39mmError creating thumbnail: File missingA montage of the scene where the NVA soldier shoots Gaigin and Doc with his Type 56 Carbine (SKS). This is particularly hard to see due to the heavy rainfall and dense smoke of the scene. The REAR SIGHT is flipped up, most likely occurring when the rifle snags on debris as the man crawls back and forth from his hole. The sight cannot be used in this manner for any sort of aimed fire, so he is purely pointing and shooting, also note the person responsible for changing the text on my pictures is a panty waste that does not know the difference between a front a rear sight.Error creating thumbnail: File missingNVA soldier with a Type 56 Carbine (SKS) fires next to an NVA using a Type 56 Assault Rifle (AK47) - 7.62x39mm
M79 grenade launcher
Used by McDaniel (Don James) and then later by Pvt. Joe Beletsky (Tim Quill)
A variety of 'lemon grenades' are seen on soldier's web gear throughout the film. They are often seen from a distance on webbing or in men's hands as they are thrown. In real life they are supposed to be M61 Grenades (virtually identical to the M26A1 lemon grenades most associated with Vietnam), however, these have a slightly unusual shape, implying that they are some sort of 'trainer' grenade that is not often used to impersonate the M26/M61 series of grenades.
When Sgt. Frantz (Dylan McDermott) is lecturing the new members of the platoon, he uses a former NVA crossover (a participant in the Chieu_Hoi program [1]) named "Han" to demonstrate how 'not paying attention' will get them killed. Han is 'armed' with a long empty tube made to resemble an RPG launcher of sorts. It has a dud Warhead on it. "Han" demonstrates his skill and ability by avoiding the noisemakers, trip wire and barbed wire of the perimeter to get within striking distance of the G.I.s
Throughout the film, the enemy uses the Chinese Type 56 (aka Type I) stick grenade. It is an oval pineapple style grenade on a short wooden stick and noticeably shorter than the famous German Stielhandgranate of WW2 fame.
Seen in the distance on some of the perimeter shots of the base camps and mounted on M113 APCs.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingAn M113 APC rolls by with soldiers 'grabbing a ride'. An Browning M2HB is visible mounted on the front - .50 BMG. Contrary to what is depicted in the film, soldiers riding vehicles were supposed to wear their M55 or M68 flak jackets, even though they were not bullet proof, they protected against grenade or bomb fragments, including roadside mines and boobytraps. Only in close quarters battle where quick movement trumped ballistic protection, did the soldiers ditch their flak vests.
M1911A1
M72A1 LAW Rocket
Carried by some soldiers, but not seen used. Since the enemy at this stage had no armor to defeat, the M72 LAW rockets were used primarily as 'bunker busters', though they are not effective against soft earth targets like the tunnel entrances on Hill 937.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingAn M41 Walker Bulldog tank with an 76mm M32 Main gun is seen in a field during a lull in the fighting. The fact that this tank has U.S. Armored Division markings is a bit of an anachronism, since the M41 was only supplied to the ARVN and was an obsolete tank for U.S. Forces. In fact, the M41 was perfect for the ARVN Armored units, since it's interior was too small for "American" tank crews but perfect sized for the small statured Vietnamese tankers. The Bulldog's secondary armament was one Browning M2HB .50 Cal machine gun and an .30 Cal Machine gun
