The following guns were used in the film Tropic Thunder
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Tropic Thunder: 2-disc Director's Cut (2008)
AR-15 Sporter II Carbine Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller ), along with various other characters, uses a 16" barreled AR-15 Sporter II Carbine throughout the film, which is anachronistic for Vietnam . The original AR-15 Carbine was an SP1 (sold between 1978-1985)), so there was no forward Assist on the upper receiver. Stiller's gun is the A1 version, or what Colt called the "Sporter II version" in U.S. sales. The Colt Model 653 based weapons came after 1973. He should be using an XM177 variation to be accurate to the era. It may be an homage to the movie Platoon Tom Berenger ) and Elias (Willem Dafoe ) used the Phillipine export Colt Model 653 rifles. This film uses what is available in the United States, which happens to be the Sporter II carbine, since most of the movie was filmed in Los Angeles and Hawaii.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Colt Model 653 (U.S. Domestic version), closest gun picture available - 5.56x45mm. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr. ) in "black face" make-up fires his AR-15 Sporter II Carbine during the opening "Hot LZ" scene. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black ) playing the role of "Fats" fires his Sporter II Carbine during the opening scene. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Speedman with his Sporter II Carbine. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Someone scratched the finish off the Sporter II reciever very badley. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Speedman fires his Sporter II at the enemy Guerillas, unaware they are real enemies, and them unaware he is firing blanks. Error creating thumbnail: File missing I'm sure if a military advisor was present, he wouldn't be too impressed with this firing stance. Error creating thumbnail: File missing "Lets load and lock." Error creating thumbnail: File missing Speedman fires his Sporter II into the air to stop the argument between Lazarus and Alpo Chino (Brandon T. Jackson ). Error creating thumbnail: File missing Speedman seems inclined to rack the action on the Sporter II even when the gun is already chambered. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Speedman with his Sporter II. Error creating thumbnail: File missing "I'm a lead-farmer, muthafucka!" Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lazarus fires two Sporter II Carbines akimbo style at the Guerillas, depsite the guns being loaded with blanks. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lazarus crosses his Sporter II Carbines. Error creating thumbnail: File missing When Lazarus tosses Chino one of his Sporter II carbines, it is clearly a rubber prop casted from one fitted with a 30 round magazine. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chino holds a Sporter II on the Guerillas, gangster style. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chino reloads his Sporter II. M16A1 Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel ) and Alpo Chino (Branon T. Jackson ) both carry M16A1 rifles fitted with the older style M16 muzzle flash reducers throughout the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M16A1 - 5.56x45mm. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sandusky and Chino with their M16A1 rifles. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sandusy with his M16A1. Note older style M16 muzzle flash reducer. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sandusky takes cover from Guerilla fire with his M16A1 rifle in hand. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chino with his M16A1 as Guerillas shoot at him. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sandusky hides as Lazarus tries to speak Mandarin to the Guerilla leader, Tran (Brandon Soo Hoo ). Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sandusky searches the huts for Speedman. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chino holds his M16A1 gangster style. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chino fires his M16A1.
