Black Hawk Down is the 2001 feature film adaptation of the non-fiction Mark Bowden book that recounted the events surrounding the ill-fated US mission to capture a Somali warlord in 1993. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film was notable for its depiction of modern US warfare. The film received support from the US Department of Defense, who provided extensive training for the actors with members of the US Army Ranger and other Special Forces soldiers to ensure authenticity in addition to allowing access to actual Black Hawk and "Little Bird" helicopters for filming. During the film's production, many of the soldiers and pilots seen were active duty, some of whom were veterans of the actual battle. The film's cast included Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, William Fichtner, Ewan McGregor and Sam Shepard as well as Tom Hardy and Ioan Gruffudd in early roles.
The following weapons were used in the film Black Hawk Down:
Majority of the U.S. Army Delta Force operators carry the Colt Model 727 as their primary weapon, fitted with various accessories such as the Aimpoint CompM2 red dot scopes and SureFire 660 flashlights, with some of the carbines also having desert tan camouflage paint schemes, painting mostly the handguards and buttstocks only and some without paint, flashlights and/or optics. Delta Staff Sergeant Daniel Busch (Richard Tyson), Sergeant First Class Norm "Hoot" Gibson (Eric Bana), Master Sergeant Chris Wex (Kim Coates), and SFC Jeff Sanderson (William Fichtner) all carry the Colt Model 727 carbines.
In real life, the older Colt Model 653 and Colt Model 723 would have been the carbines used by the Delta operators during Operation Gothic Serpent. The Colt Model 727 would have been more common amongst the Rangers and not Delta. In the film, the Colt Model 727 is likely standing in primarily for the Colt Model 723 for Delta Force while the Model 733 stands in for the Model 727 for the Rangers. Most of the carbines in film are also anachronistically equipped with Aimpoint CompM2 reflex red dot sights (which was not available commercially until 17 March 1995, and later standardized into the SOPMOD kit in 2000) on rails mounted on the fixed carrying handle rear sight. During Operation Gothic Serpent, some Delta operators and Rangers utilized the then commercial Aimpoint brand optics such as the Aimpoint 2000, 3000 and 5000 reflex sights (which due to these optics being discontinued and very rare to acquire in bulk load for the movie would explain the extensive usage of the CompM2 scopes, standing in for the older Aimpoint scopes during filming). Photographs of the events leading up to Operation Gothic Serpent, as well as research by enthusiasts, have confirmed that in fact Delta used Colt Model 653s and 723s during the operation, some of which the carbines also had other attachments that Delta were free to customise extensively, such as 100mph tape wrapped on the bottom of STANAG magazines for easier grasping (sometimes accompanied with bungee cord to pull the magazines out easily), double magazines clamped together (either using a metal H clamp or simply modified with tape and cardboard), Packer Redi-Mag double magazine devices, rubber bands to hold a flashbang grenade on the magazine and also the CAR stock in a certain position (provide also the stock and buffer tube were modified as older stocks only had two positions and weren't adjustable to fit users specifically at the time), M203 grenade launchers and at least one Remington 870 masterkey shotgun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingColt Model 727 ("M16A2 Carbine") - 5.56x45mmError creating thumbnail: File missingStaff Sergeant Daniel Busch (Richard Tyson) aims a Colt Model 727 carbine equipped with a CompM2 reflex sight. A SureFire 660 flashlight pressure switch is taped to the handguard.Error creating thumbnail: File missing"Hey, who's hungry?!" Sergeant First Class Norm "Hoot" Gibson (Eric Bana) chambers his camouflage-painted Model 727 carbine equipped with a SureFire 660 flashlight (with pressure switch taped to the handguard) during the warthog "aerial target shooting" scene.Error creating thumbnail: File missingMaster Sergeant Chris Wex (Kim Coates) with a Model 727 from a deleted scene later included in the Extended Cut. Wex's (and many of the other Deltas and Rangers) rifle sling cord is wrapped and taped around the front sight instead of being hooked in the built-in front sling loop to allow ease of combat modularity.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSergeant First Class Jeff Sanderson (William Fichtner) with his Model 727 with a CompM2 reflex sight.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSFC "Hoot" Gibson with his camouflaged Model 727 carbine during the convoy escort back to base.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA severely injured SSG Busch fires a Model 727 carbine during the defense of the first Black Hawk crash site.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSFC Sanderson fires his Model 727 before switching to his M1911A1 during the "Mogadishu Mile". The Surefire flashlight can be seen fixed on the stepped heavy barrel.
Colt Model 733
Various U.S. Delta Force operators and some Army Rangers are armed with the short-barreled Colt Model 733 with A2 rear adjustable carrying handle sights and heavy barrels. Some are standard 733s, while others are customized with camouflage paint schemes and Aimpoint scopes (similar to the aforementioned Model 727s). Some of the weapons have a XM177-style flash-hider instead of the standard barrel with A2 flash-hider. One particular Model 733 used by Delta Master Sergeant Gary Gordon (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and later Chief Warrant Officer 3 Mike Durant (Ron Eldard) is heavily modified with a camouflage paint scheme, anachronistic Aimpoint CompM2 red-dot scope on a rail mounted on the carrying handle rear sight, weaponlight taped on the left side of the handguard and a sound suppressor. The usage of the Colt 733 by the Rangers may likely be filling in the role of the Colt M727 that is already carried by the majority of the Delta operatives in film, although in real life those particular carbine models would have been utilised by some of the Rangers alongside the M16A2.
In history, Gordon's carbine was actually a camouflage painted Colt Model 723 (like all other Deltas were using at the time) with either a Aimpoint 3000 or 5000 and an OPSINC suppressor sleeved over the barrel.
For several of the sequences that involved stuntwork, a number of non-firing rubber prop M4 Carbines are seen in the hands of the Delta operators. They are recognizable by the knobs on the carry handles which indicate that the carry handles are detachable, which is the distinguishing visual feature of the M4. The use of these weapons - even in rubber prop form - is anachronistic as the M4 Carbine was not adopted by the U.S. military (not even U.S. SOCOM) until 1994, a year after the events of the film took place. The usage of these rubber prop M4s is likely to substitute some of the M727 carbines that lack Aimpoint optics in some scenes to blend in.
NOTE: While prototype models of the M4 existed at the time of Operation Gothic Serpent, and conceivably might have been available to Delta, all prototype models of the M4 used fixed carry handle upper receiver assemblies. Further, when the M4 entered service in 1994, the initial standard was the Colt Model 777, which had a fixed carry handle. The flattop receiver Colt Model 920 and Model 921 - two Colt carbines which eventually became standardized as the M4 and M4A1, respectively - neither existed nor entered service until late 1994 to early 1995, after the initial purchase of Model 777s.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingColt M4 Carbine - 5.56x45mm NATOError creating thumbnail: File missingCaptain Mike Steele (Jason Isaacs) points out the fact that the selector switch on the carbine carried by Sergeant First Class "Hoot" Gibson (Eric Bana) isn't set to "SAFE", who then replies "This is my safety" and bends his trigger finger. The selector switch appears to be molded into the receiver, making it likely this is actually a rubber stunt prop. (The book states Hoot had just cleared the chamber and pulled the trigger before inserting the magazine, making it unable to engage the safety due to the hammer being down.)Error creating thumbnail: File missingA Delta operator raids a complex with a rubber stunt M4 Carbine. This shot appears to be reversed, as the ejection door and brass deflector can be seen.
Special
Error creating thumbnail: File missingA trio of actors portraying Delta operators on the set of Black Hawk Down. The operator on the right has one of the rubber stunt M4 Carbines. The one in the middle holds a camouflaged Model 733 with XM177-style flash-hider. While not obvious, the operator on the left has a Model 733 (the 11.5-inch barrel is visible in other images taken during the same series of photographs).
Colt M16A2
U.S. Army Rangers, including Staff Sergeant Matt Eversmann (Josh Hartnett), Sergeant Mike Goodale (Carmine Giovinazzo), Sergeant Ed Yurek (Tom Guiry), Sergeant Joyce (Chris Beetem) and Private First Class Todd Blackburn (Orlando Bloom) are armed with M16A2 Rifles. While defending the second Black Hawk crash site, Delta Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart (Johnny Strong) briefly uses a M16A2 rifle before switching back to his M14. During the scene when CPT Steele (Jason Isaacs) tells SSG Eversmann that they have to secure the perimeter for the SAR chopper, a Ranger lying prone in the background appears to be working the forward assist on his M16A2. Specialist John Grimes (Ewan McGregor) and Corporal James "Jamie" Smith (Charlie Hofheimer) both carry M16A2 rifles with M203 grenade launchers on heatshield handguards while some other Rangers, notably Sergeant Lorenzo Ruiz (Enrique Murciano) have the Cobray CM203 37mm Flare Launchers that is standing in for the M203.
It should be noted that Rangers weren't just issued with only the M16A2 during Operation Gothic Serpent - they also used the Colt Model 727, which was then sold commercially by Colt as the "M16A2 Carbine". Despite the film's portrayal of Delta Force using the M727, it is inaccurate as in reality they used Colt Model 653 and Colt Model 723 carbines; the Rangers would have used the M727 in selected roles such as NCOs, COs, or in the case of the film, radiomen and possibly medics.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingColt M16A2 - 5.56x45mm NATOError creating thumbnail: File missingStaff Sergeant Matt Eversmann (Josh Hartnett) leads his Ranger team, many armed with M16A2s.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSSG Eversmann firing his M16A2 at Somali militia as the Rangers make their way to the first Black Hawk crash site. Like the Deltas and other Rangers, Eversmann’s sling cord is wrapped and taped around the front sight to allow ease of use of the rifle that the built in sling loop would be limiting to in carrying and in combat during Mogadishu.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSergeant Mike Goodale (Carmine Giovinazzo) fires his M16A2 while making his way to the first Black Hawk crash site.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSSG Eversmann fires his M16A2 during the rescue of SSG Busch. Here, Eversmann and other Rangers wielding M16A2s have tape on the fixed buttstock, the purpose being that is the sling bungee cord is looped through the bottom sling loop and then wrapped around the stock and finally taped upwards for ease of modularity. The 160th SOAR “Little Bird” pilot seen here is Chief Warrant Officer Keith Jones, who was the pilot who rescued the real Busch during the actual event.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSGT Goodale (Carmine Giovinazzo) with his M16A2 as the Rangers and Deltas hold off the Somali militia.Error creating thumbnail: File missingDelta Force SFC Randy Shughart (Johnny Strong) switches between his M14 and an M16A2 as the Delta snipers defend their position at the second crash site. He must have found an M16A2 in the chopper because in Mike Durant's book "In the Company of Heroes" it says Shughart asked Durant if there were any weapons in the chopper.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSergeant Ed Yurek (Tom Guiry) fires his M16A2 in three round bursts twice during the "Mogadishu mile". Yurek is probably the only Ranger in the film to fire in bursts from his M16A2, which Rangers are usually trained not to fire in bursts unless "they have a damn good reason", as quoted by several Drill Sergeants. However this instance may certainly qualify as a "damn good reason".
An M14 rifle is used by Delta Force Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart (Johnny Strong), most notably when he and Master Sergeant Gary Gordon (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) are defending the second crash site. His M14 has a camouflage paint scheme and an anachronistic Aimpoint CompM2/M68 reflex sight that is likely standing in for the Aimpoint 3000 that the real Shughart utilised on his rifle.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingM14 rifle - 7.62x51mm NATOError creating thumbnail: File missingSFC Shughart provides cover for MSG Gordon and CWO3 Mike Durant (Ron Eldard) at the second crash site with his M14. Here, the fire selector is clearly seen, confirming a genuine M14 over the M1A.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSFC Shughart fires his M14. This shot appears to have been reversed. Note how the bolt and the battery slot on the Aimpoint is on the left side, not the right. Also see how Shughart and Gordon (off-shot) are right-handed in the other shots except for this one.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSFC Shughart fires his M14 in defense of the second crash site.
M16A1
Several M16A1 rifles are seen in the Somali arms dealer's shop and one militia member is seen loading up one. At one point, Rangers can be seen watching a scene of the film The Jerk where a madman is trying to shoot the protagonist using a scoped M16A1.
The local militia arm themselves with Heckler & Koch G3 rifles among many weapons. Both older variants and newer G3A3 variants are seen in the film. The older variants were previously ID'd as CETME Rifles, which is incorrect - The furniture, magazines, trigger housings and receivers are incorrect for CETMEs. The fixed rear sights, while generally associated with CETMEs, were also used on older-spec G3 rifles. The distinctive (and more commonly seen) H&K adjustable spindle/drum rear sight was only first introduced with the G3A3.
The vast majority of the Somali gunmen are armed with the Type 56-1 assault rifle, which is a Chinese derivative of the AKS-47/AKMS. They are identified by the hooded front sights, which only Chinese Kalashnikov rifles have. At one point, one of US soldiers can be seen removing the magazine from a discarded Type 56-1 and stuffing it in his empty pouch. Whether this was done to take back a souvenir or for some other reason is not known.
Mo'alim (Razaaq Adoti), the Somali militia leader, carries an AKS-74U as his weapon of choice, first seen picking it up and inspecting it before heading into battle, then firing a burst into the air to break up angry civilians attacking CWO3 Mike Durant (Ron Eldard) before announcing that he was to be taken alive as a prisoner.
Ranger Specialist Shawn Nelson (Ewen Bremner) can be seen carrying an M60 machine gun as his standard weapon. A vehicle-mounted M60 is also seen and fired from at least one of the Humvees in the extraction convoy. Some of the Somalis can be seen using this gun as well.
Several Rangers can be seen carrying FN Minimis throughout the film, standing in for the M249E1 SAW. It is also used by Specialist Lance Twombly (Tom Hardy) to accidentally deafen Nelson (Ewen Bremner) when he fires it too close to Nelson's head. The Minimis are also fitted with circular 200-round cloth ammo bags instead of hard plastic drums. At one point, a Somali shoots at Twombly and hits one of his ammo drums causing the ammo to cook off and burn him, though he's able to get rid of it before he's seriously harmed.
The Browning M2HB heavy machine gun is used by the US Army on their HMMWVs, the U.N. forces on their APCs, and the Somali militia on their technicals. The opening scene features Somali militiamen slaughtering a gathered crowd at the food distribution center with the powerful .50 cal.
The M85 heavy machine gun can be seen mounted in the Commander's cupola of M60A1 Patton tanks providing security at the soccer stadium being used as a base by the U.N. forces.
The MH-60 Black Hawks are armed with GE M134 Miniguns as doorguns. Pylon-mounted miniguns, mounted alongside 2.75" rockets, are seen as the armament of the AH-6 Little Birds. The Black Hawk and Little Bird helicopters were provided for the film by the US Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, and the weapons mounted are the actual armaments. One of the pilots seen in the film (Keith Jones) was a veteran of the actual battle.
One of the Somalis fires at Mike Durant's Black Hawk armed with a Zastava M72, a copy of the RPK light machine gun, identifiable by the stock and handguard design. Another Somali is seen providing suppressing fire at the Rangers and Delta operators with one when they try to reach the first Black Hawk crash site.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael "Mike" Durant (Ron Eldard), the MH-60 Black Hawk pilot of Super Six-Four, is armed with a Heckler & Koch MP5A3 with a "slimline" handguard and uses it to defend himself after he's shot down. Another MP5A3 is also picked up and used by SFC Randy Shughart (Johnny Strong) before being killed by the overwhelming militia. The MP5 was briefly issued to helicopter crews as a personal defense weapon (PDW), but was discontinued in this role when it was determined its 9x19mm ammo lacked sufficient stopping power against armor-wearing or drug-crazed enemies, as was the case in Somalia. In the book and real life, the weapons were actually MP5Ks. They were referred to as "Skinny Popper", a reference to the men's nickname for the Somalis.
While never used on screen, SFC Sanderson (William Fichtner) can be seen carrying a customized Remington 870 Express Magnum (standing in for an 870 Police Magnum) slung over his right shoulder. A pistol grip (minus the folding stock) is used in place of the full stock. This same setup is used on a short 870 by Charlie Sheen in the film Navy SEALs. In a deleted scene, SFC Sanderson uses the shotgun to blow the hinges on a door inside the target building. The tail end of this shot is still in the finished film, although if you haven't seen the deleted scene before it would be hard to spot. In the book, at least one of the Delta operators has an 870 Masterkey attached to his CAR-15.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingRemington 870 Police Magnum with folding stock - 12 Gauge. The one seen in the film lacked the folding stock.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSanderson with his Remington 870 Express Magnum slung over his back. Note the full-length barrel.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA close-up of Sanderson's 870. Also a good shot of an M733's barrel.Error creating thumbnail: File missingReceiver reads "Express Magnum" on Sanderson's 870. In real life, it would have been a sturdier Police Magnum, not the cheaper, "economy priced" Express Magnum, though both are visually identical. The Police Magnum is the same shotgun, but built from stronger materials and has slightly different finish.
Handguns
Colt M1911A1
The Colt M1911A1 pistol is used by the Delta operators as their sidearm of choice. Delta Force Master Sergeant Wex (Kim Coates) can be seen with an M1911A1 at the firing range near the beginning of the film. The M1911A1 is most notably seen in the hands of Master Sergeant Gordon and Sergeant First Class Shughart as the two Delta snipers attempt to secure the second crash site and are forced to draw their sidearms as the both their primary weapons run dry before the overwhelming Somalis close in on them. Some of the Delta's 1911s also have ambidextrous thumb safety, notably when SFC Sanderson (William Fichtner) draws his to fire near the end of the film.
A Somali militiaman uses a Tokarev TT-33 to kill SFC Shughart (Johnny Strong) at the second crash site. It should be noted that the militiaman fires 11 shots, which is 3 more than the TT-33's 8-round magazine.
The Beretta 92FS pistol (standing in for the Beretta M9) is seen a few times in the hands of Rangers and members of Lieutenant Colonel McKnight's (Tom Sizemore) convoy. Mainly it is seen in the hands of Maddox (Michael Roof) in the Humvee. McKnight himself carries his 92FS around as a proper means to defend himself. Twombly (Tom Hardy) also carries a 92FS as a sidearm to his FN Minimi. He never uses it and it is mostly seen in his holster.
The Russian-manufactured RPG-7 launcher appears as the weapon which brings down a pair of MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. In one scene inspired by an actual event, a projectile from an RPG-7 strikes PVT Kowalewski (Brendan Sexton III), the driver of one of the M35 'deuce and a half' trucks in the convoy commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Danny McKnight (Tom Sizemore). The warhead fails to detonate, impaling the luckless soldier instead. At least one of the RPG-7s used in the film was a rare live and registered example owned by Movie Gun Services.
Along with the RPG-7s mentioned above, Chinese Type 69 RPG launchers are also used by the militia. The Type 69s seem to be loaded with PG-7VL rockets instead of the more commonly-seen PG-7VM rockets, distinguished by the larger warhead.
Ranger Lieutenant Tom DiTomasso (uncredited) can be seen taking out a "technical" with an M72A3 LAW. The M72A3 was a post-Vietnam War improved model of the M72, and the last variation used by the US Army. Upgrade models (up to M72A7) of the LAW are being used by the US Navy and USMC as recently as 2007, as well a variant is used by the Canadian Forces and other NATO nations in Afghanistan.
At one point, Aidid's militia begin to bombard the building the majority of the Rangers and Deltas have taken cover in with mortars and an SPG-9 recoilless rifle. A group of Deltas led by Hoot soon kill the gunners and then turn the SPG-9 against the militia, killing several with one shot. It's later destroyed by Hoot's team before they join Eversmann's team. Interestingly, according to the audio commentary on the DVD, this incident never happened and was made up for dramatic effect by the writers.
While the Cobray CM203 37mm Flare Launchers are fitted on most of the Rangers' M16A2 Rifles, a couple of actual M203 grenade launchers are also seen, most notably on Corporal James "Jamie" Smith (Charlie Hofheimer) and Specialist John Grimes (Ewan McGregor) rifles, the latter who uses his launcher to assist the Delta operators in taking out a "technical" that has them pinned down, missing the first shot before destroying the vehicle with a second High-Explosive Dual-Purpose (HEDP) grenade..
While loading up for the assault, Hoot (Eric Bana) is seen taping up the pins and spoons on some M67 fragmentation hand grenades. SFC Sanderson (William Fichtner) is later seen throwing one into a window to take out a Somali who has the Rangers and Deltas pinned down.
There are several appearances of AN/M14 incendiary grenades; used by Delta operators to destroy sensitive equipment at both Black Hawk crash sites, as well as to destroy the SPG-9 recoilless rifle mentioned above once Hoot and his team are done with it. Another one can be seen lying on a table when Hoot is loading up.
