I never cared for the perma press fatigues- no enough pockets 

But I loved the old Jungle Fatigues and was very bummed when they were phased out and replaced by the Hot Weather BDUs...

CapnMac82

USMC had their own Utilities until about '68-'69, before changing to the "tails out" blouse in OG-109.

Which then went through  a bunch of changes.  Confused even more by the ERDL camo going to SEA

What I want to remember is that AF (other than in SEA( kept their tucked-in OG-107 (or whatever Shade the AF called that) Fatigues.  They were last to adopt the Woodlands BDU.  DeptNav bought enormous quantities of solid OD 'BDU' uniforms with a minority, special units "buy" of Woodlands camo.  Eventually, that flip-flopped and the buy was 80-90% Woodlands, with a minority buy of solid-OD Utilities.

I'm pretty sure Stick is right about the Field Jackets, other than I want to remember that one of those models had angled pocket flaps rather than straight.

The tough part is the LBE & web gear--once the M-56 gear is introduced.  Which is the other fly in the ointment for using Marines to sub in--782 gear remains unique to the Corps until about '70-71.

Which is why the ALCE & LC-2 gear was made so adaptable--so it would accommodate all of the legacy gear in inventory.

 

I know this is Necro but Airforce had OG107 till about the mid 70's then went to OG507 till about 1986 before adopting the M81 Woodland.

...and still no mass market plastic 1960-1970s US, British, and West German tankers  Let's add the French, as we now have decent AMX-13s and 30s.  And the Israelis.  At least Miniart has done several Soviet tanker sets.

That's the problem with all the awesome new armor kits these days, no figures.  Only Tamiya still does that, and they have upped their game recently.

Another whine I have is that most figure sets have at least one more  guys just standing around.  I prefer them all in their hatches, in "action poses", looking like they are trying to avoid a crazy monkey flinging its waste at them.  Either that, or in cold weather gear somewhere in West Germany, wishing the dang freezing rain would stop.

This post came back to the top of the heap; if you're still looking for figures; here's another set from Bravo 6:

OK Tiger II, that set ticks all the boxes: Nobody goofing off.  Everyone in action poses.  Even the driver looks like the monkey has already slung the poo.  

Real G

...that set ticks all the boxes...

Not for the original topic, 1970s Army tank crews.  Vietnam gear and 1970s gear, esp. stateside and Europe were not the same.

Since this thread originally posted, there have come about a couple sets that are perfect for 1970s Army tank crews, both from Valkyrie.

This set has both the older Bone Dome CVC helmet and the newer (late '70s) CVC helmet.

The same basic figures with a couple different arms and newer (late '70s) CVC helmets.

Oh drat!!!

I've been working on a dio using some Vietnam figures for a tank based in W. Germany during the late '60s early '70s.

Too late to turn back now. Thanks for letting me know though that I've made a bit of a screw-up there Gino...

It's also germane that being tank crew, like so much else in military life, is 98% boredom repeating similar tasks over and over again.  An 2% things that turn into Sea Stories.

Loader spends his time eyeballing the sectors the TC isn't; or just gawping about.  Gunner has it toughest-narrow field of view, and mostly straight ahead.  All while being in kicking range of the TC.

Now, I agree the kit makers are shorting us "active" track crews.  Pulling a bore brush, breaking track; just packing & unpacking the bustle racks . . .

Valkyrie makes some amazing sets, but the only thing I'd wish to see with them is an extra set of compatible arms so you could mix them up a little for some variation.

I need to get that first set for my Ambrams, but I'm not liking the loaders pose. It doesn't look like he's riding in a tank, but rather having a losing argument with his wife.

I'd have to pose him with just his shoulders and head sticking out. But that's just me.

M. Brindos

but rather having a losing argument with his wife.

Dunno, sounfds like most of the Laoders I've met

In the 80s, we tended to wear mechanics coveralls, both the cotton ones and the cold weather ones instead of BDUs or over the BDUs.

Or the faded green MOPP suit.