Blues Brothers

June 03, 2013

Blues Brothers

I finally got my Blues finished. This was the most difficult platoon in my Vietnam force to complete, owing to the large model count (14) and the complexity of the Hueys in terms of painting and finishing.

The latter problem is my own doing, having made the decision to go the extra yard for these aircraft. But in the end, I think the models are better for it!

Thanks to Chris and Blake, I decided to add some passengers to the Hueys to give them a bit of character. I'm pleased with the results and can't wait to get them into action!

Before I move on to the photos, I should mention that if you want to read one of the best Vietnam memoirs available concerning the Air Cav Aerorifles (and Rangers), look no further than Kregg Jorgenson's Acceptable Loss. Its a fantastic and gripping read. Its available on Kindle for a good price and its worth every moment and penny spent.

So here's a few photos of my Aerorifle Platoon and its attached Lift Platoon. The platoon is essentially two components, with the infantry teams on one side and the Huey helicopters on the other. The two were one for all practical purposes.

The Blues were an essential element to the Air Cav, providing the pure helicopter unit with boots on the ground. If a bird went down somewhere, the Blues were the rescue team. They also had the unenviable job of clearing out bunker complexes or pinning down and holding the enemy discovered by the pink teams (OH-6/AH-1 combination) until a Quick Reaction Force could be dispatched to deal with it.

In Tour of Duty, the Blues are represented by their official name: Aerorifles. They are an expensive unit, but armed with MG teams and LAW anti-tank weapons, this platoon will be very difficult to budge. Especially when backed by the rest of the squadron or troop. I look forward to fielding these guys!

Anyway, to the pictures!