1980s US Army Loadout | 82nd Airborne Airsoft Impression Kit

Hey guys!
Today's showcase is of johnny_bullfrog 's 82nd Airborne Impression kit!
Give him a follow on his Instagram @Johnny_bullfrog
-the.gear.locker

[@The.Gear.Locker]

There has been a lot of really good feedback in these comments. We’ve been reading through them all and appreciate it! Improvements are always being made.

[@S14M07]

outstandingly common 80s kit W

[@DonaldRichter0]

Straight up, the best U.S. Military uniform in history.

[@thekalamazookid4481]

This and the dcu are my favorite. Number two is chocolate chip bdcu or whatever its called.

[@LRRPFco52]

6 color Desert was pretty cool-looking, as was Night Desert.

[@Railhog2102]

Same although there are others that come to mind

[@LRRPFco52]

ERDL is really good as well.

[@narrowgauge0727]

In my opinion the 1980s US soldiers are still the best looking uniform flat out ever.

[@deltatwoniner96]

You're missing the m17a1 gas mask on the left side and the bayonet. We also had 2 2qts on our rucks, with cat eyes on the top flap. We also had sand bags folded and held in place with 4 bungee cords wrapped across the frame where your back is, the burgess where also used for our ponchos, for making hooches, and the sandbags where used to make fighting positions. Pretty good impression though.

[@LRRPFco52]

You beat me to it. Buttpack looks sketchy too. Name tape and cat's eyes need to be on the buttpack as well. By mid-80s, Division had M16A2s, was one of the first units to get them after 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions. I never saw a ruck that empty in 82nd or any of the 7 units I was in. He did pretty well otherwise.

[@ditch9802]

@@LRRPFco52 When he picked it up and swung it around I knew it was light. I had to dead-lift over my head to pick mine up.

[@christiannguyen3158]

as someone who owns a lot of 80s milsurp myself, it's really impressive to see how much of an impact it had on a lot of people's perceptions about what the average grunt looked like. Love the work that was put into this.

[@Kaiserstudios1]

If i'm making a 1980s impression for Grenada/Panama but also have some other later era uniforms in mind such as gulf war what model weapon should i buy to use for my kits? As i've hit a dilemma that if i want to create early 80s kits/grenada kit i would need an M16A1 but if i want to create a Panama/Gulf War Kit i would need an M16A2 as it was fully used then on. What should i get?

[@christiannguyen3158]

@@Kaiserstudios1 kit wise, they’re quite similar for the most part. Uniform:Hot Weather or Temperate M81 BDUs should be used for Grenada and Panama respectively. DBDU (aka Chocolate Chip) should be used for the Gulf War kit. Headgear: The PASGT helmet was used in all 3 conflicts respectively (with the exception of Marines and Rangers in Grenada which still used the M1) IMO It’s a lot easier to just get a PASGT helmet cover in M81 and just get a DBDU cover so you can change it for when you want to do a Gulf War kit. You can get SWDG goggles as well as cat-eyes with the helmet if it doesn’t already come with the helmet. Body armor: if you have the money and the time you can find yourself a PASGT vest. They’re usually not too hard to come by but it depends on what type of kit you’re going for. The PASGT saw use in all 3 conflicts you mentioned, but the 82nd usually went with no body armor at all, choosing instead to just wear ALICE webbing. Additionally, some PASGT vests came with DBDU covers during the Gulf, but they were quite rare in comparison to the large quantity of those in M81 woodland. Vietnam-era 3/4 Collar as well as M69 vests did see action too, although on a more limited scale. The most prominent use of them was with some units in Panama, namely the 7th ID. They also saw a lot of use with National Guard units in the Gulf. Webbing: for Grenada ALICE LC1 webbing should be used. For Panama and the Gulf an ALICE LC2 webbing should be used. The LC1 I got already came with mag pouches, so I also got myself an M1967 buttpack as well as an MX-991/U flashlight. Backpack: very similar to the webbing. ALICE LC1 pack should be used for Grenada, and an ALICE LC2 pack should be used for Panama/Gulf War. Boots: either USGI Black Leather Boots or Panama Bolts are fine. Weapons: an M16A1 would be ok if you are doing a Grenada kit, as the Army didn’t officially adopt the A2 until around 1986, and only in 1988 did it finally make the complete change to the A2. M16A2 would be used for Panama/Gulf, although the A1 did see use with National Guard units.

[@frankhernandez188]

When I joined the Marine Corps in 1996, we had the same gear, but we used M16A2

[@Dnd-wz9yn]

All of my comments are made with respect. I was in the 1BN 504 Parachute Infantry Regiment for the first third of my career beginning in 85 to include Operation Just Cause. We NEVER wore the cloth strips in our pot nor did I ever see anyone the 82nd doing so. That was SOP for the 7th ID, hence their moniker "Ragheads". We all had M-16A2s from early 80s on. I even had them in Boot at Benning so that's off on the timeline. After you walked through the doors of your Orderly Room you ditched the gooseneck flash light and only saw it again when you did the TA50 load out displays for inspections. We made the leap to the mini Mag-lights carried / dummy-corded to one of the shoulder straps of your LCE harness. Everything else looks spot on. Thanks for the hard work!

[@bullfr0g807]

Im the dude in the video, I really appreciate this type of feedback, direct info from vets is extremely useful for impressions like this as most of the info out there isn't very in depth. Other than photos of Just Cause, it can be difficult to get solid references for gear and how it was setup.

[@WildernessXplorer-vo5hv]

I was in C/1-504 from Dec 85 - Aug 90...the M16A2 was not issued to us until very late in 86, about the same time we had to turn the jeeps in and hummers were fielded. I went through OSUT at Harmony Church in late summer of 85 and we had M16A1's there also. You are spot on about the rag heads...this was a 7th ID thing, not 82D (the only time this was done in the 82D was EIB training and testing at the camo station). Need to add the helmet band with name on it and dummy corded to the helmet (routed through camo slit in the helmet cover, under the cover and secured inside to the kevlar helmet mesh). All ALICE clips were individually secured on the LBE with 550 cord, secured with square knot and two half hitches. Even had to tie down the thumb covers on the canteen NBC caps...everything was tied down and taped. For the LBE, it was common to swap out the Y harness for older canvas H harness's (if you could find them). Add bayonet, for the M16a1 it was the M7 and then we were fielded the M9 for the A2's...we all thought we had Rambo knives when they handed those out! In 88 when CSM Hoggard came on board (see Charlie Rangers- Best point man in Vietnam), we moved the e-tool carrier from the ruck to the outside of the butt pack...the butt pack quickly became a "butt-ruck" as the focused shifted to maximizing the fighting load vice sustainment load. Every soldier also carried a 60mm mortar rd container filled with sand on the top of their butt-ruck...as a squad leader I also had a PRC-68 squad radio attached to the butt-ruck. All this was a royal PITA to route through the harness...you had to lay the parachute down and spread the harness out, then place the LBE over it and route the it, then buddy rigging, hoisting the whole enchilada onto your carcass at once. One last comment...someone down below mentions mounting e-tools and 2qts "upside down" on the ruck...I never did this and never saw this in the 82D...all kit was mounted "as worn". Served in 82D from 85-90 and 99-2005.

[@WildernessXplorer-vo5hv]

Almost 12 years in DIV and I never saw it except as stated above. Why? The kevlar helmet cannot be inspected during JMPI with rags or other loose/hanging camo attached to it...its an automatic JMPI no-go.@@howtogetdisowned7478

[@rauldiaz5315]

I was also in 1/504 PIR during that time and went Panama. I will second what this paratrooper said. That would not have been allowed due to it being a snag hazard for jump operations, STRIKE HOLD!!!!

[@rauldiaz5315]

@@bullfr0g807 Hit me up if you need more info as I still have most of my gear through 2009 when I retired. I was also in SOF when I retired and can give you more info I was a medic my whole career as well.

[@steves1112000]

This isnt bad. This was when i was with division. The only small point would be make sure to use a helmet band. Last name in the front. Now, the 'cabbage patch' on the helmet is not common to the 82d. Rangers and the 7th ID used that as pretty much SOP (any rangers out there to chime in)? Ironically, the only unit to use the 'rag doll' set up was the 504 PIR. The ruck looks good. The 2 quart strap + config is dead on. Just make sure everything is secure and no straps are left to dangle. The M-16 A2 is accurate. We got them in division around 86-87. For a strictly Grenada setup, use an 'A1 and type 1 BDUs. Kevlar is fine, as they were brand new in '83. Make sure your boots are the green sided Panama sole jungle boots. Very popular. I know this post is long and the post is old, but i hope it helps.

[@Dnd-wz9yn]

I was in the 504 for several years beginning in 85. Never saw a single strip of cloth in a PASGT. What time frame are you thinking?🤔

[@steves1112000]

@Dnd-wz9yn '87, '88'. Not sure which Batt. I know that they were the only ones doing. I was 505 at the time. Maybe they stopped doing it. I distinctly remember seeing them at Green Ramp, though.

[@bullfr0g807]

Im the dude in the video, direct info from vets is extremely helpful thank you, accurate and descriptive info on this kit can be hard to find beyond the basics. This kit was mainly based on photos and any info I could find. Info on the ragtop can be hard to find too as to where and when it was seen.

[@helbent4]

Apparently the cloth strip helmet cover known as "Manchu Hair" to US troops (and "scrim" to Commonwealth soldiers) was common in the US 9th Infantry Division during the Panama invasion.

[@jamescox2575]

toward the end of the video, with regard to the statement that the ruck is set up for airborne ops: Not quite. For a jump itself, the 2-quart and E-tool carrier would be mounted "upside down" on the ruck. This is because the ruck actually hangs upside down on the body (under the reserve parachute) when jumping, and the opening shock could cause the heavy 2-qt canteen and/or the metal e-tool to fall out of its pouch (and lost to the jumper). By mounting it upside-down, the opening flap of the 2-qt and e-tool pouches faced upwards while jumping thus keeping the items in their pouch even if the snap covers came open. AFTER the jump, yeah, most guys put the two items back upright again, eventually, as time allowed.

[@steves1112000]

Good catch. I'm sure alot of my stuff is still buried on Sicily drop zone Because I was too lazy to properly secure it.

[@bullfr0g807]

Im the guy in the video, thanks for this feedback, ruck setup info is hard to find for this impression

[@TheMrgod123]

The drip is real

[@No_fritz01]

Stranger things season 4 vibes By that just because the soldiers have this equipment on and is cool, I always loved 80s load out..

[@matthewjones39]

Wait, they’re doing military stuff in stranger things now?

[@No_fritz01]

@@matthewjones39 yes

[@matthewjones39]

@@No_fritz01 I might need to watch that show again.

[@No_fritz01]

@@matthewjones39 yes, some parts are cringe imo but it's still good to watch

[@damone70]

​@@No_fritz01The whole concept of that show is cringe.

[@JohnSmith-st5ud]

something quite a few people do not notice, the larger canteen does in fact go on your pack. nice loadout!

[@Railhog2102]

This same loadout was also used in the Invasion Of Panama in 1989-1990 only this time the M16A2 replaced the A1 in frontline action

[@damone70]

Were you there?

[@Dnd-wz9yn]

I was and unfortunately I cant agree with this statement. No disrespect.@@damone70

[@damone70]

@@Dnd-wz9yn Can't agree with what? I was there too.

[@Dnd-wz9yn]

I just realized I misunderstood the statement. When I first read it I thought it said "this is the only time the M16A2 replaced the A1 in frontline action." @@damone70

[@philippauli8162]

Can't beat those old BDUs!

[@JohnRodriguez-si9si]

Woodland M81 BDU ( Battle Dress Uniform) was ,and STILL is, My Official Outfit , worn when I Myself Served in both The United States Marine Corps and Army,from 1987 to 1998, with 1 Year and 4 Months in the Army National Guard ( ARNG) and US Army Reserve ( USAR).🇺🇸🇺🇲❤️♥️🪖💣💥🔥‼️

[@marcreynolds9345]

The rear suspenders should have been attached to the eyelets on the butt pack. Keep many a pair of socks and chow. 😂😂😂

[@thoughtlessroamer]

I think they weren’t so he could wear his pack

[@utf59]

One missing detail that I haven't seen anyone else mention are the NBC caps for the canteens. Probably hard to find these days.

[@solidsnake2021]

The double A's mean "alcoholics anonymous". feet and knee's together AATW !

[@utf59]

Athletic Alcoholics

[@vincenzo3292]

I was there 15 years later, and nothing changed.

[@Mechanized85]

Victory Airborne boys.

[@ArmouredProductions]

Where is your Bayonet soldier! But in all seriousness, Woodland is drip.

[@TheSpectatorProject0]

This is nearly identical to what I wore to the Fulda-gap scenario in NC last year

[@mistermann7579]

The Scrim just does it for me

[@blacktronpavel]

Very well done.

[@SHARPOASIS]

My mind immediately goes to black ops 2 😍

[@LKS-1976]

Same shit we wore in 90s, 82nd Airborne. Minus rag head stuff. Add the aidbag for me as I was a medic, and we used A2s, I carried a Beretta and M4.

[@ModernTacticalShooting]

Mid-80s? except for rifle, Shit I rocked that up until 97 in the Army!

[@kevinmcallister2707]

These are great videos i have a few kits idk if you be interested I can send you some for your content I got Vietnam era Marine force recon and marine raiders ww2

[@АлексейЧернышев-ь9ы]

Great kit. But you wear buttpack incorrectly. Suspenders must be attached to the rings of the buttpack. And how do you combine buttpack and ALICE Large rucksack? I tried it, but it was very uncomfortable.

[@steves1112000]

You wear your suspenders a little long. It will dangle a bit, but it makes it a little more comfortable with a ruck.

[@TravisMcKnight-lk7gg]

Alice is good 👍 stuff, cold war gear is extremely durable .

[@Kaiserstudios1]

As i want to create a 1980s Uniform can someone please give me a list of Equipment to acquire to make this type of uniform (80s) Any division really but preferably 82nd and 7th ID. Mostly the Essential items such as bdu and helmet and web gear etc. But i don't need the extra parts such as entrenching tools, ruck etc (For now) Also, I use gel blasters for my impressions but i was confused on what weapon to get for this era of uniform. M16A1 or M16A2. Mainly because i would like to get an M16A1 because i can use it for vietnam kit, Grenada and other early-mid 80s kits but then i couldn't use it for a Panama Kit or Gulf War kit.

[@RAYANDERS-w4t]

THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@huydo1930]

That's some serious drip

[@greenman776]

Video is good however, i beliehe that rucksack is a small, not a large. I have a large and you need to remove the buttpack to be able to even wear it. (you can see it being done in photos and videos)

[@greenman776]

Correcton* it’s a medium, small rucksacks never made it past the testing phase

[@LRRPFco52]

That's a Large ruck. It's just empty. He needs to throw 2x60mm mortar rounds, sand bags, work gloves, 6-8 MREs, CLS bag, poncho, WW top, Field Jacket and liner, woobie, bungees, pole less litter, 3-6pr of socks, WP bag, cleaning kit, trash bags, t-shirt, cut-down puss pad, pers hygiene kit, and foot powder in there for that era. For mid-1990s and later, replace the field jacket with Gore-tex, add a lightweight polypro shirt, and NODS pouch on outside for key leaders, SAW gunners, and M60 gunners. For late 1990s, replace M16A2 with M4, M60 with M240, OD Green Jungles with stupid black jungle boots. We used mini mag lights as well, not the big gay anglehead flashlight. Any time we saw someone with anglehead, we immediately realized they were a POG.

[@MIRUNA99]

LOVE IT

[@DallinDaBus]

just looks like a modern day Canadian kit lmao

[@mat30_yt]

cold war vibes

[@lowballingTX]

Why you say rucksack instead of backpack

[@TheTimbs_]

Where can I find the stuff

[@svenneb1031]

Music at the start?

[@spy_pl]

Infernal Sky by Karl Casey

[@svenneb1031]

@@spy_pl Thanks man

[@gmaqwert]

No flak jacket ?

[@LRRPFco52]

The only times I recall using PASGT vests in Division was when we did grenade range or live fires with grenades. For shoot house, we drew out RBA that were prepositioned or brought to the range for us. Other than that, it was no armor all the time until Interceptor Body Armor came along in 2002, right before we deployed to kick-off OIF 2003.

[@christiannguyen3158]

IIRC the 82nd didn't use PASGT vests, they only really used them during training. They just went with no armor in the vast majority of their deployments before GWOT, like in Operation Just Cause or Desert Storm for example

[@TheChosenOneAni]

I thought they had the A2…

[@The.Gear.Locker]

Mr. Skywalker, loved your performance in Ahsoka. The A1s were definitely used well into the 80s, before being replaced midway (84 if memory serves) by the A2s. In Grenada, the A1s were what was seen. In Panama, the A2s were more common. This being a mid-80s kit still allows the A1 to be used!

[@TheChosenOneAni]

@@The.Gear.Locker I’m sure man, I wasn’t shitting on you I was just saying I think A2s were used more through the 80s. Good video though 👍

[@The.Gear.Locker]

You’re good lol, no worries! Didn’t take it as anything negative. Thanks!

[@TheChosenOneAni]

@@The.Gear.Locker No problem. Anyway, what was the cost on estimate, I’d like to build something like that for the clones wars.

[@utf59]

We got A2s in 87 or 88.

[@craigha7959]

Where's his m-17 protective mask? I liked it way better than the M-40 that replaced it.

[@LRRPFco52]

M-40 was better, lighter, NATO canister compatible, but the carrier was freaking huge in comparison. M17 carrier was way more compact.

[@chadblacksteele2465]

No helmet band with cat eyes, and no rank (unless dude is an E1 private). Also he would have 100 mile an hour taped the back of his LCE so that it was dangling. The rag top wasn't really an 82nd thing, more like 7th ID. He also would have had cat eyes and name sewn on his ruck Still very good video though.

[@AntonXChigurh]

Underrated channel. Great video

[@The.Gear.Locker]

I appreciate that a lot, thank you!