I tried googling it, but found no answers to my question.
From Rhodesia. From what I recall the Rhodesian Rig was born out of the captured Chinese chest rigs that the guerillas they were fighting against were using. They then modified them and used them as well.
It’s also my understanding that when the terrorist were captured, they were “interviewed” they said the first thing they saw where the weapons. Of course they were either parkerized or painted black at the time. That’s when they started painting the rifles to blend in better. At that point I don’t think anyone was doing it wholesale.
Yes,
I’ve noticed that many of these Rhodesian FALs and the like have a very “organic” hand painted look to them.
I’m no expert here, but would this be one of the earliest cases of trying to conceal a weapon with camo?
So Rhodesian rigs are really off-shoots of Chicom rigs (which look to me like Soviet rigs?)
My initial confusion was that a google image search for “rhodesian rig” just gave me a bunch of pictures of typical modern chest rigs. I just wanted to know what made the Rhodesians different…
It is the result of tradition recognizing their innovation. The Rhodesian rigs were the first real western chest rigs. Compared to the M-1967 H-harness, the Rhodie rig offered some real benefits. As to why it has remained the default name for similar rigs, I think is due to Rhodesian Security Forces and SAS members influencing the next generations of operators and gear. After the Brush War ended, Rhodesian military men found themselves in all corners of the world and many continued to fight.
(Standard disclaimer that the Rhodesian state was not to be admired.)
The successor regime was much less to be admired.
I agree Zimbabwe is a hellhole worse than Rhodesia but we don’t have to admire one more than the other, especially given Rhodesia’s attitudes towards its native inhabitants.
Ironically, given the Bigotocracy of Rhodesia versus the Kleptocracy of Mugabe, the naive inhabitants were a lot better off under the Bogotocracy. It is not politically correct to observe that the white man ruled Africa much better and more humanely (except for the Belgians) than the black man so I won’t make that observation.
Thanks for the reply.
Learned a bunch.
IDK what to make of the last comment though, but I understand where you’re coming from. Ultimately, that’s a different thread.
It’s probably not the earliest account I’ve read of it, but WWII Red Army sniper Klavdia Kalugina mentioned that she and other snipers wrapped their rifles in burlap to break up the outline and blend more easily with the landscape.
Pat
What I think is politically correct to mention though is how important self determination is. It might be messier but I’d prefer people of a country to run things for themselves. I don’t want to derail this much further but if you’d like to continue, please PM me.
You’re right. I ought’ve kept quiet about it.
The Rhodesian Army was very good at making due with what it had. Their style of shest rig was remarkably simple compaired to the multiple stacked MOLLE stuff we see today, much more in line with the chi-com rig. It was more simple to produce than the web gear that was all the rage with the western armies of the time.
IMO web gear would have been a better bet for them, as it would have been better able to integrate canteens first aid and stuff. I think the chest rig (front mounted gear in general) is a better option for today, being in vehicles, wearing armor and having hydration packs all favor chest rigs. But if I had been patrolling the bush of Rhodesia on foot I would have liked the old ALICE gear.
Google the Selous Scouts.
What is it with Rhodesians and short shorts? After googling up some of their stuff…it’s kinda funny.
It was the 70’s, look at NBA uniforms from that decade. As late as the 80’s we still had Tom Selleck in short shorts on Magnum PI.