Vietnam River Craft

	These models are both examples of Riverine craft built by the United States for service in the Vietnam theatre. The larger of the two is a P.C.F. (Patrol Craft, Fast) MK1 or “Swift” boat as they were commonly known. These fifty foot boats were originally crew boats for inshore oil field service and were acquired by the U.S. navy for modification to their needs. They were armed with a twin .50” machine gun atop the wheelhouse and had a combination 81mm mortar/.50” M.G on the after deck.   The other boat is a P.B.R. MKII, these were designed by the U.S Navy after originally modifying a commercial jet boat, the P.B.R MKI, its predecessor. This craft was the type seen in Francis Ford Coppola`s film “Apocalypse Now”. They were armed with three .50” machine guns, 2 M60 7.62mm machine guns and an assortment of crew weapons.   Both models are 1/24 scale and are fully working, the request of the private collector who purchased them. Their dimensions are 26 inches (660mm) and 16 inches (410mm) respectively. The sixty foot Monitor and Fifty Six foot ATC(H) (Armoured Troop Carrier (Helicopter)) are both modified variants of the World War Two LCM 6 landing craft. Adapted by the U.S. Government for use in the Delta regions of South Vietnam they made up some of the bulk of the Riverine craft known as the Brown Water Navy. Both are modelled at 1/24 scale and are owned privately. They are quite unique in appearance being covered in bar armour to detonate the Rocket Propelled Grenades used by the communist forces.
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