Rambo III

Rambo III is the third installment in the Rambo saga. Sylvester Stallone returns in the 1988 sequel as John Rambo, the former Green Beret, who drops into Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation after his mentor Colonel Trautman (Richard Crenna) goes missing following a mission. 
The 1988 sequel is an unusual movie in that its production was halted about two thirds into the shooting schedule of the film. Rambo III was originally scheduled to film almost entirely in Israel (with parts of the opening filmed in Thailand), and many scenes were filmed in Eilat (the southern most tip of Israel between Jordan and Egypt), using Israeli armorers. However, the spectacle of a major US movie being filmed in the Middle East created a lot of concern about terrorist attacks (to disrupt the production and "send a message to the US"). Before production could be completed, it is said that Israel revoked the production's permission to remain in the country (the rumored reason being security concerns and threats made to the American film crew). Not wishing for a multi-million dollar film to be scrapped, then California State Senator Pete Wilson (R) (a big proponent of the film industry in California and later Governor of the state), helped the production to relocate back to Southern California and Arizona. The remaining shots were completed (including many insert shots) using the same talent, but utilizing areas around the American Western Desert, most notably Yuma, AZ for the final battle and Lone Pine, CA for 2nd unit photography.
This sudden relocation back to the U.S explains the sudden change from accurate Soviet weaponry (provided by the Israeli armorers) to the typical faux weaponry seen in many American movies. As Stembridge Gun Rentals took over the final shoot in the United States, mocked up Browning M2 .50 cal Machine guns instead of real Soviet DShK 12.7mm MGs, etc. appeared in the final battle. Most notably, the armored vehicles at the final battle changed from the authentic and original Soviet armored vehicles from the middle of the film, to the modified American tanks in the climatic final battle. These were provided by Veluzat Armored Vehicles out of Newhall, California (the company who notably produced these very good mockups of Soviet armor for the original Red Dawn). Only aficionados of armored fighting vehicles would notice the change.
Stallone would not return to the character until 20 years later with 2008's Rambo.
__TOC__
=Assault Rifles=
==AK-47==
Seen carried by the Mujahideen and by armed tribal members in Peshawar, Pakistan. The ones in the early parts of the film are authentic USSR-made AK-47s. These were all captured enemy arms, taken during the many wars between Israel and their neighbor nations. Israeli movie armorers have access to tons of authentic captured Soviet weaponry over the years, and any film shot in Israel would have real Soviet guns.
thumb|none|600px|Tribal member in Peshawar holds an AK-47.
thumb|none|600px|Mujahideen fighters hold a council with Rambo, many holding AK-47s. These are Israeli movie guns, evident by the extra long screw on blank adapters on the end of the barrels. American Armorers usually have drop in BFAs or thread the interior of their barrels and use a hex nut as the blank adapter, but the Israelis don't. This is the case for every movie filmed in Israel that has AK-47s and is a good visual indicator where a scene was filmed.
thumb|none|600px|Another good shot of the AK-47s with the extended screw on blank adapters. These are noticeably thinner than any of the military screw on blank adapters and are a different shape than any military BFA issued for the AK or any of its variants.
==AKS-47==
Seen briefly, some of the Soviet soldiers carry the milled receiver AKS-47 underfolder rifle, the predecessor to the AKMS. Since this sequence was filmed in Israel, one can assume these are authentic Soviet AK-47 Milled receiver weapons. 
thumb|none|600px|Soviet soldiers make their rounds carrying the AKS-47 underfolder assault rifles.
==AKM==
Full-stock AKMs are used by the Mujahideen and the Soviets. John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) and Colonel Trautman (Richard Crenna) also use AKMs on numerous occasions throughout the film. The ones used while filming in Israel are real Soviet AKM rifles. The ones used while filming in the United States were Egyptian-made Maadi ARM rifles (the American imported versions of the MISR). 
thumb|none|450px|AKM - 7.62x39mm
thumb|600px|none|Col. Trautman takes his AKM off safety.
thumb|600px|none|Col. Trautman (Richard Crenna) fires his AKM.
thumb|600px|none|Soviet soldier fires his AKM at the final battle (filmed in the United States). He is wearing the 'faux' copy of the KLMK pattern camo suit made for the movie Red Dawn and is wearing the plastic Soviet style helmet shell used by OPFOR (US military training units).
==AKMS==
AKMSs are carried by Mujahideen, the Soviets and Rambo.
thumb|600px|none|A Mujahideen fires his AKMS.
thumb|600px|none|Rambo uses the wire buttstock of an AKMS to break through a stone wall. Again a weapons change that some thought was a continuity error, it actually isn't. Rambo enters the tunnel with a full-stocked AKM, however he discards it along the way and takes Mousa's folding-stock AKMS.
==Norinco Type 56-1==
When filming shifted to the US, the Chinese-made Norinco Type 56-1 (the military name of the imported Norinco AKS-47 rifles) were used in place of the AK-47s. In a historical context, this is not an anachronism, since China supplied many Type 56 rifles to the Mujahideen fighters (by way of Pakistan) during the 1980s.
thumb|600px|none|Mousa (Sasson Gabai) fires his Type 56-1 rifle to save Rambo from a charging Soviet soldier. Note the smooth non-ribbed receiver and full-hooded front sight.
==AMD-65==
Colonel Trautman (Richard Crenna) and Rambo are seen with Hungarian-made AMD-65s. The traditional muzzle brake of the AMD-65 was replaced with an Israeli blank fire adapter (also seen on the other AK variants). The same AMD-65 type rifles were also wielded by Soviet tankers (ironically, wearing the same 'faux' Soviet winter tanker uniforms made for the film Red Dawn.)
thumb|450px|none|Hungarian AMD-65 as seen in the film. This one has an American copy of an Israeli blank fire adapter (which is slightly longer and thinner than most commonly seen external BFAs. This is the version seen in the movie.)
thumb|600px|none|Rambo and the AMD-65 inside the desert prison.
thumb|600px|none|Soviet tanker crews getting mowed down by Rambo, all wielding AMD-65s with the Israeli BFAs.
==AKMS (mocked up as AKS-74)==
AKMS mocked up as AKS-74s were seen used in the film. The real AKS-74 assault rifle (5.45x39mm) is a side folding rifle. The ones in the film, however featured obvious underfolder stocks as well as 7.62x39mm-style magazines. A faux AK-74 style muzzle brake was put on the rifles. Remember that this was filmed in 1987, and no AK-74 or 5.45mm guns existed in the United States (or our allies) at this time. 
thumb|none|600px|Colonel Zaysen (Marc de Jonge) gets ready to grab a fake AKS-74 (mocked up from an AKMS) to fire at a fleeing helicopter. These examples clearly have the underfolding stock and the more curved 7.62x39mm magazines.
thumb|none|600px|Colonel Zaysen (Marc de Jonge) fires a fake AKS-74 (mocked up from an AKMS) at a fleeing helicopter.
thumb|none|600px|A Spetsnaz Commando (looking suspiciously like Borat) is killed by Col. Trautman in the caves when the commando corners Rambo. Details of the firearm are visible in this double shot.
thumb|none|600px|Spetsnaz commandos ride back towards the camp on armored vehicles, all carrying the fake AKS-74 rifles.
=Rifles=
== Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III* ==
What seems to be Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III* rifles are used by Afghan horsemen in some scenes, though they are too blurry to be confirmed.
When Rambo was in Peshawar, a number of Afghans in the crowded street were seen with No. 1 Mk III* rifles slung over their shoulders while Rambo was heading to the arms dealer.
thumb|none|600px|It is possible that some horsemen are carrying the Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III*, which would be historically accurate.
==Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk I==
Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk Is are seen in the hands of Mujahideen fighters throughout the film.
thumb|none|600px|A man is seen with a No. 4 Mk I rifle slung over his right shoulder in the Arms bazaar in Peshawar, Pakistan. He is likely an Afghan expat, having crossed over the border of Afghanistan, but many remote Pakistani tribals, especially those on the Afghan border, are so armed as well.
==Mauser Karabiner 98k==
Karabiner 98ks are seen in the hands of Mujahideen fighters thoughout the film. A Kar98k is notably wielded by the youth fighter Hamid (Doudi Shoua). Since most of the film was made in Israel, it is likely that the Mauser Kar98k rifles that were used were Israeli Mauser Kar98k rifles chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO.
thumb|none|600px|A Mujahideen holds a Kar98k rifle at the tribal council.
thumb|none|600px|Hamid (Doudi Shoua) holds a Kar98k when he tracks Rambo at night.
==Mosin Nagant M91/30==
Mosin Nagant M91/30s are seen in the hands of Mujahideen fighters thoughout the film.
thumb|none|600px|Mujahideen holds a Mosin Nagant M91/30 Rifle.
thumb|none|600px|Hamid (Doudi Shoua) holds an M91/30.
==SKS==
An SKS is seen in the weapons shop by the Peshawar Arms Dealer.
thumb|none|600px|A row of SKS rifles are seen in the background.
==SVD Dragunov==
Rambo is seen briefly carrying an SVD Dragunov after crash-landing the Hind helicopter. Considering the time frame, it is likely that the rifle is a Norinco NDM-86, the Chinese clone of the SVD rifle, since the NDM-86 was readily available for commercial sale during the late 1980s. Rambo is seen in a deleted scene using the SVD to take down several Soviets before it runs out of ammunition and is discarded. This is notably the only time in the film series that Rambo is seen using a sniper rifle. 
thumb|none|600px|Rambo holds an SVD rifle when conferring with the escaped prisoners.
thumb|none|600px|Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) holds the SVD at the ready.
=Submachine Guns=
==PM-63==
A PM-63 is used by Colonel Zaysen (Marc de Jonge) during the interrogation scene.
thumb|350px|none|PM-63 RAK - 9x18mm Makarov
thumb|600px|none|Colonel Zaysen holds his PM-63 to the throat of Col. Trautman.
thumb|600px|none|Colonel Zaysen's PM-63 is cocked back, ready to fire, evident by the cocking shroud being level with the barrel tip. The PM63 must be cocked back in such a manner to fire, and also makes it very obvious that is is locked and loaded. However it would be impossible to fire being pressed against Trautman in such a manner, as the "spoon" type muzzle compensator needs to snap forward for firing.
thumb|600px|none|Colonel Zaysen (Marc de Jonge) with the PM-63.
=Machine Guns=
==PKM==
A PKM is used by Rambo during the final battle with the Red Army.
thumb|600px|none|During the final battle, Rambo runs carrying a Soviet PKM.
thumb|600px|none|Front shot of his Soviet PKM with a 200 round box magazine.
thumb|600px|none|Rambo runs with his Soviet PKM.
==.30 AN/M2==
An unfortunate result of the sudden relocation of filming back to the US, a 'Soviet' soldier fires a mocked up .30 AN/M2 .30 cal machine gun with a fake extended barrel shroud to simulate some sort of Soviet weapon. Weapon supplied by Ellis Mercantile. It's also used as the machine gun from the tank used by Rambo during the final battle
thumb|600px|none|Soviet soldier fires a mocked up Soviet MG, made from an AN/M2 machine gun.
thumb|600px|none|Rambo fires a mocked up Soviet MG, made from an AN/M2 machine gun inside the tank.
thumb|600px|none|The Soviet MG, made from an AN/M2 machine gun barrel shown being fired from outside the tank.
==FN MAG==
An FN MAG is seen as one of the machine guns on the fake Soviet Hind helicopters.
thumb|none|400px|Israeli FN MAG on display - 7.62x51mm
thumb|none|600px|FN MAG-58 mounted as the door weapon on a fake Hind Helicopter
thumb|none|600px|FN MAG-58 with buttstock removed, used by the Soviet door gunner
thumb|none|600px|Rambo ducks past another FN MAG (with a fake barrel extension) mounted to the turret of the faked T-72 tank.
thumb|none|600px|Rambo runs past another FN MAG-58 (with a fake barrel extension) mounted to fake Hind Helicopter gunship.
==Browning M2HB==
In the final battle, Rambo is also seen using a Browning M2HB mounted to a 'light blue pickup truck' and modified with another fake barrel shroud to disguise the weapon's origins.
‎
thumb|none|600px|A disguised M2 mounted on a standard pintle, with a four point 'tower' mount. (on a light blue pickup truck!).‎
thumb|none|600px|A better shot of the four point 'tower' mount for the .50 Cal Machine gun).‎ 
thumb|none|600px|Detail side shot with a clearly showing the receiver, indicating that it is, indeed, a Browning M2HB.‎
==DShK==
An authentic and accurate DShK 12.7mm Soviet Heavy Machine Gun is used by Rambo to down a Soviet attack helicopter. This is one of the very rare instances (for a film of the era) that a real DShK (rather than a fake one made out of an American gun like a Browning M2 .50 cal) is used in an American Motion Picture. The scenes where a real DShK was used were filmed in Israel, using real Soviet weaponry courtesy of the Israeli Armorers.
thumb|600px|none|Rambo readies the authentic DShK Heavy Machine Gun.
thumb|600px|none|Rambo racks the charging handle on his DShK. Note the non-disintegrating ammo belt (which is correct).
thumb|600px|none|Soviet guards at the base camp fire their DShK Heavy Machine Gun at Rambo.
thumb|600px|none|Rambo prepares to take out a Soviet sentry supposedly manning a DShK. Rather than do the obvious thing and grab the AKMS with folding stock on the sandbags, the sentry tries to rotate the cumbersome, 75-pound DShK around to kill Rambo. What a shock, this strategy doesn't work well for the sentry.
==Oerlikon 20mm AA gun (Acetylene Gas Mockup)==
A Oerlikon 20mm AA gun is used in the final battle, wielded by Col. Trautman (Richard Crenna), however it is mysteriously missing a rear sight and (most importantly) the drum magazine - This is an auto cannon with no ammunition. The one used in the film was an 'acetylene' gun (a real weapon mocked up with Acetylene gas internals to 'fake firing'). This method is used many time in either helicopter mounted guns (for safety) and heavy machine guns. They fire a 'flash of fire' rather slowly to simulate the firing of a large machine gun round. Supplied by Ellis Mercantile for the film during the re-shoot of the final battle in the US.
thumb|600px|none|Trautman mans a fake Oerlikon 20mm gun. (For an example of a correct live-firing Oerlikon gun, see the Stealth page.)
thumb|600px|none|Colonel Trautman tracks the Fake Hind Gunship with his Oerlikon. In reality, one direct hit in a vital area from a 20mm shell at that range would down the helicopter immediately.
thumb|600px|none|Good side shot of the "Acetylene Gas firing" Oerlikon.
thumb|600px|none|In stand by mode, one can see the 'pilot light' still burning, waiting to ignite the bursts of flammable gas when the gun starts 'firing' again.
thumb|600px|none|The Oerlikon 20mm gun is seen again, mounted to a jeep with Masoud (Spiros Focás) riding in front, this time with the AA sights attached. Note: It is highly unlikely that a 20mm auto cannon would be mounted to a lightweight vehicle like a jeep. Even a .50 Cal MG would need special plates to keep from ripping itself from the mount of a lightweight vehicle.
==Gatling Gun (Mockup)==
A fake mockup of a M134-style Minigun is mounted (with a very lightweight mount) to the front nose of the fake Soviet Hind Helicopter Gunship. It fires (very weakly) a fake Acetylene fire blast during some of the fly by sequences. Most of the time in the movie, the firing of the helicopter's Minigun is implied, using ground squibs and sound effects. It is supposed to be a stand in for the real 12.7 mm YakB machine gun that is mounted on the real Mil MI-24 "Hind" gunships. The YakB Gatling gun is a rotating four barrel gun similar to the M134.
thumb|none|400px|Actual GE M134 Minigun (7.62x51mm) for comparison.
thumb|none|500px|Actual Soviet YakB 12.7mm Gatling gun for comparison.
thumb|none|600px|The fake Minigun is seen firing flame bursts during flybys on the battlefield.
thumb|none|600px|A better detail shot of the fake M134 minigun firing Acetylene flame bursts in flight. In reality the nose gun would be the much larger 12.7 mm YakB machine gun, but that gun is only seen on the real Mil MI-24 Hind helicopters.
=Other=
==M203 grenade launcher (fitted underneath AKM)==
Lacking the Soviet 40mm GP-25 grenade launcher, which was mounted to the real AK-74 rifles in the Soviet-Afghan war, the movie armorers merely attached a US-made M203 grenade launcher to a Maadi AKM (ARM) rifle (with an aftermarket side folding stock). It is first seen wielded by Sgt. Kourov (Randy Raney). Rambo later takes the weapon and uses it at the final battle. The mating of an M203 to an AK has been done much later (in the 21st century) by militias in Africa and there are some Communist (or former Communist) bloc 'clones' of the M203, but none of these were available in the 1980s, and a Spetnaz NCO would be using front line Soviet armament, thus making this combination unlikely and anachronistic.
According to armorer Steve Karnes, the AK was Soviet-made with a Colt M203 and a Galil folding stock that was supplied to the production by an Israeli company.
thumb|none|600px|Kourov (Randy Raney) fires his AKM/ARM with the M203 mounted underneath.
thumb|none|600px|Closeup of the mounting device which attaches the M203 to the rifle.
thumb|none|600px|Closeup detail of the real M203 launcher attached to the AKM rifle. The mating of an M203 to an AK has been done more recently by militias in Africa and there are some Communist (or former Communist) bloc 'clones' of the M203, but none of these were available in the 1980s.
thumb|none|600px|Rambo and Trautman walk the desert. Rambo's combo gun is clearly visible, while Trautman carries the AMD-65 listed earlier.
==RPG-7==
Rambo wields an RPG-7 during his night fight with the compound guards.
thumb|none|450px|RPG-7 - 40mm
thumb|none|601px|Rambo holds the RPG-7, judging by its appearance, it could be the same RPG-7 prop used in Rambo: First Blood Part II.
thumb|none|600px|Rambo fires the RPG-7.
==M19 60mm Mortar==
Used by Mudjahideen fighters during the final battle.
thumb|600px|none|Firing the mortar during the final battle. 
==Flamethrower==
An improvised flamethrower is used by the prison guards at the Soviet military base. 
thumb|none|600px|Afghan guard, dressed in all black clothing, but wearing Soviet tanker's insignia wields an improvised flamethrower, which Rambo takes and uses against him.
==F-1 Hand Grenade==
Outside the base, trip wires are made using WWII vintage Soviet F-1 hand grenades, the arming wire wrapped around the pin. Soviet soldiers can also be seen with these grenades on their jackets. In reality, the Red Army and their allies would be using the RGD-5 or later generations of fragmentation grenades.
thumb|none|600px|Detail shot of the F-1 Grenade on Kourov's web gear. One can see that the center post of the fuze is made of wood.
==Fake Helicopter Rocket Pods==
Seen mounted on the fake Hind Helicopter and other attack helicopters, these are completely built props to fire acetylene gas bursts and pyrotechnic charges.
thumb|none|600px|Special effects made rocket pods for the fake Hind Helicopter
==Rambo's Survival Knife==
Unlike the first two films, Rambo's knife is not a survival knife in this film. Instead, it is a modified bowie design by knife artist Gil Hibben in collaboration with Stallone. The slot in the blade was originally supposed to accommodate a bizarre "wing blade" attachment, but this was ultimately not used in the movie. A deleted scene on the Ultimate Edition DVD shows Rambo forging the knife himself.
thumb|none|450px|Rambo III Survival Knife
thumb|none|600px|Rambo uses his knife to cut barbed wire on the base perimeter.
==Hoyt Archery Rambo Compound Bow==
As in Rambo: First Blood Part II, the custom takedown Compound Bow is Rambo's weapon of choice when he wants to kill silently, or with blue cyalume light sticks or Torque arrows to 'explode a helicopter' (!)
The Hoyt bow pictured below is the version created for Rambo: First Blood Part II. The bow used in Rambo III differs slightly in that the flashlight is removed (which was only seen in night entry sequence in the camp in the previous film) and an on-board arrow quiver is added. 
thumb|none|400px|Rambo's Hoyt Archery Compound Bow
thumb|none|600px|Rambo assembles his Hoyt Archery Custom Compound bow when an enemy helicopter approaches.
thumb|none|600px|Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) fires his explosive tip arrows at the helicopter gunship. Gotta love that 1980s mullet hair!.
=Weapons Platforms=
=="Faux" Mil Mi-24 "Hind" Gunship==
The "Mi-24 Hind" gunships seen in the film are in fact Aérospatiale Puma helicopters, first modified for the 1984 film Red Dawn and subsequently seen in the preceding Rambo movie, Rambo: First Blood Part II. For the filming of First Blood Part II, the Hind-A-style noses from Red Dawn were removed since they limited the pilot's field of view and were in constant risk of being torn off during violent maneuvers. However, the wings and rocket pods were a much more stable and permanent modification to the Puma helicopter and were retained. For Rambo III, the aircraft received some minor additional cosmetic modifications, including the removal of the black nose bulge seen in the previous film (replaced with a searchlight), the addition of a fake cannon beneath the nose that could fire simulated acetylene muzzle blasts, and a new desert camo scheme. A similar (but far less convincing) "Faux Hind" modification was done to another type of helicopter for the films Bulletproof, Braddock: Missing in Action III and Red Scorpion, utilizing a Sikorsky S-62.
thumb|none|601px|The "Hind" as seen in Rambo III. Note the acetylene-firing cannon under the nose, a new addition since the previous film.
=="Faux" Soviet attack helicopter==
Joining the Hind gunships in this film are smaller attack helicopters, which in reality were Aérospatiale SA341G Gazelles modified with wing mounted launchers, machine guns, and short nose extensions. They do not particularly resemble any real Soviet military helicopter.
thumb|none|600px|The smaller Soviet attack helicopters were in reality Aérospatiale SA341G Gazelles modified with wing mounted launchers and machine guns.
==Authentic Soviet T-62 Main Battle Tank==
Rambo ducks under and hitches a ride underneath an authentic Soviet T-62 Tank. This was the night compound sequence filmed in Israel, (which was the only way a US film could obtain a Soviet tank, since no motion picture vehicle company in the US had access to real Soviet armor, especially a relatively recent tank like the T-62, during the time frame of this film).
thumb|none|600px|A real Soviet T-62 Tank moves over a hill during the night compound sequence in Rambo III
=="Faux" Soviet T-72 Main Battle Tank==
When the production was forced to relocate to the United States, the movie's access to real Soviet vehicles suffered. The Soviet armored vehicles in the final battle were taken straight from the 1984 film Red Dawn. This includes the film's mock-up of a Soviet T-72 tank, built on the chassis of an M8A1 Cargo Tractor by Veluzat Armored Vehicles out of Newhall, California. 
thumb|none|602px|Rambo miraculously manages to drive a tank, fire the main gun and machine gun and reload it, with no other crewmen in the vehicle, while charging a helicopter!
thumb|none|603px|Detail shot of the fake mocked up T-72 Soviet tank sitting in a "hull-down" position. The small posts sticking out on the turret are smoke grenade launchers (as seen on the real T-72s)‎
thumb|none|600px|The T-72 is along with other faux Soviet armor.
=="Faux" Soviet ZSU-23 Self Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun==
Built for the film Red Dawn, this fake ZSU-23 AA gun was a mockup built on an American M8A1 Tractor Chassis. 
thumb|none|600px|Fake ZSU-23 AA mocked up from an American M8A1 Tractor Chassis by Veluzat Military Vehicles, Inc.
=Trivia=
==Elbit Falcon gunsight==
Seen used by Spetsnaz in the battle in the caves, we see an early model Israeli Elbit Falcon red dot optical sight mounted on a fake AK-74. This was filmed in 1987 so we would see the early ancestors of today's EOTech or Aimpoint sights.
thumb|none|600px|Spetsnaz commando searches the cave with an early Elbit Falcon sight attached to his AK rifle.
==Fake Soviet Uniforms==
Not a weapon, but worth noting, the Soviet soldiers were outfitted years before any surplus came out of Soviet or any of the Eastern bloc nations. The actors wore a bunch of stuff that no Soviet soldier would be caught 'dead' wearing ....
thumb|none|600px|Soviet soldiers wear French Tropical hats in place of the correct Soviet desert boonie hats
thumb|none|600px|More "Soviet" extras in the Arizona desert. While carrying AKM rifles, they wear the fake KLMK style jumpsuits (Red Dawn camo), Austrian web gear and Red Chinese Fur hats with the mini red star pins ... all while having hair that is far too long for the Soviet military standards - Only soldiers on long range missions, far from their base camp would be let-off being unshaven or grow their hair so long.
Category:Movie
Category:Israeli Produced/Filmed
Category:Action Movie
Category:War