Operation Chromite

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Operation Chromite (2016)

Operation Chromite (or, The Battle for Incheon: Operation Chromite) is an Korean War film, directed by South Korean Director, John H. Lee (born; Lee Jae-han). The film covers a fictionalised account of the espionage actions of the X-RAY team with the assistance of the Korean Liaison Office that eventually led to the successful Incheon Landings. The film is notable to Western audiences for co-starring Liam Neeson, who portrays General Douglas MacArthur in the film.

The following weapons were used in the film Operation Chromite:

Handguns

M1911A1

Members of X-RAY are provided with M1911A1 handguns fitted with sound suppressors by the KLO (Korean Liasion Office) fighters for the extraction mission in the hospital. US and ROK Marines are also seen with standard-issue M1911A1 pistols during the US-South Korean joint raid on Wolmido Island.

Colt M1911A1 - .45 ACP.

An X-RAY operative attaches a sound suppressor to his M1911A1 before a mission.

Jang Hak-soo (Lee Jung-jae) fires his suppressed M1911A1 while disguised as a doctor in the hospital.

The suppressed M1911A1 dropped on the bed of the truck as the team removes their disguises.

Gye-Jin holds a M1911A1 previously hidden by it's owner.

Hak-soo loading up his regular M1911A1 before the final mission.

Hak-soo aims his M1911A1. Despite the blur, his pistol appears to be nickel plated.

Mauser C96 "Red 9"

The Mauser C96 "Red 9" with black grips is seen carried by Korean People's Army Commander Lim Gye-Jin (Lee Beom-soo) as his personal sidearm. Notably he is only seen reloading his weapon with individual cartridges, not having once seen using stripper clips.

Mauser C96 "Red 9" Version for the German Army - 9x19mm.

Lim Gye-Jin practices his aim with his C96 at paper-drawn caricatures of US leaders on a firing range.

Gye-Jin reloads his C96 with individual rounds. Here you can clearly see him inserting 9x19mm cartridges into the breech, confirming this pistol's identity as a "Red 9" variant.

The C96 is seen it's holster. Here you can see it's black-painted grips typical of 9mm C96s.

The C96 with the charging handle locked back after Gye-Jin completely expends his pistol's magazine.

Gye-Jin fires his pistol while riding shotgun on a jeep.

The pistol jams at a pivotal moment in the film's climax. Note that while the scene tries to portray the weapon clicking dry (with Gye-Jin immediately trying to reload afterwards), the bolt here clearly isn't locked back indicating some kind of malfunction or misfire.

Tokarev TT-33

The Tokarev TT-33 is depicted as the standard sidearm of the KPA forces and also carried by the members of the X-RAY team while disguised as a North Korean inspection crew.

Tokarev TT-33 - 7.62x25mm Tokarev. Pre-1947 version.

A promotional still of Jang Hak-soo (Lee Jung-jae) pointing a TT-33 at Lim Gye-jin (Lee Beom-soo). A close inspection reveals fine serrations along the TT-33's slide, making his gun a post-WWII manufactured version.

Nam Ki-seong holds DPRK General Jang-choon (Kim Hee-jin) at gunpoint with his TT-33. Note the thick serrations along the slide, making it a pre- 1947 manufacture model.

An enraged Jang-choon orders his men around while holding his own empty TT-33.

Hak-soo points his TT-33 at Gye-Jin, who returns the gesture with the latter's own C96.

North Korean officers pull out their TT-33s during the tense bar standoff.

Submachine Guns

M3 Grease Gun

KLO resistance fighters, notably Kim Hwa-young (Kim Sun-a) carry M3 Grease Guns. ROK and US Marines also carry M3s during Operation Chromite.

M3 "Grease Gun" - .45 ACP.

Female KLO operative Kim Hwa-young fires her M3 "Grease Gun" out of the truck. Note the charging lever indicating this weapon as the older M3 model instead of the newer M3A1.

The M3 "Grease Gun" caked in the wounded owner's blood.

PPSh-41

North Korean troops as well as various members of X-RAY carry PPSh-41 submachine guns while disguised as a DPRK inspection crew.

Soviet PPSh-41 Submachine Gun - 7.62x25mm Tokarev

X-RAY member In-gook scales a wall with his PPSh-41 slung on his back.

A disguised X-RAY operative levels his PPSh-41 during the bar standoff. Here you can see the rear sights of the gun.

Hak-soo holds his commandeered PPSh-41.

Ki-seong (Park Chul-min) suppresses enemy soldiers on a balcony with his PPSh-41.

A PPSh-41 (circled in red) is seen holstered on the back of an army motorcycle.

A Korean Marine is seen carrying a PPSh-41. Either he was issued with an enemy weapon alongside his M1 Carbine before the landings, or it is recently acquired.

M1 Thompson

KLO resistance fighters and US Marines are seen with the earlier M1 Thompson submachine guns, as noted by the older, more cheaply manufactured L-peep sights.

M1 Thompson with 20-round magazine - .45 ACP

Seo Jin-cheol (Jung Joon-ho) fires his M1 Thompson in an ambush.

A side view of the Thompson. Note the L-peep sight clearly seen in this shot.

Jin-cheol fires his Thompson at North Korean guards at the Wolmido lighthouse.

Hak-soo readies his M1 Thompson during the climax of the movie.

Rifles/Carbines

M1 Carbine

US and ROK Marines are seen using M1 Carbines during their assault on the lighthouse.

Korean War Era M1 Carbine, with Birch Stock, Adjustable sight, bayonet lug, and twin magazine pouch - .30 Carbine.

Jin-cheol scans for targets during the raid on the lighthouse.

Ki-seong stealthily eliminates North Korean soldiers with his M1 Carbine slung over his shoulder.

A ROK Marine scans the beach with his M1 Carbine.

The ROK Marine in the centre holds an M1 Carbine while the one on the left holds a M1 Garand. Note that the Korean Marines in this scene are seen wearing USMC fatigues.

A Korean and American Marine are seen escorting General MacArthur (Liam Neeson) on the beach with their M1 Carbines slung.

Dae-soo (2nd from the right, top row) poses for a photo with his M1 Carbine during a flashback.

M1 Garand

South Korean and American troops are seen using M1 Garands during the execution of Operation Chromite. Several members of X-RAY are also seen with the rifle.

M1 Garand semiautomatic Rifle with leather M1917 sling - .30-06

X-RAY and KLO members pay their respects to a fallen fighter, whose grave is marked with a M1 Garand.

A US Marine snipes a North Korean sentry with his M1 Garand.

Hak-soo picks up an M1 Garand while holding a rifle grenade flare with his other hand.

The flare round is fired from the Garand. Normally shouldering a M1 Garand while firing a rifle grenade is not advisable due to massive recoil, but said recoil is actually dependant on the load of said grenade.

Marines in a Higgins landing craft with their M1 Garands.

Marines storming the Incheon coastline are seen carrying M1 Garands.

Mosin Nagant M91

Many North Korean soldiers are equipped with Mosin Nagant M91s as their standard service rifle. Several carbine variants are also seen infrequently amongst DPRK troops.

Full-length, Imperial Russian Mosin Nagant M1891 - 7.62x54mm R

North Korean conscripts are seen in a truck with their Mosin Nagant rifles resting between their legs.

KPA troops respond to the bar standoff with an assortment of Mosin rifles as well as PPSh-41 submachine guns.

Bong-po fires his Mosin Nagant at marauding North Korean troops.

Action shot of Bong-po cycling his rifle.

A North Korean guard fires his rifle at oncoming ROK-US Marines.

Machine Guns

Browning M1919A4

During the escape from the hospital, the X-RAY operatives unveils a Browning M1919A4 mounted on a tripod hidden in the back of their truck. US and ROK Marines are also seen holding M1919A4s during the landing at Incheon.

Browning M1919A4 on an M2 tripod - .30-06 Springfield

Hak-soo charges the M1919A4 before firing on pursuing North Korean forces. On closer inspection, the machine gun here is clearly being fed with crimp-nosed blank rounds.

The M1919A4 here in the back of the truck. Note the lack of ammo belt in this scene.

The M1919A4 at the back of the truck (sans rear canvas cover, due to taking damage from a building's low roof). Here, the tripod is clearly seen.

A Marine is seen holding an M1919 (circled red) while being deployed to Incheon via Higgins landing craft.

Degtyaryov DP-28

KPA troops are sometimes seen with the DP-28 machine guns, either carried by infantry or mounted on KPA vehicles, including several Soviet BA-64 armoured cars.

Degtyaryov DP-28 machine gun - 7.62x54mm R

The DP-27 is mounted on the back of Gye-Jin's jeep.

A North Korean rooftop MG team fires their DP-27 at a truck.

A KPA soldier fires the mounted Degtyaryov from the back of Gye-Jin's jeep.

Launchers

M20A1 "Super Bazooka"

A North Korean soldier is seen brandishing a M20A1 "Super Bazooka" while chasing down fleeing South Korean operatives. While it is possible that the DPRK forces could have captured and used American equipment during the opening stages of the war, the M20A1/B1 model was not introduced untill near the end of the war, making this an anachronism. American troops are also seen carrying such launchers near the end of the film.

M20A1 "Super Bazooka" - 3.5" Rocket

A KPA soldier pulls out a Bazooka from his BA-64 armoured car. It is not exactly clear when or where did it come from; either it was stored within the armoured car in which would have made it's extraction awkward due to the cramped open top, or some other soldier passed one to him mid-chase, which is just as unlikely.

The rocket from the Bazooka in mid-flight.

A US Marine with a M20A1 (circled in red) over his shoulder while marching in the street.

M7 Rifle Grenade Launcher

In the climax of the movie, Jang Hak-soo retrieves an M1 Garand fitted with a M7 rifle grenade launcher to fire a flare round in order to signal the US forces. Presumably the rifle was pre-loaded with blank rounds specifically to launch the flare, as it did not see conventional use before or afterwards.

M7 rifle grenade launcher

A flare round for a rifle grenade is passed to Hak-soo.

Hak-soo fires the flare with his M1 Garand's M7 launcher (circled in red).

Grenades

AN/M8 Smoke Grenade

KLO resistance fighters are seen using AN/M8 smoke grenades to cover X-RAY team's extraction by ambushing pursuing DPRK forces.

AN/M8 smoke grenade

An AN/M8 smoke grenade is seen sitting on top of a barrel.

A thrown smoke grenade is seen on the floor after deployment. Note the markings clearly printed on the canister.

F-1 Hand Grenade

North Korean troops are seen equipped with F-1 hand grenades.

F-1 High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade

Hak-soo picks up two F-1 hand grenades from a fallen North Korean soldier.

He pulls the pins of both grenades before tossing them all at once.

Mk II Fragmentation Grenade

Mk 2 hand grenades are used as part of an improvised fuel bomb to delay DPRK forces during the hospital chase scene. Jang Hak-soo is seen throwing several Mk IIs from his commandeered assault gun during the climax of the movie.

Mk 2 "Pineapple" World War II-made High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade (sometimes written Mk II)

In typical Hollywood fashion, Ki-seong pulls the pin of the Mk II grenade with his teeth while his other hand clutches the jerry can. In reality, the force required to pull a safety pin from a grenade is very likely to break your teeth.

Others

BA-64 Armoured Car

KPA forces employ Soviet-made BA-64 Armoured Cars in their urban policing of Incheon, with a mounted DP-28.

A BA-64 Armored Car - 7.62x54R DT MG as main armament

A BA-64 armoured car, with it's gunner now wielding a M20A1 Bazooka.

203mm B-4 Howitzer Mod.1931

North Korean defences at Incheon includes an impressive battery of Soviet-made 203mm B-4 Howitzers to retaliate against the invading American Navy.

KPA artillerymen assemble in front of their guns.

A Soviet 203mm B-4 howitzer ready to fire from a concealed bunker.

T34-85 Medium Tank

Several T34-85 tanks with mounted Degtyaryov DT machine guns make an appearance. Due to the sheer numbers of T34 tanks produced during WWII, the Soviet Union provided it's client states with thousands of such tanks during the satellite conflicts in the following years, including North Korea during the Korean War.

Two T34-85s stand guard outside the gates of North Korean High Command. These appear to be CGI.

A T34-85 looms into the battlefield during the finale of the movie.

Unknown Self-propelled Gun

In the finale of the movie, X-RAY forces led by Hak-soo commandeer an enemy self-propelled gun to use against the North Korean artillery battery.

X-RAY forces eliminate KPA tank crewmen surrounding the SPG. The chassis of the gun appears to be similar to that of the T34, indicating it's possible Soviet origin.

The SPG rolls into the artillery camp.