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Operation Leopard (La légion saute sur Kolwezi)
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Operation Leopard (original title La légion saute sur Kolwezi, "The Legion jumps in Kolwezi") is a 1980 French war movie directed by Raoul Coutard. It depicts the Battle of Kolwezi in Zaire in May 1978. A large number of European and local citizens of a mining town of Kolwezi were held as hostages and partially massacred by Katanga rebels. A Franco-Belgian airborn operation ("Operation Léopard") was organised, and paratroopers of French 2nd Parachute Regiment of French Foreign Legion and Belgian Paracommando Regiment liberated the town and saved the hostages. The movie is mainly based on memoirs of French officer Pierre Sergent and follows the real events quite closely.
The following weapons were used in the film Operation Leopard (La légion saute sur Kolwezi):
Handguns
Mle 1892 Revolver
Marcel Debruyn (Pierre Rousseau), the chief manager of the mining company in Kolwezi, owns an Mle 1892 Revolver. Later it is seen in hands of his son Georges (uncredited) and the local medic Bia Kombo (Gérard Essomba).
MAC Mle 1950
French officers and warrant officers carry MAC Mle 1950 pistols. They are mostly seen in holsters.
Unidentified revolver
In one scene a Katanga fighter carries a nickel plated revolver in holster.
Submachine Guns
MAT-49
Many French paratroopers and some Katanga fighters are armed with MAT-49 SMGs.
Rifles and Assault Rifles
MAS-49/56
Most French paratroopers are armed with MAS-49/56 rifles. Some of these rifles are used to fire rifle grenades.
AKM
Most Katanga fighters are armed with AKMs.
MPi-KM
Katanga fighters are also armed with East German MPi-KM rifles, distinguishable by their hybrid plastic / wooden handguards and plastic stocks.
FN FAL
Belgian paratroopers are armed with FN FAL rifles. Due to unclear reason, all these rifles are seen unloaded. Some of Katanga fighters also carry FN FALs. Different versions of FAL are seen, with wooden and black furniture.
M16A1
Zairian government troops in Kolwezi are armed with M16A1 assault rifles. In one scene Pierre Delbart (Bruno Cremer) stores an M16, taken from the slain soldier, and later uses it during the battle for the town.
MAS FR F1
French snipers are armed with MAS FR F1 rifles. In reality the Kolwezi operation was the first using of newly introduced FR F2 sniper rifles.
Berthier Mle 1916
In one scene two Berthier Mle 1916 carbines are seen on the wall of the office of high-rank Zairian general.
Machine Guns
MAS AA-52
MAS AA-52 machine guns are used by French paratroopers.
Unidentified machine gun
Two Berliet light APCs, used by Katanga fighters, are armed with unidentified machine guns. During the actual event, the rebels used captured Panhard AMLs.
Other Weapons
LRAC F1 Rocket Launcher
French paratroopers use several LRAC F1 rocket launchers, in full accordance with the actual events.
Panzerschreck
In one scene a rocket launcher that looks like Panzerschreck is briefly seen in hands of a Katanga fighter.
APAV 40 Rifle Grenade
Some French paratroopers fire APAV 40 anti-personnel rifle grenades with their MAS-49/56 rifles.
STRIM 65 Rifle Grenade
Some French paratroopers fire STRIM 65 AT rifle grenades with their MAS-49/56 rifles.
X F1 Hand Grenade
All French soldiers and officers carry hand grenades that appear to be X F1 training grenades (identified by the blue color) with Mle 1935 fuze. Some Katanga fighters also use these grenades.
81-mm mortar
French paratroopers use several mortars during the battle for Kolwezi. They appear to be of 81-mm caliber, most likely of French origin.
Trivia
Two dismounted tank turrets, supposedly used as last-ditch pillboxes, are seen near the building of Zairian ministry of defence.
