Chinese PLA Rocket Launcher Soldier (Blue Collar, Rocket Launcher Pose) Vietnam War 1985 – Custom Printed Brick Block Figure

Character Identification

This custom building block figure represents an Anti-Tank / Demolition Specialist of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) operating during the Sino-Vietnamese border conflicts of the 1980s. He is identifiable by his specialized heavy weaponry—the Type 69 Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher—and a distinct bright blue collar peeking out from underneath his camouflage uniform, a specific piece of clothing often worn by PLA troops to prevent the rough canvas collars from chafing in the extreme jungle humidity.

Detailed Character Description

(Utilizing intricate 360-degree UV printing, this figure perfectly captures a heavily burdened PLA specialist equipped for bunker-busting and anti-armor operations in a tropical combat zone.)

• Headgear & Face: The figure wears a standard PLA steel helmet covered with a printed cloth cover in the Type 81 “duck hunter” camouflage pattern. His face print features a fierce, combat-ready expression with intense, angled eyebrows and subtle dirt or smudge marks on his cheeks.

• Torso (Camouflage, Blue Collar & Chest Rig): He is outfitted in the Type 81 reversible camouflage uniform (green and brown amoeba shapes over a tan base). Beneath the open collar of the uniform, a distinct, bright blue undershirt collar is prominently printed. Over his tunic, he wears a highly specialized, olive-drab canvas Chicom chest rig designed specifically for the RPG gunner. Instead of standard rifle magazine pouches, this rig features wider, buttoned compartments designed to carry the heavy RPG warheads and booster charges. Small blue and red details are printed on the webbing to represent the colored bands found on different types of rocket munitions.

• Back & Side Gear: The 360-degree printing reveals a complex web of straps crossing his back to support the heavy chest rig. Furthermore, a printed entrenching tool (folding shovel) and a canvas canteen pouch are detailed on his lower back and side, essential gear for surviving the prolonged trench warfare of the border conflicts.

• Legs & Footwear: His lower half features trousers in the matching Type 81 camouflage. The lower legs are tightly wrapped in traditional cloth puttees (leg wraps), transitioning cleanly into standard black combat boots, providing protection against the dense, leech-infested underbrush.

• Weaponry: The soldier is armed with a highly detailed, miniature Type 69 Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launcher. The weapon features a wood-colored heat shield and pistol grip, a black launcher tube, and a loaded, bright green anti-tank warhead fitted into the muzzle.

Historical Background

During the bitter, decade-long border clashes following the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War, the fighting devolved into grinding, static trench warfare, particularly around the rugged karst mountains of Laoshan in 1984–1985. The Vietnamese forces were deeply entrenched in fortified caves and concrete bunkers hidden across the steep ridges.

To dislodge these hardened positions, the PLA relied heavily on their Type 69 RPG gunners. While originally designed to destroy tanks, in the mountains of Vietnam, the RPG became an indispensable “bunker-buster.” A dedicated rocket specialist had to carry immensely heavy, awkward ammunition across steep, muddy terrain.

The blue collar visible on this figure is a wonderfully authentic historical touch. In the extreme heat and humidity of the southern jungles, the coarse canvas of the military uniforms caused severe chafing and skin infections. PLA soldiers frequently wore soft civilian undershirts—often light blue or white—beneath their tunics to protect their necks during long combat patrols.