ADVICE

Anyone interested in selling or exchange articles from WW2 is invited to add comments explaining their articles.
The Director ..

                                                                   ( Waiting in the post office.)

  

THE ORIGIN

From the most remote times and places, just in ancient Persia, Sparta, Normandy, Lebanon or Afghanistan conquering armies began a curious hobby, sometimes confused with the looting or theft; Collecting.
Soldiers and officers back from their campaigns peculiar objects brought with enemies, allies or places you went with the sole purpose of admiring them, display them, evoking deeds .. or pay tribute to those who had overcome costly.
American soldiers in World War II rarely visited Europe returned home without carrying a memory of Armies conquered or places and cultures with which they treated.
That today this kind of hobby persists is largely due to those by which historical pieces, strange or embarrassing could be saved and be admired for today by our contemporaries. Serve this blog as a tribute to them all.
The Director. 

KATANA-"SHIN GUNTO" (japanese military sword)

The katana "shin gunto" traditional military sword in japanese army, was given to officers to  remember samurais history. Kamikazes or navy officers had too a katana during the war nomarly done in a poor quality but  some of them used  old traditional katanas given by their families from fathers to sons  .After the war us troops had the order of requise all katanas and hundreds of them were destroyed but a important quantity arrived to USA by american soldiers.

 

M3 Fighting Knife

The M3 Fighting Knife is an US military knife designed before 1943 . Used by soldiers and special units without bayonets in close-combats like airborne troops , rangers and air crews.The processing of creation was very simply , trying a faster production and  saving expensive metals like used in   blades  made of carbon steel.
During wartime were known  at least 10 different companies manufacturing this combat knife like Aerial Cutlery Co., W. R Casey and Cutlery sons.,Imperial Knife Co., PAL Cutlery Co, Camilus Cutlery Co., Robeson (ShurEdge) Cutlery Co., Kinfolks Inc., Utica Cutlery Co., and H. Boker & Co than still producing later models like M4, M5, M6 and M7 bayonets.

Luger P08 pistol

Created by the german  Georg Luger in 1898 and produced by the Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken was the most famous german pistol during first and second war world .Was accepted in the german army during 1908 and named auxiliary weapon in the swiss army , US army bought  around 1000  to use in field proofs  but finally decided use other weapons. During year 1940 was started to be changed with the Walther P38 pistol .Persecuted  by a large numbers of collectors 1999  Mauser who have the patent made a short number to be sold again by the price of 16.000 US dollars.A great number of these pistols  were home with the american soldiers during WW2 .

PPSH41

Пистолет Пулемёт Шпагинa 1941 PPSh-41 was a machine gun made by russian industries around Moscow, watching the good service with automatic guns during finnish campaing. This gun was builded in a number of 3000 per day , 1 in 7'3hours and only during 1941 were made around 155.000 units by not qualifity workers with a simple desing of only 87 parts, finishing war were made more than 6 millions units.
A great number of german soldiers who captured this machine gun were using it during the war because their magazine was bigger and could use same mauser ammunition of their pistols and the fiability was total even in extrem cold.

The german stick grenate or Stielhandgranate Model 24

Well known in british army slang like the "potato masher", was the most common hand grenade during the 2 world wars in the german army. Produced from 1915 with a pull cord ran down the hollow handle from the detonator with explosives in the head, a great number of dangerous accidents change the original design  of the cord finally in 1917 when was built the definitive model. Pulling the cord the grenade had a five seconds fuse burning. Any allied grenade were launched around 12 metres but the sticks grenades become the double distance 30 -40 yards. German safety norms aply a transportation of the grenades first in wooden boxes and later in metal boxes without fuses with the legend "Before use insert detonator". A specials units of these grenades were sent to Russia with the logo K ( KALT/COLD) on them because normals with cold climate could cause to fail to detonate.Were made to the final of the war when material problems in Germany made think in other compact grenades. A thousands of these went with allied soldiers homes like souvenirs.
Price  today: + - 150 US Dollars.

The Tommy helmet MK I

The tommy helmet (MK I), brodie helmet or in USA doughboy helmet (M1917 helmet) was the typical british troops helmet ,designed by John Leopold Brodie during 1915 .Used in both great wars was changed during 1940 for a second version named MK II.The design was based in give more resistant to projectiles but it offered less protection to the lower parts of the head and neck .Was included in the material of british army and commonwealth nations in different colours from green to orange , from the army to the police or auxiliary forces and later versions used till today in Pakistan or Israel.Only in USA were made around 3 millions units by american companies and some commonwealth countries did it with England, the production was amazing.
Price today: +-70 US dollars.

K98 Ammunition pouch or Patronentasche M1911

Used by german soldiers during the  great wars, during 1933 the new model 1911  was changed based in old M1909  to use in combination with regular Mauser k98. Made in black  leather of high quality with 3 different pockets designed each to put 2 magazines or clips with 5 cartridges vertically mounted with a total or 30 cartridges ,german soldiers  normally used 2 pouches to get longer time of fire.Collectors must know Wehrmacht required a great production with different patterns and many manufacturers (hundreds) some of them in occupied countries like Netherland, not being strange found pouches with stamps and dates of these time and countries.

Price today: +-60 US dollars.

Carlisle First Aid Packet.

The Carlisle First Aid Packet model was the name of a little metal box ( too made of waxed carton, plastic,paper...)  ,took its name in 1920  from a place in Pennsilvania where was working the  “Medical Department Equipment Laboratory” in  the Carlisle Barracks Military Reservation .Used in both great wars the rectangulars boxes were painted using an Olive Drab #7 color shade and designed to ensure the sterility of the bandage contained within.Starting numbers of the new containers were produced by the Medical Equipment Laboratory without any indication of the supplier’s name,later contract was signed with two suppliers :Bauer & Black, Division of the Kendall Co., Chicago, Illinois + Handy Pad Supply Co., Worcester, Massachusetts ( later more than 20).Finishing 1942 were done more than 2 million units,During the war the Medical department change some times the designs to configure the product to get finally the bandages together with the very first Sulfanilamide Shaker Envelopes later tablets.A pouch was neccesary to carry on   , some different models were used during WWII from the initial M1910 to others like M1924 or M1942 made in USA or other countries like UK.
Price today: 30 US dollars (including pouch)

German Gas Mask M30/M38 (Gasmaske Modell 1930/38)

Thinking in the gas attacks of World War I the gas mask was a standard piece of german soldiers along World War II.Starting with a early Reichswehr model from 1930 (M30) were changed sometimes before and during the war 1935,1936,1938 (M38) finishing in 1945,anywhere some units were using M30 model finishing the war.The cases models went from 25 to 27.5 cms with only 2.5 cms larger in highest models.After 1941 cases were reforced and marked with a D in the bottom out of the case.The lasgest model was more used at the final of the war but in some units were used both models at same time.Mask  and cases were markeds with eagles and stamps and today is very difficult to get a copy because  there are a lot of originals in a good form and  price.

US M1911 HOLSTER

Ever on the right side and made with a great quality  brown leather, the holster is well known because had U.S. stamped on flap and were used with the excellent U.S. Colt Model 1911 automatic Pistol 45  manufactured by Colt.With its variant model M1911A1 , back of this holster were hooks for attaching to the standard G.I. and the producing stamp ( Milwaukee Saddlery Co. Holster,Warren leather,Graton & Knight.....) .This kind of holster was the standard-issue side arm for the United States armed forces from 1911 to late 1985.
Remember: the black holsters were not produced until the mid 1950
Price today: +-70 US dollars.

GARAND M1

General George S. Patton said:"the greatest battle implement ever devised", it was  the semi-automatic rifle M1 GARAND.Made by John Garand was the standard service rifle of the US army forces from 1936 -1957.Used by the infantry of many nations and wars like ww2, Korea or Vietnam and copy by japanese army at the final of the war.During the war the production was 5-6 million units.
Price today: 300 US dollars.

US M1 HELMET

Adopted in 1941 by US Army like official helmet, the M1 and  variants M1-C and M2  is one of the most popular helmet between WW2 collectors.This helmet " the steel pot"was in use till 1985 in US Army and after ww2 several countries supplied with  this helmet their armies like Netherland, Austria and Israel where were used during 2006 conflicts or in Japan used during 2011 earthquake.During WW2 were manufactured 22 millions units.
Price today: 60-100 US dollars.

Jeep Willys MB

From a original desing by Batam company, in 1940 American goverment ordered to Ford Motor  and Willys Overland companies redesign this military vehicle , was given to their allies russian and british to use in all kind of conditions , it was the desire of the german troops because had a better service than german Kubelwagen.The jeep was the biggest contribution to the war from USA. During the war Willys Overland built 335.531 units, Ford built 277.896 After the war a lot of thems were used by civilian purposes being sold by goverments in 50 US dollars.
Price now: 8000-15.000 US dollars.

KAR 98

KAR98,K98,Karabiner 98 kurz, was the most important bolt action rifle in the german army during WWII,made by Mauser.
From 1935 was adapted in the Wehrmacht , 5 cartidges 7,92*57 with a cadence of 10 to 13 shoots per minute.
Finishing war Germany had builded around 14 millions of units.
After WWII same rifles were used by Israel army with a double stamp (nazi-israeli) and during the nineties  in Yugoslav wars.
Price now: 200- 400 US dollars.

 

 

The US Mussette Bag

US M-1936 Mussette bag was like   M1939 Tornister 39 in german army , the favourite bag in Airborne troops, compact and smaller than other models was used by officers and soldiers .With US  stamp on front and dated back after the european invasion american soldiers left back hundreds of them used by civilian frenchs.
Price now: 30-60 US dollars

German helmets

Between 1935 and 1945 Germany manufactures over 25 million helmets in all its forms, from the M-35 to the last model made, the M-42.
Only the M-35, an early model, it produced more than 4 million units.
The carvings were few to be extremely rare large sizes, based on german  anthropometry .From 1943 all stickers with national emblem ,  Wehrmacht or other were banned but some units were still used.
After the war Germany had a huge stock of helmets so it was decided to equip all fire units such helmets for decades.
Price now: +/- 150 US dollars 

 

CORCORAN ( JUMP BOOTS)

US paratroopers jump boots or CORCORANS were the typical boots associated with the soldiers of parachute units , during WWII the elite of US soldiers with the best formation and equipment.
Made by The Corcoran And Matterhorn Company, a division of Cove Shoe Company under design of William P . Yarborough in 1941 for use in the 501st Parachute Test Battalion.The Corcoran  had the exclusive Department of Defense contract to supply them for years.During WWII all leather equipment in US troops like holsters, belts and of course boots were made in BROWN leather , only from 1948 were changed to the black colour. There arent black boots from WWII , just copys.Today  Corcoran Co. still manufacturing same boots.

HITLER YOUTH DAGGER - HITLER JUGEND KNIFE

During the 20es in Germany some organizations had a little knife to travel and do works with it, Hitler wanna his youth organisation had  own knife and order it, but there wans·t a standard model  and were some different models with different prices and qualities.In february of 1933 Hitler youth organization leader, Von Schirach, ordered a standarized model .Made with nickel steel, resin and bakelit doing diamonds, with the badge of the organization in same form enameled with the national colours.The blade of 14 cms long had the logo " Blut and ehre" ( Blood and honor) till 1938 when ordered only put that logo on SS blade daggers.During the war some other fascist organizations made their own knifes very similars to these ,following same  parameters with their simbols like Falange in Spain or Portuguese facists.Some young soldiers and ss members had this knife fighting with them . Finishing the war the total amount of knifes were up 15 millions and after the war still doing copys some with logo ( Made in Germany) in english like souvenirs for occupation soldiers.

CURIOSITY

US soldiers had  the obsesion of take with them personal objects , guns, swords, flags and other items , sailors and militars destinated in England paid 250 US dollars in 1941 to get a Lugger pistol to show it , a really big price , but it was a really dangerous sittuation because german and SS troops executed to any soldier founded with german items like pistols, in some cases american soldiers did same.
Two years after war finished Us army in Europe get a big quantity of german nazi flags, these were used in a lot of forms......

The italian helmet Mº 1933

Starting 1930 italian army still using old "adrian " model 15  french helmets or similar italian model 16, Changes in Europe did fascit leaders study a  new kind of helmet model inspired in old Romans glories , this new creation was the M 1931 , a poor  design of the definitive Mº 1933.Made in special combination of steel and nickel, the building price was 45 italian Lires.Inside the helmet were marked with the serial lot with 1 or 2 letters and 2 numbers, the leather was sheep yellow skin mostly, and had 3 holes used too like ventilation.This kind of helmet was did in 3 sizes and  was in use till 1980 by the italian army.

 

 

TORNISTER 39

From XIX century german soldiers used a bag to put a great variety of things like food, boots etc..Basicly used by wehrmacht in the period 39-1945 in their infantery regiments, was changing in form along the time from the 34 model in wooden structure, cow or sheep skins , colors ....Hooks for dishes, cartridge pouchs were add.Finishing the war the quality of these bags were very poor , some leather pieces were changed by women shelter parts and just at the final were used any kind of different bags .
Price: +/- 80 US dollars.

The people's receiver or Volksempfänger

Created under desing of  Walter Maria Kersting and shown during 1933 in Berlin, the radio model VE 301 was the idea of Joseph Goebbels to arrive to all the german houses broadcasting nazi thoughts.Under a price of 76 reichmarks and made in bakelit was designed to capture only local radio stations and not the BBC.The most expensive model get the name of the local cities to capture their local frecuencies but never others.Listen foreing broadcasts was a crime in nazi Germany and in some places like Poland only geman citizens can listen a radio.During Goebbels birthday nazi goverment gift 500 radios to the population.Today s price 300-400 US dollars.

MP40 (MASCHINENPISTOLE 40)


 The MP 40 is a submachine gun created under the design of Heinrich Vollmer  who working  for  ERMA  WERKE, gave an asault automatic arm to the german soldiers who saw the need of that kind  of arm during the spanish civil war,  where were the german soldiers in the Legion Condor .Initially created for armoured units and specially paratroopers finally was sended to all units in Wehrmacht and SS .
From 1940 to 1945 were created 1.1 million units ( 1.047.000).
These arms after the war were in use in different countries like Indochina or Argelia conflicts, in the

norwegian army till 1975 or spanish army  where after a long service where destroyed like scrap.
Price today: + - 1200 Dollars.