Leaderboard

Pictured from my collection is an optical gunsight for a 3.7 cm anti-aircraft gun (Flak M42) manufactured for the Kriegsmarine. The code for this manufacture is 'dow' (Waffenwerke Brunn A.G. (1943 - Opticotechna Gmbh, Prerau Czech.)). The optic has a wide field of view with a ranging reticle. Even though designed to withstand harsh environments, this optic was made to be removed from the weapon system mounted on an U-boat .

All: I just finished reading all the posts, what a great exchange between everyone. A big 'THANK YOU' to to Kenny Andrew, Fritz, Gildwiller1918, Eddieq, Urkund1939, Ycvu, and Phantom for sharing their knowledge with others. The ones asking the questions and the ones providing the answers make the Forum great. Best regards, John R.

Pictured from my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques is bunker light from the Channel Islands. This light was manufactured by 'dzw' Metalwerke v. Galkowsky u. Kielblock, Finow. The fixture is original to the period with only wiring and socket mount being replaced by the prior owner years ago.

Pictured from my collection is a Kriegsmarine sea mine timer marked dnt M 4598.

Hi John R., Thank you for your donation of 75.00 GBP. We look forward to improving the forums with your donation. Thanks Treasure Bunker Forum

Just got around to watching Greyhound, it was pretty good depiction of the Atlantic Ocean Battle. Although I understand that most U-boat Commanders were aggressive, in the movie it seemed to me they were very aggressive, to the point of recklessness. Just my opinion, but still an entertaining movie.

awesome collection thankyou for sharing

Pictured from my collection is dome compass (top) with lower binnacle case, type used aboard a Schnellboot. The Eagle, left of the gothic letter M on the bezel, was denazified with black paint, but not damaged. It is visible, just not in this photograph. The compass and sunshade (bottom) are marked C. PLATH of HAMBURG by the maker.

Pictured from my collection is a stereoscopic range finder manufactured for the Kriegsmarine by Carl Zeiss Jena (blc). This instrument was used to accurately estimate distance to a target calculated through triangulation, based on the length of the range finder. It can be operated with or without battery. The range finder and all its accessories are kept in a grey painted wood storage box, not shown from collection. A range finder like mine is pictured on page 424 and page 425 of 'Deutsche Kriegsmarine Uniforms, Insignias and Equipment of the German Navy 1933-1945' by Eduardo Delgado.

phantom: Hello. Thank you very much for the compliment. It is a pleasure to share my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques with the Forum. Kindest regards, John R.

Hi Eddie, sorry I missed this post, yes unfortunately there was no "BM" RZM prefix, they are only found on fakes.

Here is my new Mannlicher 1890 Rifle or Infanterie Repetiergewehr M88/90. In 1888, the Austro-Hungarians changed the contract on their model 1886 rifles, mainly due to the French introduction of the smokeless powder Mle. 1886 Lebel. This involved moving away from the 11 x 58R cartridge to the 8 x 52R cartridge. The M88 was further upgraded to fire the new smokeless powder M1890 ball cartridge. The rifles that were modified for this were called the M88/90. This is a straight pull bolt rifle, and it is a very simple design with very few parts for disassembly. Some of the changes made to for the conversion to the new smokeless cartridge was adding a more narrow and shallower magazine, as well as a rechambered barrel and sight modifications. The barrel is stamped W-n 91 and marked OEWG. The rifle is about 50 inches long, and weighs 8.9 pounds, with a 5 round capacity magazine. Slightly over a million of these rifles were produced and like many other nations, these were also pulled out of storage for rear echelon units to replace massive losses at the front. This rifle at some point made it to Africa as it has the AOI stamp on the buttstock. This was a RTI gun, and was quite filthy and worn, but I cleaned it thoroughly and got it looking decent once more.

Thank you John, and we continue to look forward to your items as well.

Soak for a few hours in a bath of lemon juice (citric acid) and water or a solution of oxalic acid. Remove and rinse thoroughly when sufficiently clean, dry thoroughly. Rub with a suitable oil to preserve

Gildwiller1918: Hello. Fantastic acquisition, a great addition. Thank you for sharing your new antique Mannlicher 1890 Rifle with the Forum. Thank you for continuing to be a steward of history. Best regards, John R.

looks like post war Souval

Pictured from my kriegsmarine collection is the emblem of the 1936 Olympics rings (top left) that was worn as an U-Boat tradition cap insignia by several crews, including U-165 and U-995. Also pictured is the insignia for the 9th U-Boat Flotilla 'Laughing Sawfish' (bottom right). Examples of the these tradition badges are on page 64, page 77, and page 83 of 'Torpedo Los! THE FASCINATING WORLD OF U-BOAT COLLECTIBLES' by Gordon Williamson.

Pictured from my kriegsmarine collection is an emblem and a badge used by the Ubootwaffe as tradition cap insignia. The emblem for the National Socialist League of the Reich foe Physical Fitness( left) was worn as an U-Boat cap insignia by the crew of U-274, as was the Edelweiss gap device of the German Army Mountain Troops (right) by the crew of U-124. Examples of the these tradition badges are on page 77, page 81, and page 83 of 'Torpedo Los! THE FASCINATING WORLD OF U-BOAT COLLECTIBLES' by Gordon Williamson. Pictured from my collection is a U-Boat tradition cap insignia 'Swordfish spearing an enemy sip' for the U-441 being worn by its Commander, Klaus Hartmann (white cap). All 51 hands, including Hartmann, died when U-441 was sunk by Allied depth-charges on 30 June 1944.

Here is the Mosin Nagant M1895 Revolver. This gun is a 7-shot and fires a 7.62 x 38mmR cartridge. It was designed by Léon Nagant and production started in Belgium, in 1898, Russia bought the rights to produce and started making on average 20,000 a year. The gun utilizes a gas seal, which seats the cylinder against the barrel, preventing loss of gas pressure. The cartridge is also unique looking with the bullet completely recessed inside the casing. The loading and reloading on this gun was not fast or easy compared to other revolvers in use elsewhere at the time. These pistols were made in large numbers, with at least 2 million produced seeing service through WW2 until being replaced in 1952. This particular firearm was made in 1909 at the Tula factory, however after the revolution, czarist era stampings were marked out or removed, as in this case the markings have been stamped over. Typically, from what I have seen, more soviet era pistols are available than Czarist ones on the market today.

The ammunition: 7.62x38R Also see Ammo forum: https://forum.cartridgecollectors.org/t/7-62x38r-nagant-box/8814 from this above source

It is marked with ,, bw 29"

Thanks it eventually fit in but does anyone know what those stamps on the dome of the helmet mean? Not the manufacture one but the one in the dome .Are they used as regimental markings or is their purpose unknown. Many thanks, Michael.

I remember many years ago, these were on offer deactivated to collectors, now no longer permitted. They were quite cheap in those days.

Thanks John, much appreciated

The swastika's edges look dull which is not a good sign.

they are pretty rusty.

Awarded to all troops trapped in the Festung Dünkirchen, which surrendered on 9. Mai 1945 A copy being offered for 19,95 Euros https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dünkirchenschild A said original

Hi Kenny Are all badges marked with a BM known fakes- I’ve got a couple of German youth badges marked the same. E

Thanks everyone! And thank you for the reference links! I don't have any postcards with german machine guns, but I have quite a few postcards written by belgian frontline soldiers. There are definitely a few interesting ones among those. I checked the headstamps of the cartridges again and they're all 1918 dated. I thought they were 1916 and 1917, but apparently I remembered that wrong.

Picture is a two-piece officer''s visor cover for junior grade from my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques. The cap has a hand-embroidered gilt wire national emblem and, cockade, as well as gold wire piping. This cap belonged to Werner Wendt (1916-1988), Captain of U-765. The U-765 was sunk in the North Atlantic on 6 May 1944 by depth charges on its first war parol. Werner and 10 crewmen survived, 37 dead. Pictured below is the underside view of the visor cap. Pictured below is the two-piece visor cover disassembled. In this configuration, a white or blue cap-covers could be worn. Because I do not like to take this cover apart, I used a photo taken years ago.

Nice pistol, what a shame the new laws in Europe prevent collectors purchasing or owning even deactivated examples.

Copy

Thoughts on this medal please

XCVU, as Fritz said you might have to fiddle with the repro strap fittings to get them to work. Are the lugs clean and free of rust or corrosion?

Thoughts on this please gentlemen

Thanks! I'll try.

Pictured from my collection is a masterfully painted oil on board portrait of a Kriegsmarine officer, Leutnant zur See with career designation being Coastal Artillery. Without frame, the art measure 29 inches (73.66 cm) wide x 39 inches (99.06 cm) tall. The art is signed R.G. and dated 1941.

Pictured from my collection is on more 7x50 power binoculars, but manufactured by Ernest Leitz (beh). The Binoculars have original leather neck strap, as well as rubber armor. Binoculars like this one is pictured on page 423 and 424 in Deutsche Kriegsmarine Uniforms, Insignias and Equipment of thw German Navy 1933-1945 by Eduardo Delgado.

Pictured from my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques is a 7x50 power binoculars manufactured by Ernest Leitz (beh). Binoculars have original protective lens cover, as well as a ranging reticle in right ocular. Binoculars like these are pictured on page 232 in Volume 3 of Die Kriegsmarine Uniforms & Traditions by John R. Angolia and Adolf Schlicht.

Gildwiller1918, 72usmc, Fritz, phantom, KennyAndrew, Eddieq, and leon21: Hello. Thank each and everyone of you for all the recent likes, greatly appreciated. Best regards, John R.

I can't really remember Dune and never liked Sting much either. I did have a nice set of Black hole figures which were quite good and well made from memory.

My two examples, the one on the right is probably ground dug and the pin is missing

Given a choice between the two badges I'd purchase the one marked "BOERGER & CO BERLIN S.O 16. GES. GESCH", it's an earlier, pre-RZM party badge and a much rarer badge to find than the later M1/102 marked badge. It's also a personal preference, I like the earlier badges which often had slightly quirkier, chunky type faces on the lettering as opposed to neat, slim typefaces often used post-RZM.

Yes, the backplate does not look original to the badge...

I've never seen an FLL with this type of four tab backplate, they were usually just vertically crimped.

Thank You for your input, it's going only for 220usd, it may be too good to be true.

Hello Patrick, well prices for this item can vary depending on condition and maker, typically from what I have seen recently they were selling in the 600-euro range at auctions; however, I have also seen them as low at $450-500 USD from certain dealers. But it always comes down to what you are willing to pay and what you think it's worth to you.

Hi Gentlemen, finally found a section for close combat clasp, this one is rather in bronze, what you all think of it? how much a genuine should worth. Description: The close combat clasp bronze with stamp FLL backside from producer Friedrich Linden. The plate backside in center is magentic. Close combat clasp was lent for hart near fights.

Hi all, This is the latest title in a series of books by Lee Archer and William Auerbach. The books feature photos of knocked out or abandoned late war German armour. Most photos have been taken by US Signal Corps cameramen. The quality of their cameras and lenses give rise to very sharp images. Volume 5 starts off with several pages giving updates on photos from Volume 1 in the series. I do not have this book and it shows the continuing research being carried out on the subject matter. Some Russian photos are included this time giving some atmospheric battlefield shots. Beside Panzer IVs, Tigers and Panthers there are images of Beute or captured armour in German use. I liked the shots of captured Fireflys in German markings. The muzzle brakes on these tanks had been changed for German ones. I wonder if the main armament was the gun from the Panther KwK 42 L70? A great modelling project. One of the vehicles is preserved in the Belgian Tank Museum. To show how desperate the Germans were in the final years of the war obsolete vehicles feature too, the little Polish Tankette T.K.S. and a shot of a 38t with an American wrestler standing beside it. You couldn’t make that up! Fans of the exotic will like the pictures of Polish Troops examining the hulls and turrets of the planned “Maus” super tank. You really get an idea of the armour thickness and size of this gigantic beast! A bonus is some good shots of Polish uniform and insignia. This is a great book (and series) for Armour buffs or those with an interest in the closing months of the war. Dave