Taurus454

Sweet! Tom

Yes. There are many German veteran groups. They range from groups from units, groups by awards, and so on. I have even seen one group by battle (Karelia). Without saying, they are getting fewer and fewer in number. Tom

Unfortunately not. I would like to get an original shoulder holster and lanyard for it. Anyone who know where I could get one, please let me know. Tom

Folded card in excellent condition with black and white photograph intact with fingerprints in place. Typewritten information on inside of card. Nazi stamps on both inside and out of card. I can just hear this woman asked, "papieren bitte". Tom

Late-war manufacture exhibiting the typical milling marks and finish of the period. Numbers match on the slide, frame, and barrel. A nice example of this late-war pistol. Good Hunting! Tom

To my knowledge, the explosives which become unstable are the nitroglycerin based explosives. The explosive materiel will actually "sweat" the nitro out as droplets. If you can get a drop on your finger and the temperature is right, you can flick it on the ground and it will give a nice snap or small "explosion". Have that happen while still on some propellant, you have a nice ammo "cook-off". When the battleship (I forget the name) gun turret went up while they were loading propellant, I figured they had an old lot which had sweated and was unstable. After the homosexual suicide thing blew up in the Navy's face, they relooked it and concluded "early powder misfire". Almost guaranteed to occur with large temperature swings which was the case for the Navy 16" ammo as their storage bunkers which was storing the WW2 propellant weren't sate of the art. BTW, the Navy hadn't had any of that ammo or propellant made since WW2 so you figure what condition it must have been in sitting in some damp moldy ammo bunker. If you want to see something cool, check out my recent W33 update on wikipedia. If you want me to answer questions about it, I will as part of a new thread. Good Hunting! Tom

I figured I would post my bugle. I think it is Army. Don't know much about it, but wife and son like the sound. Good Hunting! Tom

Part 3.

Haven't quite figured out the Eagle Type yet, thoughts? Part 2.

Thought I would share this helmet with the group. Part 1. Good Hunting! Tom

They look like old ammunition fuzes. Given the nose, I would have to say it is a PD (point detonating) fuze for an 80mm or larger round. I'm guessing it is a mortar fuze as it appears that it will need a high angle strike on the nose to actually ignite the fuze. They would usually be screwed into the projectile and then fired. From the looks, I'd say there probably isn't a supplementary charge to actually detonate the round in the fuze. The sup charge was probably contained in the round. All the fuze may have contained was an igniter which appears could be fired out the base and set the sup charge off in the projectile. Though the rupture of the fuze at the base in the top photo gives me some cause for alarm because there may have actually been a sup charge in the fuze. All is speculation on my part without actually having the item to examine. The 100% safe bet answer is call police for disposal. Based on the photographic evidence, about a 1 in a million chance it might still go off. Are those odds worth risking your child? That's the decision your friend appears to have made. Best of luck! Tom

Very, very nice! I have a very similar one, though not in as good condition which I will post. Congrats, Tom

It looks original. I would have to get my copy out and compare it. I bought mine over 20 years ago when in Germany. I had offers for it from Ailsby and Angola. It was also authenticated by a dealer in Munich. I have the document set, to my knowledge, from the recipient and have the only annotation in the Soldbuch which indicates where it is to be worn. Best regards, Tom

Nicely done! I love the displays Show material at numismatic events in Maryland USA.