Archive for Heer

German Brennzünder 39 Grenade Fuses

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , , on January 14, 2023 by The Dude

These are a really common fuse type, the Brennzünder 39. You first start seeing these on the E39 egg grenades but later they turn up on everything including the M43 stick grenades as well as the late-war improvised grenades and explosives.

The igniter (Brennzünder 39) consists of a short brass or steel body, screw-threaded at the head to receive a square nut and the ball cap and at the base for insertion in the bush. An internal screw thread is formed in the base end to receive the delay unit. The body contains a friction composition through which passes the pull wire. The lower end of this wire is coiled to provide resistance to the pull. The upper end of the wire has a loop through which is threaded a two-and-a-quarter-inch length of cord. The cord at its outer end is attached to a loose washer within the ball cap. When the cap is screwed to the grenade the slack of the cord is stowed inside the cap. The delay unit consists of a short steel tube filled with compressed powder and is screw-threaded to receive the detonator. The igniter is packed and fitted with a molded transit cap in place of the detonator.

German Gluhzünder 28 Electrical Fuse

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , on January 14, 2023 by The Dude

These are a couple of Gluhzünder 28 electrical fuses along with a length of original engineers’ wire that would be used to hook them up. These were used for demolition charges and booby traps. One of these is an early brass version while the other is a bakelite body example.

German Hebelzünder 44 Fuse

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , , on January 14, 2023 by The Dude

This lever type fuse was used almost exclusively on the Glasmine 43.

Hebelzunder (Lever Igniter), also called Schuko Igniter consisted of an inverted L-shaped tube, the vertical arm of which was screwed into a mine. The horizontal arm contained the percussion cap, striker, striker spring, and striker retaining pin. On top of the arm was attached a lug, an actuating lever (consisting of a hollow metal tripping piece pivoted on a rivet), and a safety pin. After removing the pin, the downward pressure (as little as 40 lb) on the actuating lever forced out the striker retaining pin, thus releasing the striker to fire the percussion cap. The igniter was used in Glasmine 43 (as an alternative to the Buck Igniter) and in some booby traps.

German Faustpatrone Zunderladung 8001 Fuse

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , , , on January 13, 2023 by The Dude

The main parts of the F.P.Z 8001 are accommodated in a cylindrical steel container closed by a steel washer and consist of an inertia pellet with a needle, arming collar, three springs, a detonator, and a detonator holder. All except the detonator, are made of steel. The inertia pellet and arming collar are hollow cylinders with an external flange at one end to form a bearing for a steel spring surrounding them. Both have free longitudinal movement inside the container, the arming collar being arranged to move telescopically over the inertia pellet. The other end of the inertia pellet is closed except for three flash holes and has the needle and a distance piece secured to it. The distance piece is made in two diameters. It supports a spiral spring, whilst the fuze is in the unarmed condition, and a wire locking spring, hexagonal in shape, is fitted around the smaller diameter. The detonator holder and closing washer are supported on a step at the end of the container and secured by turning over the continuation of it.

German Tellermine Zunder 42

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , , on January 12, 2023 by The Dude

Here are a couple of Tellermine 42 fuses, T.Mi.Z.42. The load required to actuate the fuze in the mine varies between 570 and 580 lb. if app-lied to the cover plate above the fuze. With the load applied near the outer edge of the main cover plate, the lever effect reduces the required load which may be as low as one-half of the amount.

With the fuze removed from the mine, so that the resistance of the spring under the cover plate is excluded and only the shearing pin has to be severed, the load required is 495 lb.

German Springmine Zünder 35

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , , on January 12, 2023 by The Dude

When the S-Mine 35 or 44 is set up the engineer has a choice of fuse configurations to use, depending on terrain and intended wiring. This includes single, double, and triple head layouts. Commonly the center fusing used was the S.Mi.Z-35, a pronged igniter intended to catch on clothing or boots.

The safety bolt is withdrawn by removing its retaining nut and pulling the bolt out of the plunger against the resistance of the spring-loaded ball.

When pressure is applied to the prongs the plunger is forced down into the body against the resistance of the supporting spring. When the two steel balls in the plunger have moved down sufficiently to lose the support of the low-diameter portion of the body, there are ejected by the inclined surface in the striker groove, under the pressure of the striker spring, which drives the striker to the cap assembly. The weight required to operate the fuze is approximately 7 lb.

German Igniter Zugzünder 35

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , , on January 11, 2023 by The Dude

Here are a variety of Z.Z35’s configured as they were commonly used.

The brass igniter, fitted with a detonator of the No. 8 type, is used with a pull wire in the side and base of the Tellermine and in conjunction with trip wires to function the S-mine. Booby traps operated by pull wires may also be fitted with this igniter. The mechanism consists of a striker, with a spring under initial compression, held off an igniferous detonator by supporting pins which are held in position by a guide until the pull is applied. The body of the igniter is a cylindrical casing fitted with a projecting sleeve at the outer end and screw-threaded internally at the inner end for the insertion of the guide. The sleeve is perforated to receive the safety pin which passes through a hole in the release cylinder. The outer end of the retaining spring bears against a flange on the inner end of the sleeve.

These ones are often unmarked only three of my five are marked, one GRO 41 (Georg Beissbarth Metallwarenfabrik from Nurnberg), one CXL 41 (Rachmann Metallwerk Inh. in Halda in the Sudetenland), and one RR 985 40 (Josef Mellert, Fabrik Für Feinmechanik in Bretten).

You can also see the double and triple fitting for the S-mine.

German Igniter for Flascheneismine 42

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , , on January 11, 2023 by The Dude

This is an impact fuse and detonator for use with the glass Flascheneismine 42. This device was intended for placement in frozen waterways in a pattern that would allow the river or lake surface to be disrupted in the event of an attack. These mines were also used as anti-personnel mines by the Germans by being encased in cement. In this case an S.Mi.Z. 35 pronged igniter would be used.

German Adaptor for Stockmine 43 and Glasmine 43

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , , on January 11, 2023 by The Dude

In order to fit either the concrete Stockmine 43 or Glasmine 43 for action, the bakelite adapter here had to be screwed into the explosive charge. In the case of the Stockmine the charge was a Bohrpatrone 28, a replica of which is shown here. With a Glasmine 43 you would use the most common charge block, the Sprengkörper 28.

German Pull Igniter Zündschnuranzünder 42

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , , on January 11, 2023 by The Dude

This igniter is used in the wooden box mine and also in the Stockmine, Schützenmine 42, and wooden box mine U.B.1. The igniter consists of a bakelite tube about 2.5 inches long, 0.5 inches in diameter carrying a spring-loaded striker. The tension of the spring retains a cross-shaped pin in a hole in the striker rod, firmly against the top of the bakelite case. The percussion cap is carried in a tube screwed into the base of the igniter. The tube is closed by a screwed cap. No safety device is fitted. The screwed cap is removed and a detonator is inserted when required for use.

Pressure on the arms of the pin, or tension applied to the loop of the pin will cause it to withdraw. The force required is reported to be between 6 and 10 lb. weight. The striker is then impelled forward onto the percussion cap by the action of the spring.

These are coded btb for J.Duderstadt Metallwarenfabrik in Esslingen.

German Tellermine T.Mi.Z. 35 Fuse

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , , on January 11, 2023 by The Dude

This fusing is used on the Tellermine 35. As you can see it still retains the claw wire and safety bolt. After the mine has been laid the setting head is turned so that the red spot on the setting head is aligned with the red rectangular patch marked “Scharf”, thus disengaging the safety lug from the striker, and the safety bolt is withdrawn from the striker by pulling the claw wire. When the bolt has been withdrawn to the extent permitted by the stop pin in the sleeve the claw becomes detached from the bolt and the striker is then supported only by the shearing pin. When pressure is applied to the fuze or the cover plate of the mine, the spring supporting the cover plate is compressed and the fuze is forced downwards. The striker guide, supported by the mine beneath, enters further into the fuze body. The movement of the striker guide, relative to the striker, breaks the shearing pin and the striker is driven down by its spring and fires the igniferous detonator. The flash produced passes through the channel in the closing discs of the detonator socket of the mine and initiates the main detonator which with the amplifying effect of the exploder pellet detonates the bursting charge.

The weight required to set this fuse off is about 350 lbs on the fuse or on the cover plate.

German 3.7cm Kopfzunder Zerleger Pulver vereinfacht Fuse

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , on January 11, 2023 by The Dude

This is the fuse off my 3.7cm H.E. round. It is a Kpf.Z.Zerl.Pv, very similar to the A.Z.39 used on the 5cm gun. It’s a direct action impact fuse. The designation means “Point detonation powder self-destruction nose fuse simplified”. The fuse is marked for Gritzner-Kayser AG in Karlsruhe-Durlach. It was manufactured in 1941.

German M35 Helmet

Posted in Headwear with tags , , , on September 17, 2022 by The Dude
Flag_of_the_NSDAP_(1920–1945).svg

This is an original M35 helmet with the standard double decal. It is marked EF60 indicating production by Emaillierwerke Fulda. The 60 is the smallest size helmet made and were produced in very small numbers. This example was oversprayed in a weird purple which I carefully removed although some remains where the decal is as I didnt want to ruin that.

German Vehicle Ammunition Box for MG34/42

Posted in Magazines, Parts & Accessories with tags , , , , , on October 6, 2021 by The Dude

Nice simple item here. This is the ammunition box that was carried inside vehicles mounted with an MG34 or MG42, like the SdKfz 250/251 Halftracks. This is a nice early one dated 1939 and manufactured by Franke & Co GMBH, Machinenwerke in Leipzig.

A Rare Loader for the MP41 Machine-Pistol

Posted in Ammo & Magazine Pouches, Ammunition & Fusing, Magazines, Parts & Accessories with tags , , , on April 3, 2021 by The Dude

A few years ago I picked up a Haenel manufactured MP41 Machine Pistol. These are pretty rare because they only made about 20,000 of them before Erma forced them to stop due to a copyright issue on the MP40 design. This is the magazine loader, also made by Haenel, for the MP41. Even more rare that the gun I would expect.

Occupation Made Czech VZ24

Posted in Firearms with tags , , , , , , on February 14, 2021 by The Dude

This rifle, a VZ24 manufactured by Brno in 1940, is a great example of a German issue G24(t). It’s fully matching down to the stock. Still has all of its dirty birds intact. The only downer is that fact that Bubba has sanded the stock lightly at some point. Shame, but since these are terrifically hard to get in Canada in any state, I am prepared to ignore this. This brings me one step closer to having a full collection of German long guns. The ones I have missing at a G29/40 Radom and a G41(m).

German Contract G98/40 Infantry Rifle

Posted in Firearms with tags , , , , on January 17, 2021 by The Dude

Here’s an uncommon rifle I just picked up. These German contract guns were made by Fémáru Fegyver és Gépgyár, Budapest, which company possibly subcontracted some or all of the work to Danuvia Gépgyár, Budapest 1941-44. In 1940 the Mannlicher Model 35 was redesigned for the German contract. Based on German request the caliber was changed to 7.92x57mm Mauser, the bolt handle was turned down, a staggered row Mauser-type box magazine flush with the bottom of the stock was fitted and German M98-type bands and bayonet lug were used on this rifle. All steel parts, including the bolt were blued.

I haven’t been able to work out why the reference to Gewehr 98 in it’s name as it shares no dna with that rifle. Note the 2 part lower stock in the same style as the Enfield SMLE rifles.

2 cm Flak 30/38/Flakvierling Magazine

Posted in Magazines with tags , , , , on August 5, 2020 by The Dude

This is the 10 round magazine for the 20mm Flak 30/38 anti-aircraft gun. These were blued steel and supplied in cases of two. This example is stamped cjs for the manufacturer Kallenbach, Meyer & Franke Metallwarenfabrik in Luckenwalde. It is dated 1943. Amusingly Canadian regulations require all magazines for “rifles” to be pinned for 5 rounds as this helpfully has been. For scale I have put one of the mags for my K43 rifle in the photo.

2 cm Flak 30/38/Flakvierling HE round

Posted in Ammunition & Fusing with tags , , , , on August 5, 2020 by The Dude

A fairly straightforward item here. I got this from Andrew so that I would have one round for the magazine I bought from him. This is an HE 20mm round for the 2 cm Flak 30/38/Flakvierling. It has the asr code for “HAK” Hanseatisches Kettenwerk in Hamburg-Langenhorn as well as the WaA271 inspection stamp for that factory. This example is from the Solothurn with yellow indicating HE and the red band indicating the filling, in this case, 94 grains P.E.T.N./Wax.

German WW2 Luger P-08

Posted in Firearms with tags , , , , on August 4, 2019 by The Dude

The Luger pistol is a prohibited firearm up here north of the border, due to its barrel length of 100mm. Because I came to Canada so late I was unable to be grandfathered into the pistol license required to own one. As a substitute I own a WW1 & WW2 “cock and click” dewat as well as the long barrelled LP-08 Artillery Luger. But I always wanted the real deal. So I went the long route of sourcing a 105mm barrel from the US and then locating a Luger up here to get re-barrelled and reclassified as restricted.

This is it, a 1937 Mauser made S/42 marked Luger P-08. It came with a spare magazine, a takedown tool marked WaA63 (correct for Mauser) and a period holster from 1937.

Mauser 1940 MP-38 Machine pistol

Posted in Firearms with tags , , , , , on November 13, 2018 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_NSDAP_(1920–1945).svgPatience is what you need in this hobby. And after ten years of looking, my patience is rewarded with an MP-38 Machinenpistole. Just about as nice as can be given that I am in Canada, this is an all matching Erfurter Maschinenfabrik B. Geipel GmbH (ERMA) made example dating from 1940. An old dewat, it is what we call “cock and click” in that the action can be cocked and released with a pull on the trigger. Very hard to find compared to the MP-40 that I have here. All I need to find for this now is a better sling and a slab sided early magazine as the one in it is the later MP38u40 type.

MP38 u 40 Magazine

Posted in Magazines with tags , , , , , on November 10, 2018 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_NSDAP_(1920–1945).svgRecently I finally found an MP38 after a decade of searching. Only bit missing was the magazine. I will look for the early flat sided one but in the meantime I’ll stick this unmarked 38u40 in it.

MP-28/II Magazine

Posted in Magazines with tags , , , , on September 18, 2018 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_NSDAP_(1920–1945).svgFinally, after three years of searching, I find a 20 round magazine for my MP-28/II submachine gun. These guns are incredibly rare in Canada which makes the magazines even harder to track down. I looked all over, including in the Balkans before finally finding one in a town 60km from me, go figure. The trade in a carpark felt remarkably like a drug deal, but there you go. This one is marked for the manufacturer, Haenel, no WaA’s so definitely prewar, likely pre-Nazi.

Sauer K98 Infantry Rifle

Posted in Firearms with tags , , , on August 12, 2018 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_NSDAP_(1920–1945).svgI have one other Mauser K98’s, here. That one is from a Czech factory and is all matching except for the lower stock. I wanted one of these rifles, mid-war, German factory and no need for the word “except” when describing it. Through a friend of a friend, this one appeared. A Sauer made 1943 K98, no issues, all there, lovely.

MG34 Dreibein Adapter

Posted in Parts & Accessories with tags , , , , on June 4, 2018 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_NSDAP_(1920–1945).svgIn order to fit my MG34 onto the dreibein I just obtained, I needed the adapter. These are quite expensive for what they are so in the meantime I hooked a shabby ground dug one that I could use for display while I find a not-stupidly-priced example.