toolbox info needed

[teapdoor74]

Hello:

I found an old military toolbox at my late Grandpa's house. Can anyone tell me about it? Is it WWII issue? It is O.D. color and has one center top handle. It opens in middle of lid and swing out to both sides with covered drawer and uncovered drawer under that on both sides.

It has the following on a metal label on it's upper side that reads exactly like the following:

 

CASE, TOOL, MECHANICS

Type II SIZE 18 x10 1/2 x 13

SPECIFICATIONS

MIL - C - 3252

MANUFACTURERS PART NO. 184 - D6

ORDER NO. KC5 - 5175

SIMONSEN METAL PRODUCTS COMPANY

CHICAGO 51 ILL.

PROPERTY U.S. GOVERNMENT

 

Any info on year and war service etc. would be great.

Thanks

[robinb]

USAF post WW2.

[Bluehawk]

... one center top handle. It opens in middle of lid and swing out to both sides with covered drawer and uncovered drawer under that on both sides.

 

Does it look sort of like this one?

 

I used one similar on the AF flightline (1964-66), but it had rounder edges and an all-metal handle... there were several colors and finishes among the mechanics too, not sure if that was due to manufacturer or airman modifications.

 

"Clamshell" we called it. Great toolbox, heavy heavy heavy when full. Some guys hauled theirs around the ramp on a dollie.

[teapdoor74]

Yes looks like the picture and has all metal handle like yours did. Even when empty It's very heavy. Since mine has the 51 between Chicago and ILL , which I found online was for a postal grid area in Chicago that large cities used before the zip code came to be and was abandoned after zip codes, would my toolbox be maybe Korean war? I also found out that if it has the MIL coding it wouldn't be WWII. Am I that correct?

[Bluehawk]

Q

[Bluehawk]

Quite a toolbox that was... loved it.

 

Zip codes came into being about 1963 thereabouts, so the numerals "51" could have applied to an urban postal district code any time earlier than that between 1943 - 1963, including Korean War.