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What knife?


IronJohnLogan
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IronJohnLogan

For an upcoming project I need to know what service knife the men of the Army Air Force would have been issued in 1944-45. More exactly what knives may have been carried on the Enola Gay, by her ground crew or for that matter anyone else that was on Tinian Island at the time of the attack on Hiroshima

I am also interested in what knives would been present at the Bikini Atoll tests in 1946

Thanks!

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By that late stage in game the M3 knife would had become the priciple standard for all flying and ground units in the PTO. Techincally speaking as per T/O&E the M4 would had been the standard for squadrons. I think you'll find that most images you see by late 1944 and into 1945 aircrew wear the M3 trench knife with M8 scabbard.

Illustrated are several shots from Enola Gay's crew, the M3 trench knife is present in the three images, I think I'm actually seeing the M8A1 scabbards or modified M8's. The M8A1 have the belt hook.

post-56-0-69330300-1493848208_thumb.jpg

 

post-56-0-17604300-1493848217_thumb.jpg

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In 1946 the M4 bayonet would had been much more readably available in supply but the same applies to the M3. These two knives, one a bayonet, were all but the standard by that time for the US Army and all it's branches. So your question is rather an easy one since it really tapered down to the variety that was available for issue. If your question was orientated towards early war, then that is a whole nuther animal.

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IronJohnLogan

Awesome! thank you, I do not believe I have seen these images before...
That knife doesn't look to have the stacked leather handle - is it theatre modified?

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