According to the Clawson book, Colt Model of 1917 S/N 21701-30300 were shipped to Springfield Armory Jan. 31, 1918 in a shipment of 8600 pistols. The cylinder change was at S/N 30451. According to Colt at that time, they had made 10,300 pistols with the earlier cylinder design. The cylinder change allowed the pistol to fired without the clip "in emergency use". Without the clips, the "earlier" Colt cylinder would have excessive head space. Essentially, this change made the dimensions of the Colt cylinder the same as the earlier Smith & Wesson pistols which could be fired safely with or without the clips. The clips also made loading and unloading much faster than loading single rounds.  You have a very nice looking pistol there with the correct holster, belt and ammo pouch. Thanks for showing this.   Steve

Hello Everyone,    I am hoping someone with greater knowledge can provide some information on this helmet. It came from a local estate sale; the family had several veterans in its lineage with a handful of Militaria that ranged from 1920-1960s. The man whose estate this came from played football for Milliken University in the early 1950s and later served with the USMC . Perhaps it’s possible this was a helmet passed down and used for football at some point if that’s not too far fetched? Unfortunately information regarding early plastic football helmets and paratrooper training helmets is very slim. There is an uncanny resemblance between the one I have and the others online advertised. Even though it is painted it appears to be a clear plastic or possibly translucent green, tough to tell with the green interior.    Thanks & Best Regards  Brayden B. 

Well got another strap for it. This one an issued one. Never seen a green one before. Most are black or a dark color.

Man the stuff that gets split and sent around is so sad. 

I picked this up a bit ago and wanted to share for comments/thoughts. Pfc Bedford Fox served with Company F of the 115th Infantry Regiment (29th Division). Based on research that I did, he went overseas with the unit and stayed with them through the Armistice. What I have appears to be the award certificate for the WWI French Victory medal named to Pfc Fox, the WWI French Victory medal, a Verdun award certificate and medal (certificate named to Fox) and the US WWI Victory medal with the Defensive Sector and Meuse Argonne battle bars. I understand that the WWI Victory medal with these bars would be correct for the 29th Div, but what is interesting for me are the 2 French certificates/awards.  The French Victory medal certificate has a stamped stating "French War Veterans * New York", which makes me think that this was some sort of special private purchase award that Pfc Fox acquired as a souvenir of his service? So in other words, he got the standard US WWI Victory medal but privately purchased the other two French awards?    This is beyond my collecting experience so hopefully somebody will have some experience with these sort of award groupings?  Thanks in advance for any thoughts or input.    

Here’s a vintage Patrick Packard painting that I acquired 10+ years ago.  He evidently took some artistic liberties with the B-29 “Black Cat” nose art.   Patrick H. Packard (1920–2011), also known as Pat Packard. youngfunerals.com He was a well-known American aviation artist, particularly recognized for his paintings of military aircraft (including WWI and WWII subjects). He grew up in Wisconsin, lived in the Rockford/Belvidere, Illinois area, and was an active member of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). Packard served in the Air Force and continued painting airplanes into his later years, often creating detailed, realistic works for collectors, museums, and aviation enthusiasts. He also contributed technical drawings.  The dramatic style with B-29s over Mount Fuji is typical of commemorative pieces he (and similar artists) created honoring Pacific Theater units like the 29th Bomb Group. 

It's interesting because the Mod 8 is different from the Mod 7 with respect to the rounded barrel portion after the area where it gets mounted to the Stable Element. Mine is flat if you look at the mounting bracket, yours fits into a recess then it's secured by the mounting plate. Wonder why the different revisions, maybe different applications? Might lend credence to that note about missile fire control.

This has happened to me as well, granted I’m in the valley right outside of SD, but it’s happened to me before. Luckily it wasn’t such a High dollar item. I tried to do all the same things you did and they just did not want to cooperate and purposely made things difficult. Truly sorry to hear this and I hope something can be done.   Gear Fan