Thanks

Thanks! The iPhone takes some incredible macro photos. I don’t even need to bring out my Canon! Appreciate the response, Tonomachi 👍😊

The question here is whether any of this story can be verified.  The oldest version of that Wolfgang Fleck story I've found with simple web searches is from June 6, 2026. https://www.humanbehavior.co.uk/2026/06/did-any-american-or-british-soldiers.html   A different story of a US vet with that name was posted on Instagram Nov 11, 2020 with a video.  Someone else added a comment June 10, 2026 claiming 'Gramps' destroyed two Sherman tanks.  https://www.instagram.com/p/CHdgnjtLhRs/?img_index=1

Below is another U.S.N.C.P.C. revolver that later shipped to the UK.  It may have been sent to protect Naval Assets and then circulated or imported from England.  Waiting on a factory letter on this one.      

Prior to the US entry into World War II, Smith & Wesson was already filling orders for British Commonwealth Country's.  Several revolvers in the 680,000-999,999 serial number range were sent to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and of course Great Britain.  Most of the pre-Victory model revolvers were shipped in 38 S&W, also known as 38-200.  The Smith & Wesson's in this serial number range are considered pre-Victory models (or simply 1905, 4th Change Military & Police revolvers).  Once 999,999 was made, the factory shifted to V1 through V800,000 or so (later ones will have a S in front of V in the serial number to identify the safety block mechanism that was installed near the end of the war).  The V serial numbered revolvers are considered Victory models.   In the pre-Victory Model serial number range are several guns that shipped to the U.S. Navy, several to police departments and gun stores/distributors.  The vast majority of the U.S. shipped guns will be blue finish with a 4, 5, or 6" barrel in 38 special.  Some nickel guns, target, and midnight black finish variations are in the 680,000-999,999 range as well.     Through the first eleven months of 1941, the U.S. military establishment was acquiring the commercial version of the .38 M&P revolver (.38 Special chamber), mostly for stateside security services, especially at ordnance depots and ports. Most of these guns were acquired through various purchase orders. The largest known example is a U.S. Navy request for 3,000 revolvers that were to be issued to the U.S. Naval Civilian Police Corps. The formal request for this purchase is dated January 4, 1941, and specifies that the backstrap of the gun is to be marked U.S.N.C.P.C. Company records reveal that all of the requested guns were delivered in ten shipments beginning on March 14 and ending on May 10, 1941.   Archive documentation indicates there were 10 shipments from S&W to the Navy of 300 guns each. Later research found an additional shipment of 350 guns. That does not mean there are 3350 U.S.N.P.C. guns, necessarily.  It is possible that some of the first 10 shipments were short of the 300 guns believe to be in the shipments, and the 11th shipment of 350 guns made up any differences. Navy archives indicate that 35 U.S.N.C.P.C. guns were shipped to Bethlehem Steel Co. as Guard guns. Also, check Charles Pates' article in the Jan-Feb 1999 issue of Man @Arms and also his article in the S&WCA Collector's Assoc. Journal on these revolvers.   Credits go to COL Charles Pate, the S&W Forum and the late Ed Cornett for this information.   The revolver pictured below is a 4" Blue Finish 1905 Military & Police 4th Change (pre-Victory model), serial number 752705, and shipped on March 20, 1941 to the Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C. as part of a 300 revolver shipment   Regards, Lyle    

hello all,   going decidedly slow thru my latest, and last, project of an AAF fighter pilot   -    this time, early-mid war. First months of 1943 are the timeframe I'd quite like setting the guy into, after four US aviators (plus one from the RAF, set in India/Burma) all of them staying within the last 16 months of war. I'd like very much putting on it a very nice and complete A-10 (Revised) mask, just do not find any more infos indicating with a decent degree of accuracy when the variant could have started seeing service in units overseas. Accompanying booklet is marked with T.O. 03-50B-1 and dated February 5th, 1943, yet could that be just the ultimate standardization   -    while the mask itself possibly was already used somewhere on overseas fronts?   Thanx in advance for any tips!  Franco.  P.S.,  the mfg. date 4-1943 would not to be an issue to me at all, should it come out that the A-10 (R) variant had seen actual service prior that precise date.        

7th Div continues to grow like a virus.

Hello and welcome to this Forum. Post away!

Welcome aboard, I hope you will enjoy your time with us   Tony

A Really cool off center Military District of Washington Patch