Hello, and Happy Holidays to you all! Thank you for visiting. There are countless collectible items from World War II. One of the most interesting, and personal items are German “Death Cards” or Death Notices. The idea of these cards goes way beyond Germany, and far predate WWII. The German pieces are, however, uniquely collectible…
Australian Armour and Artillery Museum Annual AusArmourfest 2023 Hello Everyone! Finally posting some great content from others that I follow. Starting with today’s post. With the broad appeal of WWII armored vehicles, and the recent holding of AusArmourfest 2023 in Australia, this is perfect timing for this edition. To be clear, I did not attend,…
The Second World War saw military technology advance at a rate never seen before. Many of the developments of the time not only remain today (in more refined forms) but are taken for granted. The term “precision guided munitions” can be found regularly in newscasts or online news outlets. The very concept no longer surprises…
Hello again and thank you for visiting. Among my favorite items from WWII to see and collect are individually personal things that remind us that the combatants are people. With their deeply held religious beliefs and dedication to the Emperor, the Japanese soldiers, sailors, and airmen left behind some of the most interesting historical pieces….
Today’s post features the Nazi German Volksempfanger (People’s Radio). Joseph Goebbels, the brilliant and twisted Reich Minister of Propaganda, was a master of his trade. He realized early that he had a big challenge-propaganda doesn’t work if it cannot be easily disseminated. In the early 1930’s, a radio was a relatively new luxury many could…
Hi everyone, if you were surprised by the Soviet Russian glass canteens in my last post, this one may seem as bizarre. The Japanese Type 4 grenade, a ceramic pottery weapon was a reality in the final phases of the war! The Type 4 is a classic example of “last ditch” weaponry, desperate measures employed…
Seems strange and hard to believe, but the Soviet Red Army did have GLASS canteens in the field! Why? Simply to ration strategically important metals. During WWII, many military canteens were made of aluminum (plastics were not yet in use like modern canteens). The problem is that aluminum is critical for production of aircraft and…
Here is an unusual item! Today’s post features a track link and ice cleat for the WWII German Panzer IV. The Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV) more commonly known as the Panzer IV, was the workhorse tank of the German armored forces. It was the most produced German tank, with over 8,500 examples made. The Panzer IV was…
To Londoners and students of World War II, the term “Blitz” is synonymous the German terror bombing of civilian population centers. Specifically, the aerial bombing of London and other areas of Southern England. For any area at risk for bombing, it is critical to adhere to blackout rules. A lack of “light discipline” helps enemy…
The topic of this entry is one of the most famous, and recognizable aircraft of World War II: the German Junkers Ju-87 “Stuka”. The name comes from the German word Sturzkampfflugzeug, meaning dive bomber. From its first flight in 1935 until the end of production in 1944, about 6,000 Ju-87’s were made in numerous versions….
