www.MG42.us

Hey Guys,

I figured I would show some pictures of what I consider odd ball MG08/15 parts. Please give me any feedback you can on the parts. What do you think? Am I wrong about anything?

1. The Center Flash hider is a post WWI, Pre Nazi, Flash hider. The Markings are different and its post war approval stamped. The milling is very different in both the Bell area and the Flash hider part. Its Numbered which most all FHs are not. They are matching too. I got it from a guy in France.

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/CenterPostWar.JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/CenterPostWar1.JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/CenterPostWar2.JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/PostWarFH1.JPG

2. I have a well re-issued lock with a fant post war eagle mark. Its on the "arm" right where the numbers are. You can only just see the lines for the wings in this bad picture.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/PostWarLock.JPG

3. Again from France, a short, late version Drum hangar. Note its all machined where the WWI is case then rough machined.

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/DrumHangar1.JPG

4. In the center is what I think is a true replacement Fusee cover. It is not numbered on the outside face at all! The inside is marked with two different numbers. On the front clip/block its marked 730, the correct number of the gun. Then on the slide and the spring its marked 606. The spring is also marked DWM, which the gun was not. The top Cover is from a LMG08/15, the middle on is the replacement, and the bottom is a normal MG08/15.

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/MiddleMissing1.JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/Mi ... eStamp.JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/MiddleStamped.JPG

5. I got this drum from France and it seems to be a darker color then most WWI MG08/15 drums. Its original paint as you can see the red primer under it. It looks to me like it was painted post WWI. What do you think?

What a great find those were! Very interesting non S/N'd fusee cover...

Pretty neat stuff! I like the drum, that's very nice. I've got several, and I'm not at all sure that's repainted post war; the colors on them change dramatically from lot to lot, and all the definate post war repaints I've seen have been darker, not light like many of the WWI drums. Some definate WWI drums I've had have been a grey color, also, not so green.

Very nice stuff, I'm really impressed by the fusee cover-I think you're right, there used to be several of those in every armorer's kit- but who knows where all that went, after all this time. Someone may find some somewhere, but unless they ID them correctly, who knows if they'll ever get to market...

I like the late war short hangar, does it actually work??? Have you tried it with a drum? I've seen some bizarre fakes, so I'm just curious. I didn't know they made any post war boosters, but it makes sense, as there's post war barrels and stuff out there.

Thanks for sharing!

Glen

I will post some pictures to clear up the paint issue... its certainly not the paint changing. Also note the serial number on it and the lack of the embossed wording...

Yeah the short drum hanger works good (well I have not used it on a firing gun but it fits fine.)

The wording is just painted on, not embossed, on some original drums I've got. Looking again at yours, I've changed my mind: it looks like yours may have been one of those painted drums that has been repainted, but very close to the original color. The more German WWI ex. condition stuff Ive seen, the more I've realized "uniform" color was more relative to them, depending on what paint lot you're in. Everything is feldgrau, but there is a range it's in, not one exact color.

I'm curious. You said you got it from Europe? Could it be a Polish WWII era re-issue? I got several WWI German MG08/15 items (usable, good stuff) that were dug in 1939 Polish trenches/fighting positions; I know the Poles and Germans both were using them. The German wording would obviously be excess to the Poles, so to have those repainted would make sense, as would the color.

Its the one on the ground on the left. Not the color difference from the normal one on the right

"The wording is just painted on, not embossed, on some original drums I've got." Thats interesting. Do they have serial numbers on the back? Mine has a small one stamped just below the pivot.

"it looks like yours may have been one of those painted drums that has been repainted, but very close to the original color. "
That is what I think, that post WWI, it was repainted to standard colors for WWII

" Everything is feldgrau, but there is a range it's in, not one exact color. "
From what I have seen there was a Tan and a light green for WWI. This is neither.

"You said you got it from Europe? Could it be a Polish WWII era re-issue? "
I got it from France. I think it has to be Post WWI German. The guys also sold me the post war marked booster, Short drum bracket and he had a MG08/15 metal belt (for the feedblock conversion). So I am all but sure it was German left in France during the retreat...

"I got several WWI German MG08/15 items (usable, good stuff) that were dug in 1939 Polish trenches/fighting positions; I know the Poles and Germans both were using them."
I am about 100% sure its not a dug part. Yeah they were but they did not have the other upgrade parts that it came with.

hello everybody,
i am a new member on this forum, i am french and i collect machineguns and MG's accessories of WW I.
I have seen what you bought to a french guy, and i think that all are new made (copy).
The little drum hanger is normaly reichswehr, after WWI. A good one, is a long one of WWI wich have been cut. (it's very hard to explain, and my english is not so good)
The drum and flash hidder are new made! made in vietnam by the french guy. Where do you bought them? On a show? Ciney?
Sorry!
Best regards
David

David,

I have to say this is possible. I have also received a bipod, a interwar waterport cover/cap and a waterjacket plug from him. These are all rare post WWI parts. The paint is lead based and looks exactly like interwar paints. All the parts have age to them. If they are repros they are almost for sure made on original equipment. I have seen the repros IMA makes and these parts are far better Quality. They look German made quality wise. Do you know the name of the french guy selling these repro parts? I got them from a French guy off the internet. Please tell me all you can about this French guy reproing them.

Also if they are reproing them... why would they mark them with the interwar stamp? Repros usually are stamped correctly...? Why not use the WWI stamp? Plus why would they make Post WWI parts that only a few in the world could use?

Thanks for the info!

Matt

LA MITRAILLE wrote:hello everybody,
i am a new member on this forum, i am french and i collect machineguns and MG's accessories of WW I.
I have seen what you bought to a french guy, and i think that all are new made (copy).
The little drum hanger is normaly reichswehr, after WWI. A good one, is a long one of WWI wich have been cut. (it's very hard to explain, and my english is not so good)
The drum and flash hidder are new made! made in vietnam by the french guy. Where do you bought them? On a show? Ciney?
Sorry!
Best regards
David

Hello,
i know it's difficult to explain, but all this guy is selling on US EBAY is copy! At the beginning he was spécialize in WWII copies. He earn a lot of money with new made box of ZF 39; it's for that he puts stamps of WWII on his productions; i thing he must have a lot.
When you had the good items in your hands, it's very easy to see the good one and the wrong one. It's impossible to make a good paint as it was during war and 90 or 60 years old.
He also make french flash hidder for hotchkiss and st-étienne....
I am going on hollidays this week-end; when i'll come back home, i'll try to explain the différence for each item between a good and false one.


Some MG with accessories of my collection

Best regards
LA MITRAILLE

LA MITRAILLE wrote:Hello,
When you had the good items in your hands, it's very easy to see the good one and the wrong one. It's impossible to make a good paint as it was during war and 90 or 60 years old.

That is a Hell of a collection you have there! Very Very nice! I need to get some pictures of my collection... but its not nearly as nice as yours.

Well with good WWI items, its still not easy to tell just looking at the quality of work. In the US we have IMAs repros (www.ima-usa.com). These repros are very easy to tell apart. However the items he sold me look like German quality for the most part. Very well made and aged. The paint even looks right on the drum. Its the Post WWI color with the red primer under it. All the construction looks correct too, down do almost every detail. Assuming you are correct and they are repros... they are worth every cent of what I had to pay! They were pretty cheap. I was supprised at how nice they were. I will take some more pictures and show you.

While I am at it, do you have any items forsale? I am always looking for good stuff. I am esp looking for MG08 and LMG08/15 items.

Right now I have a MG08 parts kit that I am still missing a few parts for, a very nice MG08/15 parts kit, two LMG08/15 parts kits, a Russian 1910 Parts kit, a Vickers parts kit and I have a little of a Chinese T24 parts kit.

Thanks again for the info! Please tell me more when you have time.

Do you have any more picture of your collection? Is that a MG08/18 you have there?

Hello,
it's not a MG 08/18 sorry; it's a bergman MG, the model is LMG 15 n/a. It's the new model for infantry, not for aircraft.





This one is made in 1917.

best regards
LA MITRAILLE

That is a very nice and impressive collection of WWI guns you have there-it rivals the collection at the military museum in Paris! ---bil

The what??? the "invalides" museum in paris it's a little museum you only can see the napoléon's grave
There are not a lot of MG, you can see there! because all the beautifull MG are in the museum basement and the militarys (owner of the museum) never permit me to visit the basement, as i made in a lot of europe's museum........

LA MITRAILLE

It is a nice museum,a few more old cannons than I would have expected-the courtyard is lined with them!But you are right,with all the history France has,I would have thought there would be a larger museum.Is there another that has more on display? I heard there was one at Orly airport,but didn't have time.Maybe if I go again... ---bil

That LMG15na is awesome. What is the history there? Any more pictures of the collection? I do not see a MG08 Sled... where are you hiding that?

Here are some other parts I got from the guy in france:

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/Bo ... 815[2].JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/Bo ... 815[1].JPG

As you can see... why repro these parts?

[img]http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/Bo ... 815[2].JPG[/img]
[img]http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/Bo ... 815[1].JPG[/img]

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/Bo ... r_0815.JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/phiteshe/Bo ... r_0815.JPG

I hate not being able to edit my post... this is the only damn forum that will not let you!

That's why we still have most of the good stuff! Which of the above posts would you like deleted? ---bil