The Nazi’s Tried Using Exploding Nets to Clear Minefields in WWII
Already in the early stage of World War II, the German troops on their advance encountered landmines of all kinds, some of which were laid over large areas. The... Read more.
A Danish Success Story – The “Madsen” Submachine Guns
Once the creator of one of the first mass-produced light machine guns, Denmark had slept through the dawn of the submachine gun era.
While Denmark’s neighbou... Read more.
Fire from the East – the Russian flamethrower LPO-50
In the early 1950s, the Soviet Army experimented with replacement models for the aging wartime ROKS flamethrowers. The LPO-50 model was eventually put into serv... Read more.
Looks Like a Gewehr 98; Feels Like a Gewehr 98 …German Drill Rifle Model 98 “Exerziergewehr 16”
In many phases of military training, the recruits have no need for fully functional service rifles. The standard service rifles are too valuable to be used for ... Read more.
A Political Victim: WWII Tensions Prevent Production of the MP SS 42 Submachine Gun
After the occupation of Czechoslovakia, the entire local arms industry came under German influence. The Czechs were very advanced in weapons engineering, rich i... Read more.
The Nazi’s Centrifugal Machine Gun Project
By Michael Heidler Successful inventors often have to think outside the box. In weapons technology, too, many a smirked-at pipe dream has turned out to be a gre... Read more.
Dead End Anti-Tank Rifles: Rifle Grenade Launchers of the Luftwaffe
In rivalry with the Wehrmacht, its aerial warfare branch, the Luftwaffe, had developed its own anti-tank rifle grenade launcher for its paratroopers. But in the... Read more.
Fire Against the Enemy – The Flaming Bayonet for Trench Warfare
By Michael Heidler, All Photos: Springfield Armory NHS As the fronts hardened in World War I and little progress was made in trench warfare, the heroic bayonet ... Read more.
WWII: You Know It’s Not Going Well When You’re Harvesting Unexploded Bombs to Make Weapons
By Michael Heidler The increasing air superiority of the Allies and their area bombing had severely damaged the German armaments industry and transport routes d... Read more.
Deadly Effect, Poisoned Bullets for WWII Handguns
The Forensic Institute of the Security Police (Kriminaltechnisches Institut der Sicherheitspolizei / KTI) was a department of the Reich Main Security Office (Re... Read more.
