Such items have existed as long as there have been firearms, and, in truth, scale weapons have existed much longer. “There were skilled craftsmen making miniature weapons including cross bows, siege engines and, of course, even suits of armor,” said Wayne Driskill of Wayne Driskill Miniature Firearms (waynedriskillminiatures.com), one of the premier dealers of scale weapons. “I like to say that as soon as someone used the jawbone of an ass as a weapon someone else stepped up and used a jawbone from a baby ass for his son.” 

Driskill added that many of the scale models of larger items such as the siege engines and similar weapons were engineering models, but since the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, these served another purpose—namely, “salesman samples.” In some cases, this was a way for journeymen artisans to show off their skills; it was easier for a tradesman to carry scale replicas of actual weapons. 

In more recent times these have simply been a way for individuals to show off their skills. In this regard it is akin to model builders, but instead of putting together a kit, those who make scale weapons build everything from scratch. One irony is that while today’s modern world has allowed for all sorts of advancements in 3D printing, laser cutting and computer-aided design (CAD), the art of making scale firearms is a dying one. Perhaps that is because it is, in fact, an art form as few are learning the trade. 

“We’re the last of a dying breed,” admitted Zavie Kucer, who grew up making scale replicas of firearms. It was a skill he learned from his father David Kucer, who is now legendary amongst collectors worldwide and who has been working on the scale replicas for nearly 60 years (kucers.com). 

David Kucer grew up as a self-described “immigrant kid” in Montreal, and during a trip to visit his grandparents in New York City he took in the world of miniatures. The elder Kucer became intrigued with miniatures, while his interest in firearms came from his time in the military. 

“His job in the Canadian Army was to repair firearms,” said Zavie. “When he got out of the military he started to tinker with making miniature guns. His father had a metal shop, which offered the right tools to make these replicas. So he trained as a gunsmith and worked on everything from small arms to 25 pounders, and combined with his skills with tool and dies it just came together.” 

Fully Functional 

What sets the world of miniature firearms apart from so many other scale replicas is that these pieces are fully functional. In the Victorian Era, craftsmen produced the scale versions not only as the aforementioned samples to sell actual firearms but as a collectible to those with means. These included pinfire guns that were novelty guns that could fire blanks or even live miniature ammunition. 

One of the leading makers of these has been Bob Urso of Washington (boburso.com) who said he likes to think that he fills a middle ground for collectors. “I fill that niche between the inexpensive and the very expensive miniatures,” added Bob Urso. “With my guns I capture the look of the gun, and that includes duplicating the grips where I can. However, the action is greatly simplified compared to what others like Zavie Kucer does. I like to say they make a ‘true miniature’ while mine are simplified, but you can shoot the 2mm round.” 

While some of these are detailed and intricate, there is a word that shouldn’t be used to describe them, however: cute. “Cute is for puppies, and these pinfire guns are absolutely still dangerous,” explained Wayne Driskill, who has, since 2009, been the president of the Miniature Arms Collectors & Makers Society, a group that was founded in 1973. “Some will shoot, and some can kill you just the same as a full-sized gun.” 

However, most of the miniatures were not made as weapons, and that is true of the scale firearms made by the Kucers. “Our guns could shoot in theory, but in practice not really,” explained Zavie. “We don’t even make the ammunition, so these do go ‘click, click’ when you pull the trigger, but they don’t go ‘boom.’ But it is still a weapon and could be dangerous if used incorrectly.” 

This includes the scale machine guns, some of which have been built to function. This includes a miniature of the British STEN MkII, which was reportedly made by Leon Crottet of Switzerland, and is capable of full-auto fire. Due to the fact that they use custom-made miniature cartridges, these miniatures are reportedly not subject to the National Firearms Act (NFA) regulations of their full-size counterparts, but it wouldn’t be out of the question that these could raise the attention of law enforcement if used irresponsibly! 

True Americana 

While scale replicas of firearms have been made for centuries, there are plenty of vintage wheel lock and flintlock miniatures in collections. For the Kucers the sweet spot has been in the American small arms of the 19th century. The focus for the father/son duo has been those guns made from 1840 to 1890 and included cap and ball pistols and Winchester repeating rifles. That said, the Kucers have worked on 20th-century firearms as well, with the Colt 1911 being another favorite. “Among the favorite guns I’ve made include a Smith & Wesson Victory Model, which is one the Canadian soldiers used,” said David Kucer. “I also worked on a Smith & Wesson lever action pistol known as the Volcanic. That was an interesting project.” 

The Kucers also explained that they’ve relied on a time-tested method for making miniatures—one that has gone back to the days of these being salesman samples. That involves having a real one, copying each part in scale and producing an exact copy in miniature. This is why, despite the fact that they don’t produce ammunition, the firearms are otherwise fully functional in every other respect. “My dad’s approach was always to have an original, take it apart and copy each piece,” said Zavie. “More importantly this also involved using the same materials and the same method of manufacture. To replicate the guns in such detail requires this level of examination of the firearm. Drawings and even diagrams aren’t good enough.” 

As a result there is a lot of hand finishing involved that couldn’t be accurately represented in a drawing. “We always have to have the original,” added Zavie. “This allows us to make an exact copy of everything including the screws, the springs but also the bluing and the tempering.” When the Kucers produced a Colt 1849 revolver, it featured brass and silver plating, along with a stage coach scene engraved on the gun just like the original.

However, there have been a few guns that haven’t been made due to the complexities of the original. “There was one I really wanted to do,” said David Kucer. “It was a Colt Lightning Rifle, but it was too complicated and too big for our equipment.”

The scale of the weapons varies, but popular today with collectors are those that are in the one-third and one-fourth scale. Obviously the larger the scale, the more detail collectors can appreciate, but part of the appeal is in how small one can go. “It becomes increasingly difficult to make a functional firearm when you go smaller,” said Wayne Driskill. “When you get the cylinder working on these really small guns, it is like working on a watch. You’re talking tens of a thousand of an inch in precision. But it can be impressive to see something like the Colt Navy Revolvers in 1/12 scale, which is smaller than G.I. Joe but is still functional. That is doll house size!”

Modern Copies

The Kucers are part of a dying breed, made worse by the fact that the only production-made miniatures were produced by the now-defunct MiniArt in Russia and by Aldo Uberti, Srl—the latter being the Italian maker of full-sized historic firearms (ubertireplicas.com). 

The mass-produced guns by Uberti can be a good entry point for the new collector, at least compared to a similar handmade gun from Kucer and others. In comparison, a Kucer-made example could be near to $5,000 while a similar Uberti version might be several hundred dollars to $1,000 on the high end. However, some would argue the craftsmanship is a world apart. Then there is the new wave of low-end diecast versions that have come out of China. These are still a step up from toys but lack the overall detail of the handmade miniatures. 

“From my perspective there is no comparison,” said Zavie Kucer. “My father and I make 10 to 12 pieces a year, and our prices mean we’re in a completely different demographic of collectors. What I’ve seen is that new collectors start low and get comfortable in the field and move up. That is true of real firearms, and that is true of miniatures.”

Bob Urso added that he used to produce about 30 a year, but has slowed down in recent years. “I’m 76, and I’m retired,” he added. “This is a labor of love for me. Plus there are some very good makers in the Ukraine and Russia that are producing what I used to.”

This is why the diecast versions will never appeal to the serious collectors, as there are now lower cost, high quality alternatives. While the diecast versions might be worthy of decorating a desk at the office, they aren’t the sort of things that are meant to be on display and likely won’t appreciate over time the way these quality scale miniatures could. In fact, because there are so few being made for collectors it is now like buying real vintage firearms. 

“I’m not really getting any ‘new stuff,’” said Wayne Driskill. “What I’m now dealing in is recycling the stuff that was first sold 25 or more years ago. And just like old art, sometimes it can be a factor of 25 to 50 times more depending on who made it. Certain artists who made these guns back in the day bring more money than the unknowns.”

And that is where, again, it is easy to see the connection to works of art. Not just in the craftsmanship but in terms of how the good “stuff” will only appreciate over time. 

Most of the collection comes from the CITEFA, nowadays known as the CITEDEF, which is a research and development agency for the Argentine army. Some pieces were also donated by private citizens. Interesting to note that the guns that came from CITEFA were certainly tried and tested by Argentina. Many prototypes are present, of course.

Entering the museum, you’re greeted with a beautiful circular room, covered in marble and with a statue of General San Martín, Argentina’s national hero and founder. To enter the museum, there’s a fee of 2,000 pesos, around $2 USD in 2024. The staff was accommodating, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Now to the interesting bit, the museum itself. After paying, you’re greeted with the first room, consisting of swords, some replica armor, and two very interesting crossbows. The room itself is very well decorated and mostly nicely presented. Next, you go down a ramp and you’re greeted with the first indication this museum is going to be worth it; a room completely filled with gun cabinets full of very interesting and unique firearms including but not limited to:

One of the first interesting prototypes this museum has to offer, the Criollo rifle. Despite its odd name, its inventor was Angél Chiesanova. Made around the late 1800s, it chambers the 7.65x53mm Argentine cartridge and it operates in a very unique manner.

A second prototype I wasn’t even aware existed; an Argentine pattern Rolling-Block rifle modified by the Buenos Aires Arsenal, using the system patented by one Costa de Argibel.

There’s a lot in this room to appreciate, some other things of note was the variety of rare single shot, breech loading rifles they displayed, like the Mylonas rifle from Greece, a Robert II prototype from France, and an extremely unique Herteleup patent underhammer rifle. Also of note were Dreyse rifles and carbines, two Hall breech-loading rifles, a Russian Karlé needle-fire rifle, a Gewehr 98 trench rifle, and a Gewehr 98 in a grenade launcher mount.

The next exhibit is a progression of the Argentine firearms throughout history. Present are many flintlocks, including a replica of the first manufactured firearm on Argentine soil. There are Rolling Block rifles and carbines of all sorts of lengths, patterns, and models along with Argentine Mausers, sniper rifles and prototypes, and, finally, the FAL. There were also a few other miscellaneous rifles like a Spencer carbine, some breech-loading/single-shot rifles used by Argentina, and a Berdan I, Albini-Braedlin, Robinson, B.S. Roberts, Tabatiére and a few others. Also present were some heavy-machine guns.

A wall of Rolling Block rifles, including many carbine variants used by different branches of the army.

Argentine Mauser rifles, complete with a sniper variant and a prototype carbine that uses a bayonet system, similar to the Carcano.

The next room is an exhibit about the Falklands war, or as the Argentines prefer to call it, “Guerra das Malvinas.” As it is still in recent memory in Argentina, I won’t delve much into the conflict or the exhibit. Of note, there’s a silenced Sterling submachine gun and a cabinet of the guns the Argentine marines captured when first landed in Port Stanley from the garrison stationed there. Here, the museum deviates into four rooms, only one of which I will be able to cover here. On your left is a room, again, full (from floor to ceiling) with gun cases, all with interesting pistols. Of note are a prototype 1911 pattern Steyr-Hahn in its case (complete with accessories), a prototype Astra semi-automatic dating to around 1921 in 9mm Largo, two Webley-Fosbery revolvers, a rare Celmi pistol from Uruguay, and many others including different patterns of Lugers, pocket pistols, presentation pieces, Spanish copies, etc.

Apart from pistols, continuing on you’ll have a couple of cabinets with submachine guns of various nationalities and dates ranging from the Villar Perosa all the way to the PAM-2, an Argentine copy of the American M3 Grease-gun. There are all sorts of other firearms, including a Vollmer V.P.K, an MP28, a ZK-383 and an MP-34, all used during the Chaco war. An original 1921 Thompson, complete with a selection of different barrels, and even a Maxim silencer! Possibly the exact gun that was tested by the Argentine military, an Italian FNAB-43, and a Walther MPK which was allegedly owned by Salvador Allende, Chile’s deposed president. And last but not least, there’s a Swiss MP43/44, a licensed copy of the Suomi KP/31.

At the back of this room, there are a couple of hand-operated machine guns including one I didn’t even know existed prior to visiting this museum, the Bavarian “Feld”. Dated to around 1870 and designed by Johann Feldl, it functions very similarly to a Nordenfelt as far as I could ascertain. It was chambered in 11mm Werder and being of such rarity that there hasn’t been a photo of an example on the internet yet published, so it is my pleasure to present this rare beast.

Also present are a collection of other European machine guns, dated to around the first world war. Included are an MG08/15, Fiat-Revelli M1914, and a Hotchkiss Mle 1914. Next to the machine guns, mounted in the wall, is a very interesting piece of Argentine military history, a locally manufactured Panzerfaust clone nicknamed “PAPI”, which stands for “proyectil anti-tanque para infantería.”
And finally, there’s a very out of place (in my opinion, but still interesting to check out) Japanese collection of Sengoku period armor and weaponry.

If you’re not sold already, look for a future article where we’ll check out the biggest room of the whole museum and briefly introduce another museum I visited while in Buenos Aires, the “Museo Historico Del Ejercito Argentino”.

On June 6, 1944, one of the greatest military operations in the history of humanity began. On one side was the Third Reich, a Nazi-controlled Germany seeking expansion and world domination. On the other side was an alliance of powerful free nations and armies from occupied countries seeking to be liberated from Nazi control. Between them was the English Channel, a body of water ranging from 150 miles wide to almost 20 miles wide depending on where you are at. Armies had crossed it before many times, including William the Conqueror during his bid for the throne of England, and the kings of England did so many times during the Hundred Years’ War for their claim to the throne of France. Napoleon had considered trying to cross the Channel to invade England, and Hitler had planned to do this as well but instead chose to invade the Soviet Union—a decision that would come back to haunt him.

Now, an army of free men and women was about to cross that cold Channel and liberate the people of France. First came the buildup, where soldiers, tanks, trucks, aircraft and other equipment in the thousands and millions were gathered in England. A special fake army was created in the port of Dover opposite the port of Calais to distract the Germans, while the real invasion force was prepared opposite the shores of Normandy.

This was D-Day, and it was a success. The first to land were the American and British paratroopers, who captured important strategic positions behind the beaches like the now-named Pegasus Bridge and the German battery at Brécourt Manor. Then tens of thousands of American, British and Canadian soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy, divided into five sections codenamed Utah, Omaha, Juno, Gold and Sword.

Americans took Utah and Omaha Beaches in the West. Utah was the beach with the least casualties on D-Day, while Omaha was the worst. It was the only beach that seemed to be in question, but then the navy got dangerously close to the beaches and fired directly on the German defenses. This allowed the Ameri-cans to get off beaches and advance a little bit inland. Between Utah and Omaha Beaches, the 2nd Ranger Battalion climbed the steep cliffs beneath Pointe du Hoc and took out the German defenses there. Meanwhile, the British landed at Sword and Gold Beaches, facing tough resistance. Between the two beaches was Juno Beach, where the Canadians fought a determined enemy and suffered heavy casualties. By the end of the day, all the beaches were taken, and more soldiers were on their way.

Yet the battle for Normandy was far from over. As the Allies advanced inland, they encountered an almost impossible obstacle in the form of the hedgerows. Since the times of the Romans, they were made with stones and dirt and were used to set boundaries between farms and keep livestock in. Bushes and trees grew on them, making it impossible for the Allies to see what was on the other side. Tanks were easy targets down the narrow roads, and when they tried to climb over the top of the hedgerows, their undersides—the weakest part of the tank—were exposed and made easy targets for anti-tank weapons.

Finally, the Allies took the anti-tank obstacles, called hedgehogs, which were on the beaches in Normandy, cut them up and put them on the front of tanks to be used like a plow. With the help of these Rhino Tanks, the Allies broke through the hedgerows and advanced inland. Soon, Saint-Lô, Caen, Cherbourg and other cities in Normandy were under Allied control, and on August 25, 1944, Paris was liberated by Free French forces. The next year, 1945, Hitler committed suicide on April 30, and the German Reich surrendered on May 2, ending the war for the Allies in Europe.

The Tour

The year 2019 marked the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings, and I wanted to go. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, like the anniversary of the Battles of Hastings or Waterloo, which I sadly missed, or the Battle of Agincourt, which I did not. And there was no way on earth I was going to miss this. Through Semper Fi magazine, my sister and I learned about Military Historical Tours, which was doing a special tour like they do every year on the anniversary. They were doing two tours, one that started on May 28 and one that started on June 2. I signed up for the shorter tour and bought my tickets to France.

Day 1

On June 3, the first day of our tour, we stopped at Memorial Pegasus in Ranville, France. On display was the original bridge itself, a bascule bridge designed to lift up to let ships pass underneath it. It crossed the Caen Canal and was also named after the neighboring town of Bénouville. It was replaced in 1994 and was eventually sold to Memorial Pegasus. Also on display at the museum was a replica of an Airspeed Horsa and a part of a Bailey bridge, as well as a few other military vehicles and indoor displays.

Our next destination was Juno Beach, where we stopped briefly to look around. We then headed up to the Arromanches-les-Bains, where one of the Mulberry harbors was installed. Mulberry harbors were portable harbors developed by the Allies, who believed it was easier than trying to take one of the heavily defended ports on the French coast. It turned out to be a great idea, and the Allies were able to move large amounts of ammunition, vehicles and other supplies through one of the harbors until other ports were captured. The other harbor at Omaha Beach had been heavily damaged, and the Allies could not use it.

Before we entered the town, we arrived at an orientation table that gave us a view of the town and the beaches there. A German radar station was located here, and only the base remains. No troops landed there on D-Day, and the town was taken by land. Near the table was a monument to the Royal Engineers and a weird tank that had been painted all over. The Arromanches 360o Museum-Cinema is also there with a special movie.

We stayed in Arromanches for lunch, then headed up to Longues-sur-Mer Battery. This battery was located between Omaha and Gold Beaches and was a pain to the Allies on D-Day. It withstood heavy attacks by bombers and battleships, until it finally surrendered the next day. After seeing Longues-sur-Mer, we headed over to Omaha Beach, where we first stopped briefly at the landing site of the 29th Infantry Division, then stopped at the Signal Monument and the Les Braves Monument at Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer. We walked around for a moment and explored the beach a little before we moved on to the Charles Shay Memorial, a monument to the Native Americans and Native Canadians who fought in France in World War II. We then visited the U.S. 2nd Division Monument on a hill overlooking Omaha Beach and made our way back to the hotel in Caen.

Day 2

On our second day, we headed up to the Overlord Museum. We were not there long, but I was still very impressed. Countless vehicles, uniforms, guns and other equipment form the American, British, Canadian, French and German Armies filled the museum, and the displays were crowded but well done. Outside were a number of other vehicles, including a large Sherman and a M10 Tank Destroyer, also known as a Wolverine. When we were done, we hopped back on the bus and drove up to one of the best parts of the whole tour.

The Best Part of the Tour

To say I was amazed at Pointe du Hoc would be an understatement. I had heard about it before and even remember playing a video game where the player is a Ranger there, but I wish I had known more. All over the cliff are bunkers and craters. The craters were over three men deep and were hard to get in and out. The bunkers were large and extended underground. Just imagining the battle that took place here is amazing. The view from the cliff was impressive as well. I was unable to get a good picture of the monument there because of the large numbers of people, but I do plan on returning.

Throughout the tour, we met a few World War II veterans. They were almost always in wheelchairs and were escorted by friends and family. I shook a few hands of these brave men of the Greatest Generation and thanked them for their service to their country. Also, throughout the tour, we saw military vehicles and reenactors everywhere. Most were dressed as Americans, but I do remember seeing a few Canadians and British. I saw no one dressed up as German military, and I think we all know why.

After Pointe du Hoc, we drove over to Utah Beach. The museum of Utah Beach is impressive, with a B-26 Marauder in a hanger. Outside the museum was a Higgins Boat that you could walk into. Next to it were a few monuments, including one to the Higgins Boat itself. There was a monument to the creator of the boat, Andrew Higgins. Not far away was a monument to the “Frogmen,” underwater divers whose job was to clear various obstacles. Another monument was dedicated to the 1st Engineer Special Brigade, and one to the fallen men of the 90th Infantry Division was nearby.

Our next stop was the Maisy Battery. This place had only been discovered a few years ago and had an interesting story behind it. It had been built by captured Poles and other prisoners of war to keep it secret from the French, and the way it was built made it hard for the battleships of the coast to hit it. American Rangers eventually captured it with a few wounded and none killed. The operation was kept secret until a few years ago, when it was discovered by a British historian.

Day 3

On June 5, we first visited Brécourt Manor. Here, Easy Company from the 101st Airborne took a German artillery battery with tactics that are still in use today. There was a monument to the 101st Airborne Easy Company that stands on the side of the road. This engagement was made famous by the television series Band of Brothers, which chronicles the story of Easy Company and all the engagements they went through. There was actually a television system on the bus, and they played “Band of Brothers” while we drove through the Norman countryside.

Our next stop was the town of Sainte-Mère-Église. If anyone has seen “The Longest Day,” this is where the paratrooper John Steele was trapped on the church and could only watch from above as the fighting occurred in the town. He was later captured, but he escaped and helped capture the town. Today, every year, the town hangs a replica of John Steele on the church.

There is an outstanding museum at Sainte-Mère-Église, called the Airborne Museum. Opened in 1964, the buildings are built like parachutes. It has a CG-4A Glider you can walk into and a C-47 Skytrain which you can look down upon from a balcony. Another building has a special exhibit that allows visitors to relive D-Day as a paratrooper, starting in a plane that feels like it is in the air with model buildings below.

Sainte-Mère-Église is a nice little town. It was full of reenactors and tourists, as well as military vehicles. One diner had a dummy para-trooper hanging from the ceiling, and the shops were full of World War II souvenirs and other treats. In the church is a stained glass window displaying American paratroopers landing in the presence of Christ and the Virgin Mary.

The tour bus then took us to Bayeux, home to the Bayeux Tapestry, which tells the story of the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy, also known as William the Conquer. The tapestry was created by someone close to William and tells the story of how and why he invaded England in 1066. It is amazing to look at, and we were given a special audio device that told us the story on the tapestry. It was housed in a good museum that had artifacts from the time of William and miniature replicas of the buildings from the time. We then returned to our hotel for the night.

Day 4—The Big Event

On June 6, Day 4, we drove to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial for the 75th Anniversary Event. We arrived early and were able to walk around the cemetery paths. From the front of the cemetery to the chapel in the center there was seating for thousands of people and large television sets to see the front. We eventually sat down and waited for the presidents of France and the United States to arrive. At one point, the screens showed the few remaining veterans of that fateful day in 1944 and all gave a standing ovation as the camera moved across the few remaining of the Greatest Generation. While we waited for the world leaders, two bands, an American one and a French one, took turns playing songs from both the United States and France.

Then President Donald J. Trump arrived with his wife, First Lady Melania Trump. A little while later, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron arrived, and the two made their way to the front of the cemetery, where a massive podium was set up. The podium covered the bronze statue called “The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves,” which shows a young man rising out of the water. It also covered up maps that showed the battle of Normandy on the wall.
French President Emmanuel Macron was the first of the two world leaders to speak. It was a good speech, where he praised the Americans and other Allies who fought on D-Day. “We know what we owe to you veterans. Our freedom. On behalf of my nation, I just want to say, thank you.” That day, Macron awarded five American veterans the Legion of Honour, the highest award that France could give.

Then it was President Trump’s turn to speak. He praised the men who died that day and the men who continue to live. “You’re the pride of our nation. You are the glory of our republic. And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” He thanked the veterans personally and shook their hands. “In defeating evil, they left a legacy that will last forever.”

After the speeches, both presidents and their wives walked over to the side of the cemetery facing the sea and watched as planes flew overhead. The first to fly over was a more modern transport plane, which was followed shortly after by restored World War II bombers and transport planes. Then four jets flew over, and one broke away, performing the Missing Man Formation, the Aerial salute for fallen heroes. It was soon followed by a group of jets who used colored smoke to create the tricolor flag of France in the sky.

After the festivities, we waited a while for the bus and then returned back to the hotel. We were then treated that night to steaks from local cattle. Normandy is famous for its steaks and for a number of other dairy products, especially its cheese and butter. It is also famous for cider, poiré (perry), fish and apples.

Day 5

On June 7, Day 5, we went to the city of Rouen. We first visited the Cathedral Notre-Dame and explored the insides. In this Cathedral is buried the heart of Richard the Lionheart and Rollo the First to rule Normandy and ancestor to William the Conqueror and other kings and queens of England. We then walked through Rouen to where Joan of Arc was burned to the stake. We walked under the Gros Horloge, a large clock inserted into the side of a Renaissance arch. We arrived at the spot Joan was burned, now under a large pillar with a cross on it. Next to it is a modern church named after the saint.

We shopped around Rouen for a little bit before driving to our next destination, the home of Claude Monet, one of France’s greatest artists. The house is filled with great paintings, both by Monet and by other artists. The gardens are amazing as well, a perfect place to sit and relax.

Final Stop

Our next and final stop was Chateau de La Roche-Guyon, Rommel’s HQ during the Battle for Normandy. We did not stay long, but I did take a lot of pictures. It was a nice ending to a long journey. That night we arrived in Paris and said our goodbyes. I spent another day in Paris before returning home on June 10.

Au Revoir

The tour was outstanding, and the guides were nice and helpful. They were not controlling and let us have a bit of freedom. My fellow travelers were great as well. Most were veterans and enjoyed the tour a great deal. A special thanks to Shayne Jarosz, who answered all my questions and helped with the few problems I had. Another special thanks to Casey Feucht, who did much of the organizing for the tour. There were places and schedules we would never had gotten to if not for her.
As for Normandy itself, a few days were just not enough. There are so many museums, monuments, memorials and other sights to see in this part of France and not just involving World War II. I had a few regrets on this trip, and I plan to return to this wonderful land. Normandy’s history is a part of our history and should not be forgotten. If you have family and are planning a trip, take them to Normandy and always remember what you see here.

Nestled between military barracks, headquarters buildings, officers’ clubs and canal systems in the Dusit District of Bangkok is the home of the Royal Thai Army Ordnance Corps compound. Unlike some of the more congested, loud and smelly parts of city, the area between the Bang Sue MRT station on the Blue Line and Victory Monument is a much more relaxed scene, allowing a visitor to take a calming stroll to the Royal Thai Army Ordnance Department. Finding the museum is as simple as looking it up on Google Maps; however, gaining entry to the museum is another quest entirely. Small Arms Review was graciously offered the opportunity to tour the museum by a long-time friend of the magazine. The museum is in an old building that overlooks Thahan Road on which the entry to the Army Ordnance Department is situated. For a visitor out of the blue, the ability to enter the museum or not is more contingent on the guards and officers on duty at the main gate to the Army Ordnance Corps compound. Some visitors have found access this way; others have not. Currently, the senior officers within the Army Ordnance Corps want to permanently offer the museum to the public on a visitor basis, but this will most likely be a year in the making. We would recommend partnering with a Thai friend, calling beforehand and walking in with him or her in order to translate.

The Royal Thai Army Ordnance Corps is the primary branch of the Royal Thai Army (RTA) that is responsible for manufacturing, issuing and servicing the ordnance needs of the RTA and has been active for many years in this capacity. Thailand receives the lion’s share of its equipment from overseas purchases and especially from U.S. military aid programs since the Vietnam War. But there are a number of indigenous manufacturing programs that the Ordnance Corps takes part in. One of the biggest is the 5.56x45mm NATO HK33 rifle that was produced at the same Bangkok com-pound. In Thai military and law enforcement service, the HK33 was adopted as the Type 11 in the 1990s, differing for both branches in terms of engravings and markings. Currently, the Ordnance Corps only services and refurbishes active-service Type 11s while the Corps ramps up for the licensed manufacture of TAVOR TAR-21 rifles at the facility. The TAR-21 is already used by the RTA as purchased from IWI in Israel, but this will allow the Ordnance Corps to continue manufacturing the majority of their own service rifles.

Although the RTA traces its origin to its founding in 1874, the museum collection spans well beyond that year, reaching into periods where Thai soldiers fought without firearms or cannons. This includes various swords, spears and shields that were used in historic battles. Where the museum is strongest is in its early to mid-20th century collection. Here we saw a wide variety of contract small arms and prototypes that came into Thailand from all over Europe and the United States. Many of these were sent to Thailand for trial and were thereafter retained by the Ordnance Corps in the reference collection where they lie today. With the outbreak of hostilities that would engulf Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, Pol Pot’s era in Cambodia and especially the Communist insurgency in northern Thailand, the collection moved toward the captured mate-riel that came with fighting Communists in the north and the resulting U.S. aid that flowed in at the same time. Items such as early Armalite AR-15s with green furniture, XM177 carbines and covertly produced Chinese AK-47s marked as “M22” are very representative for this period. After the end of large combat operations, we noticed a marked decline of small arms in the collection with the exception of indigenously produced Thai Ordnance Corps materiel which includes some very niche designs and prototypes for the military.

The museum’s first floor is the presentation hall where visitors are greeted by a sign in Thai over the entry door. Luckily for photographers, barely any of the small arms in the hall are encased in glass, so good photographs of minute details and markings are relatively easy to achieve. If the Ordnance officers present that day are especially kind, one will be able to get behind the stands and take in-depth photo graphs up close.

This hall is organized in a wraparound fashion where visitors snake through the displays that are organized chronologically. The first displays presented to the visitors as they enter are to the left and are early cannons used by previous Thai dynasties, especially during the reign in the ancient city of Ayutthaya when it was the seat of the kingdom before being destroyed by the Burmese in 1767. Rounding the corner is a wooden royal chariot built by the Ordnance Corps that was used in the king’s coronation ceremony. After the chariot, is a long row of First and Second World War heavy machine guns and cannons. The heavy machine guns range from Thai contracted Vickers, Maxims, Japanese variants and even some French examples, among others. This section concludes with a wall marking where the Communist insurgency begins, featuring small arms captured by the Communists and those used against them. Rounding up from this exhibit is an entire wall dedicated to Thai prototypes of the Type 11, various examples of working with the M1 Garand rifle to create better stocks and, most fascinating, a display of Thailand’s experimentation with using Type 11 rifle grenades to shoot planting seed canisters from helicopters over rural areas in order to stimulate agricultural programs in the kingdom. The Thai government has always taken a very serious interest in the country’s agricultural programs, so developing something like this isn’t entirely surprising in the Thai context. Outside of it, however, the canisters are quite the unique invention. It is not known how effective the program was as it is not in use today by any Thai government agency.

Above the presentation hall on the second floor is the reserve collection of the museum. This is where all the small arms that are not on display are kept. They are secured by chains to rifle racks or kept in glass cases, with a separate section for handguns. Entering the hall, it is customary for Thai people to pay their respects to an altar that is situated in one of the corners of the room. This is where most of the prototype and trials rifles from the 19th and 20th centuries are kept, as opposed to mostly machine guns and cannons downstairs. Possibly one of the more interesting artifacts in this room is a set of complete machine shop drawings for Danish Madsens, all written in Thai. A number of Madsens exist in Thailand with extensive Thai markings on them, begging the research question: to what extent did the Thais engage in Madsen production in the interwar years?

Visiting

The Royal Thai Army Ordnance Corps Museum is a tough one to get into for the casual visitor, so putting it on a checklist for Bangkok will take more than jotting it down as a line item. But for the serious small arms researcher and especially for anyone doing historic small arms research in Southeast Asia, the collection is an absolute requirement.

The museum is open on a case-by-case basis. Our best recommendation would be to call ahead and work with a Thai partner to help a visitor through the process, especially with translation.

Israel’s fight for independence after the Second World War is filled with spectacular and courageous exploits and daring moves in order to thwart both the British government in Palestine and the resulting Arab advances. One such story is that of the “Ayalon Institute” on Kibbutz Hill outside of the town of Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv. It was here that for several years after the war, several million rounds of 9x19mm ammunition were produced for the Haganah under the supervision of Ta’as. This military industry wing would later morph into Israel Military Industries (now, IMI Systems) after independence. 

In preparation for the independence of Israel, the Haganah leadership understood the importance of having a stable supply of ammunition. One of the more widely used small arms that the Haganah used were captured or smuggled 9mm STEN submachine guns (of which Ta’as is reported as having actually produced over 4,000 from improvised workshops). In order to supply both current ammunition needs and to prepare a dispersed stockpile around Palestine for an eventual outbreak of hostilities, Ta’as began a covert 9x19mm ammunition manufacturing operation. Everything about the operation had to be shrouded in multiple layers of secrecy and redundancy. From disguising the need to import copper in order to make lipstick tubes to timing the test fire of ammunition to exactly when a nearby train would pass by in order to mask the sound of the gunfire, everything needed to be kept in utmost secrecy from the British authorities.

Such was the secrecy during and even after the ammunition production that the underground factory wasn’t known publicly until 1987 when a local school teacher had been reading the diary of one of the workers. Thereafter it was turned into a museum where visitors can still take a guided tour of the factory in Hebrew or in English for a small fee. There has also been some research conducted outside of the museum, so researchers are welcome to learn even more about the operation in more depth than this article has to offer or even make a visit to the factory. For example, we know more about the types of headstamps that the factory produced, which can be found throughout Israel, and some have even made it into cartridge collections in the United States.

When arriving by car to the Ayalon Institute, one can park directly outside the visitors’ office entrance. Visitors need to schedule a visit ahead of time by calling the center and specifying an English or Hebrew tour. Admittance is 30 Shekels paid at the counter. The tour begins by watching an informational movie about the factory, its origins and some of the operations post-Second World War. Then the tour guide takes over and guides visitors through many of the important talking points situated throughout the small factory.

The underground factory was built in less than a month under the guise of making a storage cellar for the local kibbutz that was established above ground. It was essentially a long hall that was around 50 meters in length and had a ceiling approximately 6 meters in height. This entire facility was 8 meters underground with a laundry above one end and a bakery above the other. Workers entered through the laundry through a mechanism that lifted up a heavy laundry machine for 3 minutes, in which the entire staff would have to either come out or go in at certain periods in the day. At the other end where the bakery was, the oven was built on hidden rails that allowed it to be moved several meters forward, thus making a wide opening for the lowering of the heavy machinery needed to roll cases or punch headstamps out.

The factory itself was very well-organized as a standard assembly line for ammunition production, starting with the beginning stages of shaping raw material on one end to filling cases with powder, pressing in bullets and primers on the other. The factory even had a test range where different lots of ammunition would be tested for velocity and penetration standards. It also had a dining section so workers could eat, a bathroom and even a UV room where workers would have to spend a certain amount of time so that their cover stories of working in the fields all day could be justified to those in the kibbutz and more importantly to the British, who had a base almost next door to the community center.

In order for visitors to get a better realization of what the factory might have looked like during operation, the museum has dummies in positions of working on the machines and has printed out, scaled-up photographs of actual workers during their time at the factory. We like the creative attempt to make these life-size cutouts of the real people involved with the factory as it gives a visitor a real sense of the kinds of young people that took enormous risk to work covertly.

Workers would complete 10-hour shifts in extremely hot conditions, always fearful of an accidental explosion from the propel-lants. Estimates in the factory claim that at times almost 14,000 rounds could be completed in a single day of work; another source even stated that almost 40,000 rounds were produced at the factory’s peak. An initial figure of 2.25 million rounds is quoted for total ammunition production during the 3 years of operation from 1946 to 1948, but there are others that quote an even higher amount. The completed ammunition would be boxed in standard 50-round cardboard boxes and then transported above ground at the end of every day. It would be picked up by a driver who was already delivering various supplies for the bakery and would come in the evening. This driver would then deliver the ammunition to Ta’as authorities which saw to it that it was distributed across the numerous rebel groups throughout Palestine. Very little of each operation was known to the other division due to the need to keep the secrecy of the entire organization.

In conclusion, we would highly recommend a visit to the Ayalon Institute; it is well worth the drive down to Rehovot and the admittance fee to peak into a fascinating aspect of Israeli history. Especially in light of the current closing of the IDF History Museum for the foreseeable future. The visitors’ center also sells various books and CDs about the factory that are not available online for purchase internationally 

THE AYALON INSTITUTE

Visiting Hours

Sunday–Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Make sure to call ahead and lock down a spot on an English or Hebrew tour ahead of time as slots can fill up quickly. If you are not slotted for a tour, they cannot let hop on.

Contact Info

Tel: 08-9406552, 08-9300585
Fax: 08-9407534
Email: ayalon@shimur.org.il

The author recently made a trip to Vietnam and selected a tour which led to the main battlefields, where the Communists fought the French and later the South Vietnamese and the American troops, and several military museums. 

History of the Country 

In the past, the Indochinese Peninsula was a meeting point for itinerant people from China and India and South seas mariners. After 1801, the Nguyen Dynasty became the leader of a large state called Vietnam, ranging from the Chinese border to the Ca Mau Peninsula at the southern tip of the country. The border was pushed to the west after annexation of the Cambodia and Laos districts. The Dynasty remained in control of the country until 1945, and the last emperor was Bao Dai. 

French Colony 

Portuguese and French missionaries settled in Vietnam around the 16th century and established a religious, commercial and strategic organization in Indochina. Protectorates were established with Annam and Tonkin in 1883, confirmed by the Tianjin Treaty in 1858 after a conflict with China. The Indochina Union, including Tonkin, Annam, Cochinchina and Cambodia, was established in 1887; later in 1898, Laos and Kouang Tcheou Wan area (formerly Chinese) joined the Union. 

An assembly of representatives for Annam and Tonkin was organized in 1928. An ambitious program permitted installations of infrastructure, industrial development and many other activities. The country was one of the most prosperous in Southeast Asia. 

Vietnamese Communists 

During the 19th century, mandarins (seigniorial) were the main assailants against the French. After WWI, the opposition was taken up by the bourgeoisie, enriched by the economic growth and by some intellectuals educated in French universities. But the most virulent opponent was a young revolutionary Vietnamese, educated by the Komintern in Moscow and the Red Chinese. His name was Nguyen Ai Quoc, but he took the pseudonym of “Ho Chi Minh” after he created the Vietnamese Communist Party in February 1930. During WWII, he established a structured organization in many places of the country and founded the Front for Independence of Vietnam in 1941. 

Japanese Occupation 

In August 1940, 30,000 Japanese soldiers invaded Indochina, but the French administration remained in place. 

War with Thailand 

On September 25, 1940, on the pretense of territorial claims in Laos and Cambodia, Thailand invaded Indochina. After some air raids, a Thai land offensive was launched, during which the French troops resisted with difficulties. 

France replied with a naval assault against the Siamese Navy at Koh Chang, where in less than 2 hours, three torpedo boats and two battleships were sunk. Japan, which was part of the conflict, proposed a mediation. It resulted in an increase of its influence in Indochina. France had to give away some districts in the west of the Indochinese confederation. These territories were returned to France only in 1947.

Act of Aggression March 9, 1945

On March 9, 1945, the Japanese tried to destabilize the French administration and its small colonial army and then give its armament to the Vietnamese nationalists. But when Japan surrendered, neither the United States, Great Britain or China wished to see the comeback of France in Indochina.

France Comes Back

France returned with Admiral d’Argenlieu as governor and General Leclerc as chief of the military headquarters. On September 2, 1945, Ho Chi Minh proclaimed independence of the country and created the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Jean Sainteny, a diplomat, was tasked to discuss relations with Ho Chi Minh. They reached an agreement preliminary to a conference meant to resolve the relationship between the French and Vietnamese, but Admiral d’Argenlieu denounced the agreement, and General Leclerc, who disagreed with him, asked to be relieved of his command.

A peace conference was organized in Fontainebleau on September 10, 1946, but it failed. It was the result of the admiral’s stubbornness, the intransigence of French politics and the xenophobia of the Vietnamese.

War in Indochina

General Giap, the commander of the Vietnamese People’s Army, began the First Indochina War in December 1946. Gradually, the entire country became involved. The French troops, 70,000 strong, were systematically attacked. Against guerilla warfare, tanks, aircraft and artillery were powerless. France reinforced the Southeast Asia Expeditionary Force with volunteers, but the troops were poorly equipped with old vehicles and obsolete equipment or armament.

The French Army was constrained to defensive action. In December 1950, General de Lattre de Tassigny was appointed chief commander. He tried to improve the situation, but his poor health did not permit him to succeed. He won an increase of the American supply effort and the creation of a Vietnamese Army. His successor, General Salan, followed a similar strategy. But back in France, the war was unpopular, the government was unsteady, and trade unions close to the Communist Party provoked sabotage and betrayed their country.

Dien Bien Phu

The French headquarters tried to remove resistance in the North by installing a large military base from where operation against the Viet Minh could be organized to prevent infiltrations into Tonkin. During the build-up of the French installation in the Dien Bien Phu basin, the Viet Minh built bunkers hollowed out of the limestone cliffs overhanging the base. More than 260,000 coolies were commandeered to ferry equipment, big bore guns and ammunition with their bicycles.

The offensive began on March 13, 1954, with an artillery bombardment followed by attacks of the strongholds built by the French on the hills bearing Christian code names: Anne-Marie, Gabrielle, Beatrice, Huguette, Françoise, Dominque, Claudine, Eliane and Isabelle.

Despite troops being air-dropped for reinforcement, the base surrendered on May 7, 1954. After the battle, 2,293 French soldiers were killed, 5,195 were wounded and 11,721 were taken prisoners. They walked more than 400 miles to reach internment camps where their “political reeducation” was organized. Only 3,290 returned to France.

Geneva Conference

After the disaster in Dien Bien Phu, the French government disengaged quickly. The Geneva Accords in July 1954 stopped the war. Laos and Cambodia became independent. Tonkin, Annam and Cochinchina were separated in two states: The Democratic Republic of Vietnam, north of the 17th parallel, and the Republic of Vietnam to the south. The French Army left Southeast Asia in 1955.

American Intervention

After the French departure, the U.S. supported the South Vietnamese government. In May 1959, 15 task forces, 46 air bases and 11 Navy bases were set up with 685 military advisors. After President Johnson arrived at the White House, the American expeditionary force increased to 543,482 men on April 30, 1969.

The Communists built up their offensive and systematically attacked American and South Vietnamese troops. In January 1969, peace negotiations were opened in Paris.

President Nixon announced a progressive retreat of the American forces. A peace agreement was reached on January 27, 1973, by Henri Kissinger and Le Duc Tho. On March 29, the last American Combat troops left the country.

The Fall of Saigon

The American pullout did not stop the war. Launched in March 1975, the North Vietnamese People’s Army’s offensive pushed across South Vietnam, and districts fell despite the resistance of the Vietnamese Army. Hue surrendered on March 25 and Da Nang on April 2.

The offensive on Saigon began on April 27 and was achieved 3 days later. The following year, the country was unified and became the Vietnamese Socialist Republic. Thirty years of war considerably upset Southeast Asia and caused 2 million victims. 

My Trip to Vietnam

After a first tour, I wished to come back for a better knowledge of the country, discover new landscapes, meet local people and visit historical museums.

The trip began in Hanoi. The city now has a new international airport, highways, bridges and high tower buildings, all generally built by Chinese, Japanese and/or Korean investors. The population is now 7.6 million people with about 3 million bicycles, auto cycles and scooters. We visited several museums: Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Temple of Literature to learn about Confucius and finally the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where we saw the guard change.

One day later we went to Dien Bien Phu (DBP). Before boarding, I imagined all the boys who at the same place 60 years ago traveled by other planes and jumped—often for the first time—for a hopeless fight.

After a 1-hour flight we arrived at DBP. The village which existed in 1954 is now a 50,000-person city. It is long and narrow, built next to the airport railway which is the site of the former runway created before the battle. The Eliane 2 entrenchment is faithfully regenerated but with concrete sand bags. Crossing through there is particularly touching, and I take to heart the glory and sacrifice here.

Military Museums

The Dien Bien Phu Museum presents several scenes of the battle, small arms and equipment. Small arms exhibited in the museum are the glint of military material used by the French Army or Viet Minh troops. A wide variety of French and other small arms from WWII include: 

• Approximately 10 variations of pistols and revolvers (the MAS 35 S, SACM 35A, P38, Colt M1911, Browning, MAB or other .32 pistol, M1892 revolver, Smith & Wesson, Enfield, Webley and more); 
• MAS-38, MAT-49, Thompson, STEN, MP40 submachine guns; 
• Berthier rifles, MAS-36 and MAS-36 CR39, U.S. M1 carbine, Garand M1, U.S. Enfield M1917, Mauser K98k and Lee–Enfield; 
• M1924/M29, Bren, BAR, MG34 and MG42 light machine guns; and 
• MAC 31, Hotchkiss, Browning M1919A4 or A6, Vickers, M2HB machine guns.

Viet Minh had approximately the same small arms, with a large quantity of M1902 “Indochinese” rifles and also Mosin-Nagants, a Chinese copy of the PPSh 41, ZB vz. 26 and various Russian machine guns, including the DShK-1938/46.

Beyond the military hospital is a necropolis where several thousand soldiers from France and former colonies are buried. This cemetery and the monument were not established by the French government, but by a lone man, Rolf Rodel, a French Foreign Legion veteran.

One day after this visit, we left on a bus headed to the North. We visited several villages and schools where Thaï and Red H’Mong people live and learn the Vietnamese language and the history and culture of living in a communist country.

Then we traveled again by a mountain road. The Black H’Mong (Meos) people who came from China in the 18th century and never joined the Vietnamese live here. Many of them joined the French and are Catholic. Some Meos resistance organizations against Communism remained after 1954. After the departure of the French, they helped the Americans, so Vietnamese do not like them very much. They lived in isolation and were particularly hermetic to Marxist culture. The Vietnamese government consolidated them in villages near roads for easier control. 

After traveling through several other towns, including Sapa, Lai Chau and Lao Cai, we returned to Hanoi where there are several military museums, such as: 

• B52 Victory Museum, with a lot of information about Hanoi’s anti-aircraft defense. Outside, there are various rockets, anti-aircraft cannons and a MiG-21. 
• Vietnam Military History Museum, near the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, covers approximately 130,000 square feet and testimonies of their fight against the French, Americans and their allies, with many pictures and documents.

On the way back to Hanoi, we visited the small city of Dong Trieu. Between 1885 and 1889, my grandfather’s uncle served here as a Foreign Legion Lieutenant. He fought “Chinese pirates” (rebels) and was wounded. His received the Legion d’honneur medal for his bravery.

From Hanoi, we flew to Hue, the “Forbidden City,” which is the former emperor’s palace. Just beside it is a military museum where there are many American vehicles, tanks and helicopters exhibited.

Heading west en route to Saigon, we followed the Ho Chi Minh Trail and crossed through the small cities of Tan An, Kham Duc, Dak Glei, Dak Sut, Plei Can, Dak To and Dak Ha and on through Dalat. In the past, it was a resort city with many old houses and monuments, miraculously saved from American bombing. We visited the summer residence of Bao Dai, the last Vietnam emperor.

Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon

Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is very crowded with 7 million bicycles or scooters; what will happen when they can buy cars? Our visit included a stop at the War Remnants Museum, which describes the history of the country from 1945, with a large place for the atrocities of the French or American imperialists and south puppet allies! The museum also shows the devastating results of the use of napalm or Agent Orange. But there was nothing about the reeducation camps, inhuman incarceration conditions of the French prisoners after Dien Bien Phu or captured American pilots. The museum has an interesting collection of small arms and on the outside, various materials with wheels, tracks or propellers. There is also a shop with interesting English-language books on the war and nearby an authentic guillotine!

We also toured the Reunification/Independence Palace. Originally built in the late 1870s, the imperial palace was destroyed by an assassination attempt via a bombing in February 1962. At the same site, a presidential palace was built. It was both the residence of the president and the government office. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, it became a museum but sometimes official meetings are organized there. The museum covers the main events of the Republic of Vietnam and capture of the palace by North Vietnamese forces. 

The museum and palace permitted us to see firearms and material used by the Viet Cong, South Vietnamese and American forces, which are different from those used during the Indochina War. 

At the beginning of the War, Americans used the M2 carbine, Garand, M14, Thompson, Browning M1919A4 and later the M16A1, M79, M60 and a wide variety of mortars or anti-tank guns. Various armored vehicles and tanks such as M50 Ontos with six 106mm guns; helicopters used were the CH-47 Chinook, Bell UH-1 Iroquois and many others. The North Vietnamese used the Russian AK-47 or Chinese Type 56 rifles, machine guns or tanks. 

End of the Tour 

Our trip concluded with a walk on the historic Catinat Street, now Dong Khoi (“Total Revolution Street”), in Ho Chi Minh City. It is now a very luxurious area with nice hotels, restaurants and stores. The tour finished with a cruise on the Mekong River and a flight back to Paris after a fantastic 16-day trip in Vietnam. I highly recommend visiting Vietnam for all of its military history. 

Located in northern England, the city of Leeds houses one of the largest collections of historical weapons. The Royal Armouries Museum holds hundreds of thousands of artifacts dating back centuries and even millennia. It was originally located in the Tower of London, but was moved in the 1990s to Leeds. It opened in 1996 and has become an essential part of the city. It is free to enter and is quite popular for both locals and tourists. 

The ground level of the museum has a restaurant and a museum shop. The shop has a wide array of books, toys, magnets and other products. Also for sale are swords—both historical and fictional replicas. It has been a while since I ate at the restaurant; although I remember it being very good. There are actually a number of restaurants nearby, including a pizzeria, and across the canal is a famous Indian restaurant, “Mumtaz.” 

To go to the next level, there are four elevators, though only one goes to the fifth floor. The amazing alternative is to walk up the stairs in the Hall of Steel. In the form of an octagon tower with the stairs on the outside wall, the hall contains over 2,000 museum pieces. Pistols, rifles, breastplates, helmets, bayonets, swords and spears decorate the inside. The hall only goes to the second and fourth floors, but there are stairs on those floors that allow you access to the others. 

The first floor is not really meant for visitors. It contains a library with books dating back centuries on almost every military subject and an education center. You need special permission to go to the library, so it is best just to go to the next floor instead. The old MOD Pattern Room library is now inside the Royal Armouries library. 

The second and third floors are the War and Tournament galleries. The War gallery contains artifacts dating back to the Bronze Age. There are a number of exhibits throughout the second floor, including ones about the Hundred Years War, the English Civil War, the Battle of Waterloo, the Battle of Culloden and the weapons of the American Revolution. The Waterloo exhibit includes a massive diorama on a table with thousands of toy soldiers lined up like the different armies at the real battle. There are also two theaters that talk about the Battles of Agincourt and Marston Moor. 

One exhibit on the first floor of the War Gallery is about the Battle of Pavia, fought between King Francis the First and Charles the Fifth of the Holy Roman Empire, in 1525. The display shows a group of pikemen and gunners holding off a group of knights. Behind the display is a painting of the battle itself. Pavia was significant because Francis was captured, and a large number of French nobles were killed off. 

The second level of the War Gallery features exhibits of the Great Rebellion of India in 1857, the American Civil War, the Crimean War and World War I. There are also two exhibits featuring machine guns. One is devoted to the Gatling gun and its descendants, including the M134 Minigun, the YAK-B and the revolving cannon. There is also an exhibit devoted to the wars in Africa, including the Zulu War. One of the best exhibits is the Observation Post, which is looks like a modern military center as seen in the Middle East. 

Opposite the War Gallery is the Tournament Gallery. On display are large suits of armor that were worn at the medieval tournaments. This includes two sets of armor worn by Henry the VIII for the Field of Cloth of Gold, a tournament in France. There is also a special armor on display called the Lion Armor. It is covered with carvings of lions, and the head is shaped like one. There are also some old lances and horse armor on display. 

The fourth and fifth floors feature the Oriental, Self-Defense and Hunting Galleries. The Oriental Gallery is my favorite. The displays include human and horse armor from Japan, Turkey, Mongolia, Africa, India and China. Weapons include a repeating crossbow, Chinese staff weapons, finely ornamented muskets and even a replica of a Terracotta soldier. There is a large section of the gallery devoted to Japan. The display includes a tea house built in the middle of the hall, large display cases filled with Japanese muskets, bows, spears, naginatas (Japanese halberds), and, of course, samurai swords. There are even two videos that play there, one for the traditional horseback archery of Japan and one on how a samurai sword is made. 

Next to the Oriental Gallery is the Self-Defense Gallery. It contains the many weapons used by civilians around the world including cane swords and small pistols. There are also a few movie guns and swords on display, including swords from “The Lord of the Ring” franchise. Above the Self-Defense Gallery is the crossbow range. Here you can shoot a number of crossbow bolts for a few pounds. Also on this floor are a few displays containing weapons from Southeast Asia, Europe, Japan and India. 

Across the way is the Hunting Gallery. Displayed here is hunting equipment from medieval times to modern day. One of the biggest displays is the Whaling section, which explains the now almost outlawed trade and how it worked. There is a large whaling canon here, as well as a video showing how it was done. Other artifacts include old hunting bows, crossbows, boar spears, shotguns and other hunting guns. 

The museum houses a number of different amazing artifacts that include a sword that once belonged to Napoleon, a prototype of the Maxim Machine Gun—one of the four “Forerunners” made by Sir Hiram Maxim in the 1880s—a well-preserved Ming Dynasty sword and the previously mentioned whaling cannon. The two most famous artifacts at this museum are the Horned Helmet and the Elephant Armor. The Horned Helmet, or Maximilian’s mask, was a gift from the Emperor Maximilian to Henry the VIII. It is a strange looking helmet, with a human face, a pair of horns sticking out the side and what looks to be a pair of glasses covering the eyes. The Elephant Armor is in the Oriental Gallery and covers a large replica of an Indian elephant, with two armored riders sitting atop the beast. 

Outside the museum, the city of Leeds is relatively safe. There is a large shopping area nearby on the other side of the river, as well as a train station that can take you to other cities and towns. The city of York is about 30 minutes away and has a wonderful shopping area and museums. You can actually go almost anywhere in England by train. If you are feeling adventurous, Scotland is two to three hours away by train. 

The Royal Armouries Museum is worth the visit. It will probably take a few days to see everything there. To make things more fun, special events include employees showing some of the artifacts and explaining how they were used. There are also one-person shows where they dress up like the people of the time period and tell the stories of the battle or the conflict as if they were there. If you are in northern England, take your time and visit the Royal Armouries. 

ROYAL ARMOURIES MUSEUM, LEEDS 

• Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed December 24–26 
• Free admission 
• Armouries Drive Leeds United Kingdom LS10 1LT 
• 0113 220 1999 
• royalarmouries.org 

Chiappa is an interesting firearms manufacturer. They are located in Brescia, Italy, which is typically associated with manufacturing of over/under and side-by-side shotguns with manufacturing dating back 500 years. They have a wide portfolio of products catering to a wide array of clientele. From reproduction muzzle loaders to classic as well as modern lever action rifles to the famous Rhino revolver. They even produce 1911s as well as M4/ AR-15s chambered in .22LR rimfire cartridge. 

The company was originally founded in 1958 by Ezechiele (Oscar) Chiappa under the name Armi Sport. With limited budget, he first started working from the basement of his house producing firearms. The company continued to grow, and the Chiappa Group was created. They moved to the current facility in 2002, but they are constantly expanding. 

Oscar’s son, Rino, is now the CEO and president of the company. Rino’s wife, Suzanna, is the head of the export department and handles all of the export paperwork. Their daughter, Giada, is the CFO of Chiappa Firearms and the vice president of Chiappa USA. 

Giada grew up with the company, and she knows the complete production process inside and out. She took time out to act as my tour guide. Being the third generation of a family business, every employee including her must have passion to work. In fact, she started working for the family business when she was 12 years old (those were the days before labor laws were in place). She remembered riding her bicycle through the basement between the workshop machines and recalled the struggles of a small family business. 

With only 85 employees in the company, they have no union. As Giada explained, they treat every employee of the company with great respect. Every person has to do his part in order to succeed long term for the company. They are willing to hire new employees with little to no firearms background as long as they have a strong work ethic and are willing to learn. 

Compared to traditional gun makers located in the valley of Gardone Val Trompia in the North, Chiappa is located south of the city of Brescia in an industrial area along with manufacturers producing various automotive parts. 

Production 

We started the tour in the barrel production section. All the barrels are made in-house at the factory, and currently they are in the process of preparing to receive a new barrel drill and dimple machine from the U.S. in a few weeks. This is surprising as most small manufacturers simply outsource their barrels, but it is usually more difficult to control quality when it is not done in-house. 

They also have a metal injection molding (MIM) machine, making parts designed for rimfire pistols and rifles where the durability and strength from forged steel or aluminum is not required or too costly. Similar to plastic molding, the raw metal, such as stainless steel, is heated to 1400° Celsius (2552° F) then it is channeled into the mold cavities. Once cooled, the formed parts will be pushed out. Although the molds can be costly, it is offset by high-production volume. MIM is also a much quicker production method than CNC machining. 

On another section of the production area, it housed a very wide and tall machine designed to cut the beech wood furniture. Pieces of rectangular wood blocks are fed into it, and it does the majority of the cutting, including its almost final shape and cutting the areas for trigger housing and cavity for securing the stock to the receiver. This machine is not used by wood stock manufacturers, because it originally was designed for the furniture making industry. In fact, it is used by the famous Swedish furniture maker IKEA. 

The final sanding down of the stocks is still done manually with a drum sander. The stocks are transferred to a small room and have oil applied to them to reveal their true colors. They are polished at the end to get a great shine. 

One rather interesting point: They sell a lot of DIY assembly kits with unfinished wood stock to the U.S. market for the people who want to build their own gun, much like a hobbyist kit. 

For semiautomatic pistol slides, they have an automated robotic arm where the bar stocks are fed to the CNC machines and then get picked up by the arm to get polished. The whole process from raw material to finished slide is done with no human intervention. 

While the assembly of firearms is done mostly by men, each firearm is packed neatly into its packaging, then into cardboard boxes by mostly female workers. It’s apparent that every firearm is handled with love and care, even if the packing process is repetitive in nature. 

Throughout the production area, the workers employ a barcode system on each firearm that relates to its specification as well as production progress. Each employee also scans his or her employee card when beginning work at his or her station; management can track time spent per manufacturing step per firearm. This is beneficial as the company can identify if there are inefficient production processes and/ or employees, and once they are identified, they can then find a solution to the problem. 

Right next to the door that took me back to the office, there was a tall, large steel green door with a label “Shooting Range” in English which took us to the basement of the factory. Chiappa has a small 25m shooting range for test firing. Each firearm gets test-fired five rounds, and when the process is complete the computer automatically prints out the results. The shooting range computer also links up to the company server along with the barcode system so the company can pinpoint where the firearm is during assembly as well as during testing. 

All Chiappa shotguns, such as the three-barrel Triple Crown and Triple Threat 12-gauge break-action shotguns, are produced by Akkar in Turkey. 

Rhino 

The Rhino is one of the most recent and unique revolver designs of this past decade. The designer, Antonio Cudazzo, is an architect by profession, but he is passionate about firearms. He wanted a carry gun that has the reliability of a revolver yet be light, compact and have low recoil. He was close friends with Emilio Ghisoni, the designer of the infamous semiautomatic Mateba Autorevolver. 

Chambered in .357 Magnum as well as the more common 9mm cartridge, the Rhino features a short grip compared to traditional revolvers. It looks strange at first, but in reality, it provides good purchase to the shooter’s hand. 

Due to the purpose being concealed carry, the original Rhino features a 2-inch barrel. The Rhino’s unique design featuring the barrel at the bottom of the cylinder provides extremely low bore axis, reducing flip and recoil as the pistol goes straight back close to the middle of the hand instead of top of the hand. This was realized to be an advantage in competition shooting, and subsequent models feature 5-inch long barrels. The latest version, the Charging Rhino, features a 6-inch barrel with a black anodized finish in contrast to the nickel-plated trigger and cylinder along with a grey laminated grip. Due to its longer length, there are Picatinny rails at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock that can accommodate red dots, lights and lasers. 

Chiappa had been playing with various types of PVD colors and finishes. Their latest idea is to create a Rhino in a chameleon, multi-color PVD finish called the Rhino Nebula. 

Due to its complex manufacturing, the factory currently produces 600 to 800 units a month, and there are 1,000 to 1,500 units on back order. 

“Hooray for Hollywood” 

This revolver is also getting popular on the silver screen. It is used in the latest “Fast & Furious” film, being carried and used by The Rock. It will also be in the upcoming “Terminator: Dark Fate” movie with Linda Hamilton reprising her role of Sarah Connor and Arnold coming back as the Terminator. Previously, it was in “Suicide Squad,” “Total Recall” (the 2012 remake) as well as in video games such as “Battlefield 4” and “Rainbow Six.” 

Chiappa has received numerous requests to produce an identical version of the Rhino as seen in comic book movie “Suicide Squad,” used by the iconic Harley Quinn character. Chiappa reached out to Warner Brothers for its permission and possible licensing agreement; however, the movie studio refused to have any collaboration with any firearms manufacturer. The movie armorer company that did the modification to the revolver had also signed an agreement with the studio not to reproduce these revolvers as they were strictly made for the film. 

CBR-9 Black Rhino 

I was fortunate enough to be one of the few lucky people to handle the prototype CBR-9 Black Rhino, which was recently unveiled at the 2019 IWA Outdoor Classics trade show in Nuremberg, Germany. The Black Rhino is a PDW (personal defense weapon) similar to the likes of the Heckler & Koch MP7 and FN P90. The Black Rhino is chambered in 9mm and feeds from a patent-pending, proprietary double-stack magazine that funnels the rounds to become a single stack for enhanced reliability instead of alternating the rounds left and right. It is extremely compact and is designed to be fired one-handed if the situation requires it. 

Like the Rhino revolver, it is a continuation of the same concept that offers extremely low bore axis in order to reduce felt recoil. This means the barrel is as close to the index finger as possible, and the action is situated above the barrel with the hammer flipped upside down. Giada tells me the prototype has been fired one-handed in full-auto with great accuracy, producing minimal recoil with little to no training. 

It’s designed by Antonio Cudazzo in collaboration with Tanfoglio, and the final design is completed by Chiappa engineers. As a joint project, the commercial semiautomatic version will be sold by Chiappa, and the military select-fire version will be marketed and sold by Tanfoglio. Both versions will be made by Chiappa due to its expertise in rifle production. 

It has a wide aluminum upper receiver with a polymer lower. It has a retractable stock that can be removed. For the American commercial market, it may come with a pistol brace instead, which is still being developed at the time of writing. It has a Picatinny rail on top, ready for optics, but it also comes with bright fiber optic iron sights that are flush-fit and integrated inside the top rail. Right at the shooter’s index finger is the ambidextrous bolt hold-open and release. The magazine release is positioned at the shooter’s thumb just like a semiautomatic pistol. The ambidextrous safety is high up near the top of the upper receiver and requires the shooter to push forward to disengage. The charging handle is at the foregrip and can be switched from the left to right hand with minimal tools. It also has a small, integrated vertical grip up front that can be folded down with a push of the button to unlock it, similar to the HK MP7. 

The gun is held together by push pins that come apart quite easily. It features a compensator as a muzzle device which can be unscrewed by pushing back a locking tab. 

Many would question the effectiveness of the 9mm round. In spite of that, the U.S. Army recently selected Brugger & Thomet’s APC9K 9mm submachine gun for their Personal Security Details. The CZ Scorpion Evo 3 is another SMG that was recently adopted by the Hungarian Defense Forces and Hungarian police, the Finland police and Czech Republic Armed Forces and police, amongst other military and police services in many countries. With budget constraints in many militaries as well as in police departments, the 9mm round may not be such a poor choice as it simplifies logistics instead of procuring a special round like the MP7’s 4.6mm or FN’s 5.7mm cartridges. 

Conclusion 

I have visited a good share of factories across the world, but Chiappa is certainly the most dynamic and adaptable company that sets itself apart and caters to several different clientele with rimfire pistols, revolvers, reenactment rifles to tactical rifles and shotguns. Chiappa continues to innovate with unique firearm designs and finds demand on the products that it produces. As a gun enthusiast, this author appreciates companies that think outside the box to create unique looking firearms that also have performance benefits. 

There will certainly be more Chiappa product placements on the silver screen near you. 

I discovered the Burma Campaign when I was 10 with a comic strip which told the Chindit’s story …

History of Myanmar/Burma

Myanmar (Burma) was, in the past, a group of many kingdoms with a way of life guided by Buddhist culture, up to the 9th century. Later, populations coming from the North appeared, and during several centuries, the country was the theatre of many foreign or domestic wars.
The arrival of French and Portuguese colonists enhanced the trade and influence of Burma. Europeans supported various communities, according to their interests. A new dynasty arrived in the middle of 18th century. Burmese interests often conflicted with those of Britain in India, and several conflicts opposed both countries between 1824 and 1886.

Finally, Burma became a British district of India, the capital city being Rangoon (Yangon today). Educated young people opposed the colonial organization, and under the mounting pressure a local elected body was established in 1923. Burma and India were set apart in 1937, and the election of a local assembly was prepared. But WWII broke out, and Burmese nationalists saw it as an opportunity to drive the British out of the country. One of their leaders was Aung San, who created the Burmese communist party in 1939. He was searched by Her Majesty’s police and escaped to China were he sought help from the Chinese communists. Captured by the Japanese, he moved to Japan where he received military training and became the chief of the Burmese Independent Army organised in Siam (Thailand), with the rank of colonel. Later, he became a general.

the Northern part of the country to link it with India and China, where the Chinese Kuomintang Army fought against the Japanese. Ever since that moment, the Japanese tried to destroy this artery.

Coming from Thailand, the Japanese Army entered into Burma on February 23, 1942, capturing and controlling the bridge on the Sittaung River. They occupied the south and later the central part of the country including Rangoon. The Burmese Independent Army with its commander Aung San, allied with the Japanese, fought against the British.

The Burmese Campaign

On April 29, 1942, the Japanese Army attacked the British troops which were driven back to the North of the country. Two brigades and the 17th Indian Division were destroyed. Despite the help of a Chinese expeditionary force and of British/Burmese troops, the Allied forces could not prevent the Japanese from capturing the strategic road on May 15, 1942. At the same time, the Burmese Independent Army was present in the whole country, a permanent menace.

The Allied headquarters finally decided to abandon Burma. Retreat-ing units, or what was left of them, and many refugees arrived in India where nothing had been prepared for their arrival. Between May 10 and 27, 1942, four Thai divisions (allied with Japan) invaded the eastern part of Burma. Several attacks organised by the Allied forces in 1943 and 1944 failed to alter the situation.

The Chindits

Lord Louis Mountbatten was the supreme allied commander of the Allied troops in Southeast Asia. He conducted the campaign against Ja-pan that led to the recapture of Burma. The troops were trained in India within various units, their commander being an American general: Josef Stilwell (nicknamed “Vinegar Joe,” which explains his personality), who was Mountbatten’s deputy. He was also the military advisor to Chinese General Chiang Kai-shek.

A special 3,000-men elite unit called the “Chindits” was created under the command of British General Orde Wingate and was organised as commandos to fight Japanese forces. The Chindits included British, Australian, New Zealand, Indian, Gurkha, West African and Chinese soldiers.

They were dropped by parachute behind enemy lines, and after a long march toward their objective (disorganized Japanese units), they de-stroyed roads and supply centers. At the same time, the Japanese troops occupied the whole of Burma, behaving like savages and mistreating the civilian population.

Burma declared its independence on August 1, 1943, though its government was devoted to Japan. On March 19, 1944, the Japanese troops launched an attack against India with 40,000 men. 30,000 British and Indian troops repelled them. General Wingate was killed in an aircraft accident on March 24.

The combined actions of the Chindits, the 5307th Composite Unit (known as Merrill’s Marauders) an American similar organisation, Chinese troops with the airborne support of General Chennault’s “Flying Tigers,” allowed the conquest of Burma.

On January 21, 1945, the British and the Chinese troops were able to establish a junction, and the Burma Road was reopened. Defeat-ed on every frontline, the Japanese troops resisted but were forced out of occupied territories despite illness, malnutrition and adverse climatic conditions. Considering that Japan, through its occupation, tried to set up a new form of colonisation, the Burmese Independent Army joined the Allies and triggered a general mutiny against the Jap-anese. The Burmese government, in favor of Japan, disappeared in the general unrest.

On May 1, 1945, an Allied offensive was launched against Rangoon. Gurkha paratroopers were dropped in the back of the enemy, and the 26th Indian division, ferried on boats, landed on the river banks. Both troops made their junction on May 6, 1945, and Rangoon was taken back by the Allies.

War Cemetery

It is located in the small city of Taukkyan, near Rangoon, where 6,000 allied soldiers are buried. A memorial bears the names of 27,000 people who died during the war against Japan between 1942 and 1945.

After the War

General Aung San discussed with the British the independence terms of the country, which was obtained in 1947 and implemented one year later.

He set up a provisional government which was not agreed by all (particularly the Trotskyists and ultra-Nationalists). On July 19, 1947, he was killed with six ministers of his government by the former prime minister U Saw, who was arrested and hanged by the British. July 19 became the national holiday of Burma.

A civilian democratic government led the country from 1948 to 1958, but the situation deteriorated, and it was replaced by a general. Two years later, he overthrew the legal government and established a military dictatorship. Despite local opposition and the disapproval of most countries of the Free World, the military junta stayed in power until 2015 with the help of Russia, China and (more discreetly) of Thailand. Political opponents were released from prison where some of them were kept since 1960.

Although the military keeps 25% of the seats in the parliament, democracy is back in Burma. People are allowed to move freely and can communicate (by Internet and cell phone).

The junta changed the name of the country to Myanmar; Rangoon is now called Yangon. A new capital city was built in the jungle, 200 miles from anywhere, called Naypyidaw.

Aung San Suu Kyi became the government’s leader by proxy. She is the daughter of general Aung San and was harassed during 25 years (assigned in a house or imprisoned). She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.

The Myanmar Military Today

he Myanmar/Burmese Army is the fourth largest armed force in Southeast Asia. It relies on volunteers (in principle).

Ground Forces (Tatmadaw Kyee)

Since 1950, Burma has had its own armament industry located in 13 factories, where the following weapons are manufactured:

• BA 94 smg, a copy of the UZI with a plastic stock
• MA-3 rifle, local version of the Galil
• MA-15 machine gun (MG3) Tanks are old Russian or Chinese models.

Air Force (Tatmadaw Kyee)

The Air Force uses Russian, Chinese or American aircraft and French or American helicopters.

Navy (Tatmadaw Yay)

125 boats and about 19,000 sailors.

Military Police (Myanmar Yae Tat Phwe)

Trained by Australian and Israeli advisers.

Border Patrol (Na Sa Kha)

It is a composite organization with members of the Army, Military Police, Customs and immigration officers.

The Military Museum in Rangoon

Located in a three-story building, Schweda-gon Pagoda Road in Yangon (formerly, Ran-goon), the museum has 52 rooms with many objects pertaining to the old history of Burma.

Defense Services Museum

Built in Naypyidaw, the new capital, it covers 72 square miles, and several days are necessary to visit it! Unfortunately, it is far from all the roads travelled by tourists.

I have visited many military museums around the world, but Belgrade Military Museum is one of the best. With 52 rooms it covers 2,000 years of history, and it presents a large variety of articles of a high patrimonial value.

Some Serbian History

The people came to Serbia 8,000 years ago, and nomads from Russia arrived in the country 3,500 years before Christ. Later Celtics disembarked (300 B.C.). Romans were established in the Balkan countries 300 years later, ruling the east and west. In 395, Imperator Theodosius died, and the empire was divided between east and west; Serbia chose to join the Byzantine group.

A first principality was created in Serbia in the 9^th century, and the Orthodox Church extended between the Danube River and Adriatic Sea. Middle-Ages Serbia was conquered and became a part of the Ottoman Empire (Turkish Empire) for four centuries. A slight inclination for independence came in 1804. In 1830, Serbia obtained self-governance and became a constitutional monarchy, but independence was obtained only in 1878, after a war between Serbia (allied with Bulgaria) and Turkey.

Several wars happened between Serbia and other Balkan countries: Bulgaria in 1885, Turkey in 1912 and Bulgaria again in 1913; the assassination of the Austrian Archduke in Sarajevo is credited as the start of WWI.

In 1915, Germany, Austria and Bulgaria attacked Serbia, and after some success, Serbian troops retreated. Recovered by the French Orient Army, under General Franchet d’Esperey’s command, the Serbian Army regained the offensive and marched to Belgrade and Vienna. At the end of WWI, south Slavic countries joined Serbia to become the Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian Kingdom, later becoming Yugoslavia in 1929. Then in 1934, King Alexander I encountered agitation from Croatian independents and was killed in Marseille, France.

In 1941, Croatia became dissident and facilitated the arrival of the Germans with their allies: Italy, Hungary and Bulgaria. The Regent had an agreement with its occupiers, but patriots denounced it. The Resistance was organized between Draza Mihailovic (nationalist) and Marshal Tito (communist).

At the end of the war, Tito was the winner, and he organized Yugoslavia into a socialist republic with several federated districts: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and two provinces: Vojvodina and Kosovo-Metohija. Under Tito, Yugoslavia became a communist republic, but he veered far from Moscow and joined the Neutral countries.

After Tito’s death in 1980, the relationship between the Yugoslavian areas became damaged, by 1989 it was evident Yugoslavia was coming apart and a civil war occurred between 1991 and 1995. All former Yugoslavian countries became independent. But the situation declined, and NATO intervened by aircraft bombing Serbia in 1999. In 2003 the last of the former Yugoslavia became Serbia-Montenegro, but they separated in 2008.

A Museum Born with the Country

In 1878, Serbia became an independent country. A law regarding the organization of the army was adopted and stipulated that all guns or materials regarding the military history of the country had to be kept for scientific and memory purposes. The War Ministry was responsible for this organization, and the museum was founded as a celebration of Serbia’s independence.

In May 1879, the military museum project began. First, Turkish and Serbian arms and flags used during the Independence War were consolidated, and later with uniforms, horse-drawn trucks and cannons. The collection became more significant at the end of the 19th Century.

The first permanent museum display was established in 1904, in a small octagonal 17-yard diameter room in the Kalemagdan fortress in Belgrade. It displayed a lot of information about the history of Serbia, and people were invited to give military souvenirs to the museum.

The establishment took part at the Balkan Exhibition in London in 1907. But due to a lack of interest, it closed in 1912-1913 during the war. When WWI began, bombs fell on Belgrade, and many buildings including the museum were destroyed. The Austro-Hungarians arrived, and many pieces were sent to Vienna or Budapest. The Serbian king and government went to Paris; survivors of the Serbian Army were recovered by the French in Durazzo (Durrës) on the Adriatic Sea; they moved to Salonique (Salonika) and began reconquest of the country.

A long time before the end of the war, headquarters required all the branches of the army (infantry, cavalry, engineers, sanitary corps, etc.) to keep one or more specimens of all small arms, equipment, uniforms or accessories used to create a reference collection. A visionary and foresighted spirit rarely encountered (look around … ).

A New Museum

After peace was achieved, the hunt for pieces stolen by the enemy began, and a new museum was created inside the Kalemegdan fortress.

The museum opened in 1937; collections were widely developed, and new divisions were opened including a library, an artist section and several tanks; aircraft were located in a shed near the museum.

After the beginning of WWII in 1941, museum managers placed many pieces in wooden boxes stored in underground tunnels of the fortress. It was a very good idea because several bombs fell here, and some pieces were kept by Germans.

Belgrade recovered freedom on October 20, 1944, after a combined fight of the Resistance and the Red Soviet Army. On April 2, 1945, a new collection of historical pieces began. The museum was partially destroyed, but some temporary exhibitions were organized.

In 1956, the museum moved to the former building of the Geographic Institution and was completely rebuilt. It was inaugurated on October 20, 1961. Numbers of visitors increased, many of them were foreign presidents, monarchs, chiefs of government or WWII military commanders.

Guided Visit

My last visit in Belgrade was on October 2018. Walking through the beautiful Kalemegdan park, visitors will discover several decades of old and modern cannons. A visit of the rooms by crossing a particular way allows one to discover Serbian history of 2,000 years. After the Roman artifacts comes Middle Age items with edged weapon armour and scale models of catapults or others, mainly Byzantine. Further in there were primitive and flintlock rifles, mainly Turkish.

When the country was independent many European small arms were used before the country chose various Mauser rifles:

• M1871
• Mauser Milovanovič M1880, 1884 and 1880/07
• M1899, 1899/07, 1899/08, 1908 and 1910

Handguns used were mainly Gasser and Nagant revolvers.

Most of the wars where Serbia fought are exhibited; mainly the Balkans wars and WWI. Weapons, uniforms and flags are exhibited in several rooms with maps, pictures and military equipment. Most of the small arms are German, Austrian, Turkish or French. Some curious models could be seen, such as the Chauchat light machine gun converted for the 7.92mm cartridge by Kragujevac Arsenal in the 1920s.

Histories of the Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian Kingdoms and later Yugoslavia are also presented. The dramatic story of King Alexander I’s assassination in Marseille, France, on October 9, 1934 is described. The king’s jacket with several bullet holes and the assassin’s gun, a Mauser Schnellfeuerpistole (it is a copy; the original is in France), are exhibited.

Rooms about WWII exhibit many German, Italian, American, British or Russian small arms. A scarce Knorr-Bremse light machine gun can be seen. A large room is dedicated to Marshal Tito, the Yugoslavic communist revolutionary and political leader whose memory is still present in the country.

In the newest rooms Serbian small arms produced by Zastava are exhibited and so is the recent history of Serbia:

• UN peace representation in Yemen, Congo, Namibia, Iran, Egypt (etc.)
• Civil war
• NATO bombing

Outside of the fortress, a large collection of tanks is exhibited in a moat. The aircraft museum is now near the international Nikola Tesla airport a few miles from Belgrade.

Military Museum

The Serbian Military Museum is located in the fortress of Kalemegdan in Belgrade. It is a Vauban-style castle built with brick at the top of a hill between the Danube and Sava Rivers. It is open from Tuesday to Saturday between 10:00a.m. and 5:00p.m; entry is 200 Serbian dinars ($2.00). There is a cloakroom and a store where technical and historical books can be found. Several of them are written in Serbian and English; they are cheap and very interesting. It is possible to find several restaurants in the park around the fortress.

How to Visit Serbia

Serbia can be accessed by one or more daily flights from all the main cities in Europe. It is possible to lease a car; driving is on the right, but gasoline is expensive.

Money is the Serbian dinar. Check a currency exchange website, such as xe.com, for rates.

Belgrade has a variety of features: small streets, large avenues, old buildings recently restored or near downfall, Stalin-style concrete buildings, old monuments and churches, futurist construction, an embassy, hotels, many small stores, modern shops and restaurants.

There is sufficient security in the country; many people (in cities, hotels or stores) speak English.

It is easy to find a hotel via Trip Advisor or similar reservation site. Prices are cheap: $35-$40 for a night in comfortable hotel including breakfast.

Restaurants are also inexpensive: $6-$8 for a quick meal and $15-$20 for a good dinner.

Some useful Serbian words to know in a restaurant:

Voda = water

Pivo = beer

Nema = finished! (y’en a plus)

The most difficult problem in Serbia is orientation. Inside large cities all the signals along the roads are written in Cyrillic alphabet, which is different than Russian! The use of a GPS is absolutely necessary.

Have a nice trip!

Bibliography

Serbian and Yugoslavian Mauser Rifles, Branko Bogdanovič, North Cape Publications (2005).

Пешалијско Аутоматско Оружје Другог Светског Рата (World War Two Infantry Automatic Weapons), Dejan Milivojevič & Vuk Obradoivič – Odbrana (2012).

Војни Мчэеј Ъеограѧ (Military Museum Belgrade), Predrag Lazevič & Andeliza Radovič – Odbrana (2013).