3.7cm Flak 18 case

[jock auld]

Guys,

Got this before my mate started polishing it up.

I can make out 3.7cm flak 18 along the bottom.

There are what I assume are extractor marks at the 9 oclock, the number 14 at the 12-o-clock and 1939 at the 3-o-clock. Above the flack 18 is a 4 digit number (6348) with a star after it. At the 5-o-clock is a Heers Waffen-ampt mark.

Jock

[HVK]

For me it looks like an extractor mark at 3 ö´clock and an ejector mark at 9 o´clock.... :-) Looks great ! I once found a complete of these in steel in a German forest - en bad shape though....

[jock auld]

For me it looks like an extractor mark at 3 ö´clock and an ejector mark at 9 o´clock.... :-) Looks great ! I once found a complete of these in steel in a German forest - en bad shape though....

You are of course correct, thats what I meant, I'm guessing that it hit the ejector at the 9-o-clock which forced it out of the gun. I'm just pleased they loaded the shells 'smart soldier like fashion' or was it just luck that it was the right way up!

Jock

[HJ-Collector]

hi jock very nice mate are they brass? i would be guilty of cleaning them aswell i would love this one cleaned up

[jock auld]

hi jock very nice mate are they brass? i would be guilty of cleaning them aswell i would love this one cleaned up

Ewan,

They are brass but he (my pal) sticks them on a laith and cleans them rather aggresively. It was his DRK helmet too, he has the urge to renew anything dirty by either stripping it down and repainting, scouring to death etc,etc, you get the idea. I shudder to think what hew has 'restored' in the past.

Jock

[HJ-Collector]

ffs a laiths a little heavy, i would give them a bit of good old brasso and some elbow grease i have a few i have cleaned except my ww1 case,i like it as it is

[Matt L]

The thing that's dangerous about cleaning German WWII cases is that quite a few were just brass-plated steel so anything much will simply destroy the plating and expose the steel; moreover, you would certainly destroy any of the ink loading detail markings that may exist- there's a good reason museum conservation is as non-invasive and, in particular, always reversable...

[jock auld]

The thing that's dangerous about cleaning German WWII cases is that quite a few were just brass-plated steel so anything much will simply destroy the plating and expose the steel; moreover, you would certainly destroy any of the ink loading detail markings that may exist- there's a good reason museum conservation is as non-invasive and, in particular, always reversable...

Matt,

I agree with you but not everyone treats their items with the same respect as yourself. My pal was going to skim the surface with his laith. There are already three casualties of this method but they are shiny so he is happy (they are brass not plated)! I have claimed the rest before he destroys them.

Jock

[Matt L]

Well good on you for saving these lovely relics from the 'butchery' - I've never understood the love of shiny things over original, historical things...