Joe,
I was very remiss in leaving out part of my thinking. Which your observations helped to bring into a little better focus for me. Thanks.
At one time I was actively collecting U.S military machetes. I never managed to get all of them which was OK because I was more interested in the WW II variety. They ranged from about 26� blades to 18� with the folders down to about 10�. So length to me doesn't have as much relevance.
�Overkill� I think is relative. By German standards U.S machetes had very flimsy scabbards. Oftentimes just folded canvas. U.S bayonets were better, but still plastic which could break, which is something that happened to very large numbers of them. Period U.S hiking and utility knives had leather scabbards, as did commando knives etc. Whereas the Germans in that era seem to have never developed the same kind of mind set. Highly valuing steel scabbards for just about everything. And one of the possibilities that I had in mind was something that was more of a machete designed for military or possibly paramilitary personnel in the colonies or elsewhere.
I have multiple examples of German export versions of bayonets (markings and/or finish only - identical construction) for both Spain and Portugal in new or near new condition. And a not so nice one that still seems to be a little bit of a mystery to me as to who the customer might have been. So it�s not unreasonable IMO to reverse that. And assume that an an export model of a machete for military or paramilitary use could have been adopted by the Luftwaffe when the need arose. There are many conversions of preexisting products to military use - sometimes used old stock parts to get production going. So I really don�t have a problem with some of the seemingly well used brass examples getting into the hands of the troops for the purposes of testing or general use. Having a few German �trials� examples myself which were never adopted for mass production. That�s why the idea of a possibly aluminum hilted �trials� machete occurred to me when I was looking at the Die Woche picture. With the steel examples of course being the final versions.
Where I�m having a problem is that I�ve seen way too many �minty� brass machetes versus almost zero steel ones. Those are the numbers I�ve seen and it just does not seem to add up. I�m not ruling out anything, but wondering if a possible postwar importation of surplus machetes has skewed the numbers. (Which is also why I seem to have seen a fair number of ex-Portuguese bayonets that now have been magically transformed overnight into �SS� bayonets.)
I also don�t really have a problem with the German Police having its own Flieger-Staffel or mini - air force. My question was more directed to an approximate time as to its creation if you have an idea when. Or even your best guess trusting your judgement. The folding shovels seem to be a part of the survival kit irrespective of packaging. What I�m wondering is how the drilling would fit? And wouldn't it have gotten banged around like all of the other stuff (machete, shovel etc.) that was thrown together? Or was it separately protected? I�m not questioning that it was ordered or included. I�m just trying to figure out how they protected it, especially the barrel. Have a recollection of a fitted case - but not sure how they got it all to fit together for aircraft use.
PS to Bret: Thanks for the link
I started out as pistol collector myself. After that I�m not quite sure what happened.
The machete from what I can see looks OK. In the past I�ve had some military issue axes but I don�t really know them. That said, the axe seems to be OK also but that is just a guess.
Best Regards to you both, Fred
