W.B. 1942 accepted M1911A1 pistol with other stuff

“W.B.” Army Inspector of Ordnance;
Waldemar S. Broberg, Colonel
Hartford/ Springfield Ordnance District
Army Inspector of Ordnance:
July 1, 1941-Jun.30, 1942
Colt M1911A1 pistols:
Serial nos. 750,500-861,000 +or-.
( Ref. Charles W. Clawson)


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC04625-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC05131-1.jpg
http://i530


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC05130-1.jpg



https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...arkings1-1.jpg



https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...tionmark-1.jpg



https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SC008572-1.jpg



https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...markings-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ewDSCN45-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN4574-1.jpg



https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC01666-1.jpg


The leather and pouches change but the pistol and the mags remain the same.

David

Very Nice David, Beautiful Colt and rig, thanks for sharing the pictures.

Tell me about the mags, are those markings correct for wartime mags?

Nice looking rig, thanks for sharing.

The magazines were for the Government Model and were transferred to the military contract. The beautiful oven blue on the commercial magazines was sandblasted off, the sides of the magazines sanded to remove the effects of the sandblasting, the bottom was then sandblasted and the magazine blued. The sandblasted base appears to be phosphate, but is actually blued.
Both two tone and full blued, and with base marking and without base marking were transferred. The top magazine is a commercial, and the bottom is a commercial transferred to the military contract.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../2qsz4wn-1.jpg

Thanks for the comments.

Also John,....thanks for the answer regarding the mags,....I remember you telling me this some years ago after I purchased this pistol.

David


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...yingflat-1.jpg

A couple more pics with the full view of the pistol alone.

The colour consistency on some of my photos is not totally accurate.
(My continuing struggle with photography.)
Click on the bar to enlarge the photos.



https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC03110-1.jpg



https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC03103-1.jpg

David

I have an early rig like yours that came from a veteran that flew out of the Aleutians. Everything he brought back on the rig was like new, as he said he took the pistol on the first mission, but left it at the base after that. He described it as being of no use should they have to ditch in the frigid water.

Johnny,

This rig came from a US vet that flew with RAF Ferry Command out of Canada.

David


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC02736-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC01046-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC01015-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC02537-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...titled32-1.jpg

When I got the Colt from the vet's family it came with a "Clinton 1918 F.W.T" marked holster; a magazine pouch marked "R.H. Long 5-18"; and a field dressing pouch marked "Miami Awning Co. 1941."

We collectors can become absolutely possessed at times and really do some dumb things...and as time passes .....we sometimes wonder why we did them.

I was a classic "possessed example" regarding accessories for this 1942 manufactured 1911A1 Colt.

Why I felt that I needed 1942 dated accessories......I was "possessed".
Would I do it again......I hope not!

The original rig was purchased in March 2004.

(Photos shown above.)
The 1942 dated Boyt holster was purchased in November 2004.
The Sears Saddlery Co 1943 dated M5 holster was purchased in October 2004
(A somewhat rare version ...I have been told?)

Capt. G.S. Tobin was the vet....RAFFC shown on the holster is for RAF Ferry Command?
Tobin, an American enlisted before the U.S. had entered the war.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC02313-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC01154-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...chRLLong-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC01092-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ftIthink-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC02131-1.jpg


Aircraft flown by Capt. Tobin during his service.


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...GSTobin1-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC01053-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC01054-1.jpg


David

A great pistol and rig, with the best documentation I have seen.