G.I. with adjustable sight in combat

[frankderrico]

I saw this one on e-bay and bought it. It shows a 89th. I.D. soldier in Germany 1945 with his carbine. I cut looks like highwood stock, type one band and a type two rear sight. I bought it because of the sight. Wonder if it was made that way or modified in theater.

Regards.....Frank

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[firstflabn]

Nice photo, Frank. Multiple reports in the Carbine Club newsletters of field installation of adjustable sights in the ETO in 1945 - and one mention for the Pacific. Also reported is that stateside this practice started in mid-'44. The latter would fit the 89th as they arrived in ETO on 1-21-45.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Thanks for saving the photo and posting it Frank. I hope you don't mind, but I enlarged it a little.

I guess there's no way to know for certain, but I suspect the few seen in period photos were installed in the field. Back then, the real WWII G.I.s didn't look down on better performing adjustable sights and they were desirable so GI's probably fought for them when then showed up. Thye could have been installed with factory and T-1 bands as the T-2 sites beame available, but I think it's more likely a field modification as the carbines being produced would have a way to go before being issued to the front lines in the ETO before the war ended. (JMO)

[INLAND44]

Definitely not made that way - no carbine left any factory with a Type II sight and high-wood, I-cut stock, not to mention a Type I band. It probably is a Hemphill (H in shield).

[frankderrico]

Harlan thanks for enlarging the photo. I tried but it kept cutting off the I cut and the full mag pouch.
It is much clearer in your hand, and I agree with Inland the profile in the pic could be a H in a shield sight.
I think I remember BQ saying an I cut and type one band could have made it to the end of production on some carbines.
Makes me want to find more in the field pics of G.I.'s with their carbines. Another collection starting?.....Frank

[Bruce McAskill]

I really don't know about the photo showing a type 2 rear sight or it even being an I cut stock. I took Harlan's photo and worked on it and finally took a glass to it and it still looks like it could be a type 1 or a type 2. The stock looks the same in that it could be a I cut or an oval that has had a lot of bangs in the oiler area. Maybe it's just my old eyes but I don't see it. Frank the I cut never made it to the end of production. Rock-Ola was the last to make I cuts and they finally ended before 1944 if I remember right.

[Tired Retired]

I think you guys have it all wrong. That is definitely a Universal with a ventilated handguard and a "SW" marked oiler with a "D" tab sling. The stock is an IP and I can tell that it does not a rebuild stamp on it!


Seriously, I think that this whole picture demonstrates one thing about carbines - each one is totally unique. We can only guess at how it got in this configuration. If the sight was installed in the field, it means that the Battalion armorer worked on it. If the battalion armorer worked on it, it could have been damaged in the field. That means that the stock could be a replacement, too. (That is only a GUESS based on posibilities.) I am with Bruce that it may not be an "I" stock. I am also questioning if it is a highwood - I am seeing a dark line that extends downward in a different plane than where the line of the handguard-meets-the-stock area. Just my old eyes.

I am really starting to believe that it was Carbines (not AR platforms) that were really the first "lego" weapons platforms. They were just early attempts to "customize" and "accessorize" each weapon individually.

Great picture of history. I actually wonder who the soldier was and if he survived the war. I also wonder where the carbine is now - if it YOU safe?

Just my two cents (short of a dollar)...

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Harlan thanks for enlarging the photo. I tried but it kept cutting off the I cut and the full mag pouch.
It is much clearer in your hand, and I agree with Inland the profile in the pic could be a H in a shield sight.
I think I remember BQ saying an I cut and type one band could have made it to the end of production on some carbines.
.....Frank

Thanks Frank and Bruce, but it's no real talent here - Photoshop just has better capabilities interpreting and enlarging photos that were scanned with low resolution such as the seller used for his ad. Photoshop is easy to manipulate photos and it can enlarge them so they don't pixelate as badly as most other programs. When Frank gets the original in I bet a quick high res scan will show everything when enlarged.

** If you have trouble with it Frank, please email it to me with a high res scan and I'll see what Photoshop can do for us. Your photo could be useful.

This is as good as I can get with what we have to work with, but I think the I-cut is discernible this time.

I really don't know about the photo showing a type 2 rear sight or it even being an I cut stock. I took Harlan's photo and worked on it and finally took a glass to it and it still looks like it could be a type 1 or a type 2. The stock looks the same in that it could be a I cut or an oval that has had a lot of bangs in the oiler area. Maybe it's just my old eyes but I don't see it. Frank the I cut never made it to the end of production. Rock-Ola was the last to make I cuts and they finally ended before 1944 if I remember right.

Thanks Bruce for your diplomacy - Just my error really. Now that Frank mentioned it, I do think Brian said something about any component making it to the end of production, but I can't use it for an excuse - I just wasn't even thinking about the I-cut and Frank had already pointed it out. How has BQ been doing anyway? Haven't seen around in a while.

PS - I've been keeping one of those Sherlock Holmes size magnifying glasses on the table next to my chair!

Makes me want to find more in the field pics of G.I.'s with their carbines. Another collection starting?.....Frank

Just what we all need, Frank - another collecting addiction!
I think I'm on another tangent collecting US helmets and it only started with one.

I started reading posts about helmets and stuff on a web site that 'Gunner' (Ulrich) turned me on to and he moderates. There are people on his site who do nothing BUT collect original photos about WWII and they share their latest 'finds' just like we do carbines. All in the spirit of collecting! It's all good!

~ Harlan

[Tired Retired]

Harlan, you are very right about the scan. The wonderful thing about the black and white flm from that era is high-res detail of film negatives. I also appreciate the blow up you did of the upper stock. I can see now that the "dark line that extends downward in a different plane" is just the bottom of the hand guard and the cut of the band spring seeming to run together. I can see now that it probably is a highwood stock.

Frank, did you buy that from a personal photo collection or is it an orignal print from a combat photographer? If it is person, i wonder if the original owner has more of that soldier and possibly more of the same weapon?

[usgicollector]

You guys need new eyes!!!! I guess mine with about 30-40 years less milage on them will do. It is clearly a adjustable sight on that carbine and I cut also! Or it may be my big screen monitor!!
Also Rock ola has been reported to have used I cuts until the end of production in the spring of 1944.
Dave