BEHOERDEN & EXPORT S84/98 BAYONETS DURING THE THIRD REICH (REV.) II w/PHOTOS

[AndyB]

Is not anchor icon but Scales as typical marking for Alexander Coppel Solingen. Similar pieces are reported its same as Hoerster /with location Solingen logo, so called switch period 1937 assembly and not a Behoerden but normal Wehrmacht production. Anker Werke AW was total different maker, didnt made any bayonets post WW1 probably.
Here link to Arnaud piece 6729c, what should be mentioned this was mixed with late S/173 1937 in c range and since d range its only Coppel GmbH.

k98 bayonets data and registry

 

[pwcosol]

Brain Fart on my part...thanks Andy and post amended! Apparently someone in the German Heer did not like the "SOLINGEN" marking on military contract S84/98 T3s. I have always wondered why, after previous use of the S/Codes, the manufacturers were directed to put their firm's name on the bayonets in 1937... only later to return to "disguising" themselves with alpha-codes (other than Ferlach in 38/9). What did they think... that stamping the various manufacturer's names on bayonets would somehow still make their physical location a secret, but having the "SOLINGEN" surcharge would do the opposite? The logic in this escapes me...

 

[Slash]

I like the silver certificate ......

 

[AndyB]

I would see the explanation as follows : the switch from numeral code to normal maker name started in middle 1937 and were announced by contractor, probably WaA inspectors didnt exact determined the future form, prior to approved form of stamps some of the makers with larger production started with adding of their TM logos inside of this new stamp (Herder crossed keyes, ACS scales Coppel) or only with additional location stamp Solingen , by some makers are this only few tousand pcs some with larger production like by Hoerster (20000) who have production capacity much larger as was by the other firms, by some smaller firms similar form didnt existed or was never observed to this time, as probably new directives came from WaA with approved form that was called and confirmed from Army. Solingen is a location which should be probably hidden. Even much later 1940 started the hidden letter code production. Its similar to me as 1940 switch, by some firms as to sample later coded cof, they used a old S/172 numeral code, as was stoped the full name marking, and prior to assigning a new cof code for them they produced with older numeral code from 1934-7 period.

 

[pwcosol]

Regarding the German use of "S/Codes" and later "alpha-codes" to help mask the actual manufactuer(s) of war material, it was a good idea. Other than requiring some organizational control to create, issue and change these codes, the benefit would far outweigh the effort expended. Once read a story about a He-111 which crash-landed in England during the Blitz. A British investigator examining the scene found a large ball bearing which had come away from one of the engines. He picked the bearing up and noticed "Steyr" clearly marked on it. This discovery ultimately lead to a series of bombing raids on the Steyerwerke factory in 1944, which severely damaged their facilities and production in their ball bearing plant... a critical resource for the Third Reich.