My recollection is that they used to come with the ration packs.
They were certainly efficient.
For improvised projectiles, I still like his experiments with Coke / Mentos bombs,
A young cousin of mine once tried an experiment with a volatile cleaning product known as The Works. Said cousin measured small amount of solution into a 20 oz soda bottle…
He then added a piece of aluminum foil… put the cap and gave it a good shake. Then instead of throwing it he held it in his hand, it then blew ( as was the intended goal)… He was almost blinded. I got a good beating just for watching the incident take place.
Hmmmm, I’m left handed too. I never noticed this being difficult. Unlike scissors.
Ok, another brilliant and simple idea is the interrupter gear, also known as the synchronization gear. (It’s another WWI thing…I can’t help it.) Early planes in WWI could only fire machineguns mounted above the wing (or manned by an observer) which meant it was extremely difficulty to accurately aim and fire at an enemy fighter. Typically, you would have to reach up and pull the trigger of the machinegun that was up and over your head.
Machineguns couldn’t be mounted in front of the pilot as the propeller was in the way and would be shot off. The solution used a cam attached to the propeller shaft that pressed on a long rod running to the trigger of the guns. The cam was set such that the propeller was horizontal when it pushed on the rod, and the rod in turn pressed the trigger to fire a bullet. The trigger operated by the pilot pulled the rod into position over the cam, essentially allowing the engine’s own rotation to fire the gun.
Very simple, but made aiming far easier and resulted in the ‘Fokker scourge’ of 1915 where Fokker Eindeckers fitted with the synchronization gear trashed the allied airpower, chiefly because they could effectively aim their machineguns through their propellers.
I admit I’m not only left-handed but also quite clumsy.:oops:
Interestingly, RS*,
A Vietnam Veteran friend of mine (Spec-Ops) says they came with the rationpacks, but his team didn’t employ them for that, as his team ate vietnamese foods. His team used the P38 openers as part of the trigger mechanisms for various delayed-action and boobytrap devices of devilish intent and effect…
Devices I, for one, would not wish to be on the receiving end of.
Respectful Regards, Uyraell.
But still not a patch on Freddy !
Freddy Kreuger was considerably nastier than the average little P38 tin-opener, :mrgreen:
Or am I missing a piece of info that should have been passed to me by My veteran friend?
Kind Regards, Uyraell.
Freddy Kreuger was considerably nastier than the average little P38 tin-opener, :mrgreen:
Or am I missing a piece of info that should have been passed to me by My veteran friend?
Kind Regards, Uyraell.[/QUOTE]
Freddie (or Freddy) - the world famous tin opener/church key/spoon.
Good kit.
Thank you for that, Cuts!. 
The folding piercing blade is identical to that of the P38 I have.
I’ve never seen one of those items in the picture you posted. Frankly, I wish I had.
I’d have got one, purely for the practicality aspect.
Kind Regards Cuts, Uyraell.
Check your IMs pal.
Much Thanks, Cuts my friend:)
Kind Regards, Uyraell. 