Description:

Extensive grouping of photographs, documents and relics related to the World War II service of Andrew Nater, an armorer with the U.S. Army Air Forces' 358th Fighter Group, includes: Photo album, 12pp folio, containing approx. 130 b/w photographs, most 3 ¾" x 4 ¾" and smaller, depicting numerous aspects of Nater's deployment in Europe, including USO shows, French civilians, his fellow armorers and mechanics, his mobile armorer's workshop (mounted on the back of a truck), and most interestingly numerous views of the P-47 Thunderbolt fighters flown by the 358th, their nose art, a gun camera view of one of their German victims, a crash-landed B-17 and a view of a bridge destroyed during an attack. The album also contains several documents related to Nater, including personal and unit commendations, requests that Nater not be transferred to another unit, and facsimiles of his discharge and separation papers. Most interesting of these is a retained copy of a letter sent by the Group Ordnance Officer to the Ordnance School at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, describing a tail hoist manufactured in the field by the Group's armorers and used to bore-sight the machine guns of their P-47s, and transmitting a plan and photographs, with the suggestion that this piece of equipment might be useful in general production and issue. This plan, listing Nater as the drafter, and three photos of the device are included as well. In the same vein, the group also includes one original and four facsimile plans and five specimen photos, all depicting a hand-held ammunition counter developed by Nater. His prototype of this counter is included with the group, 11 ¼" long, consisting of a sprocket wheel with attached Veeder counter, all affixed to a wood handle. Two photos depicting Nater using this device are also mounted in the album, suggesting that the sprocket wheel was to be rolled along a belt of machine gun ammunition, with this action triggering the counter and providing an accurate indicating of the exact ammunition load for each aircraft. The group is rounded out by a selection of large rolled group photographs and certificates elated to Nater's military service and his family. A fine, varied grouping, should be seen.

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November 13, 2018 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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$5,000 $9,999 $500
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$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
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