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B is for - Feldfunksprecher b, b1, b2


Funksammler

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Hi guys. Friday night. Kids are in bed, and the wife is watching a movie.
I'm having a drink, and playing with my radios (again) 🤗 

 

Anyway, I've taken some pictures of Wa.A. stampings inside the radio. Wa.A. 798 - this number I cant find anything on, as it does not appear on waffenamt lists that has been published?
The back-lid of the bakelite case has a small "ejo" mark embossed in the bakelite. This i get a hit on as Presswerk AG, Essen

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As far as I know, there have not been found any Feldfunksprechers that are 1940 dated.
But are the Dfh.f only designed or designated to the feldfunksprechers?
I have at least 3 sets of Dfh.f that are 1940 dated:

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 02/10/2019 at 22:47, Björn said:

I just now a couple of minutes ago discovered something funny. Look at the Feldfu b1 at 

https://www.nachrichtentruppe.de/en/34-all-categories/projects/162-vitebsk-1944-a-german-infantry-funker-radio-operator-equipped-with-feldfu-b1

There is only 31 radios between the Feldfu b1 that I have, and the one pictured there:

Here is mine:

b1003a.thumb.jpg.45ca9831a65ea082eef0e01ba510a7a2.jpg

And the one pictured at nachtrichtentruppe.de:

feldfub1_6.jpg.7fcca7c7b3af4fd07e7fc4764981002c.jpg

Even the waffenamt markings match - here is mine (hard to get a good picture of the weak black ink stamp):

b1007.thumb.JPG.8a30d41d7b225f3373994dee5f48dcd7.JPG

And the funny thing is, that both radios are mounted in a early thin-rim bakelite casing - not the reinforced thick edge casing. It would be interesting to see if there are other b1's in the close proximity serial numbers that also are in the early type casings (i.e. -maybe a far reach, but perhaps a few b1's got delivered in first type casings?), or if both radios just had their original casings switched with older type casings. Anyway on my own radio, there is nothing to read of original legend stencils - the casing was repainted when I got it, so it's impossible to see what was originally stencilled on the bakelite case.

Best Regards
Björn

I have been in contact with Vince in France, who owns the Feldfunksprecher b1 wich is pictured on the WAF. He did indeed confirm the WaA 798 stampings on his own radio, as well as the  P18F stampings inside the radio. ( made by Kapsch u. Söhne, Wien) Also the bakelite stampings on the casing - ejo was the same.

And only last night, I came across this radio, wich is for sale at the Lux militaria website:

https://www.lux-military-antiques.com/en/p/german-portable-field-radio-transceiver-set-.htm?fbclid=IwAR310ZdYokZ6u0nR0omMCg6FwNyss_jDho0vXa8QsDUeJVIr4DEO5I4aRWE

It is also a Feldfu b1 mounted in the thin rim bakelite casing, WaA 798, has the P18F stamp on the electrical connection box in the back, AND it has what seem to be original paint and legend stenciles on the bakelite casing. And it says Feldfu b1.
It has serial number 006238/44 (74 radios later than mine)

I borrowed some reference pictures from the site:

 

5d93b29ce5f1c.thumb.jpg.f6f6378f1e105f51eaf4d6c7e7e24f25.jpg

 

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I have now seen 4 different Feldfu b1 radios from Kapsch u. Söhne, Wien made in 1944 within serial number range of only + - 305 radios (including my own b1), all mounted in thin rim bakelite casings.

I am personally convinced that Kapsch made a series of Feldfu b1's in 1944, and issued them in thin rim bakelite casings.

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Oh man. The Feldfu on the Lux militaria website is already reserved. At 3.850.- Euros it is the single most expensive Feldfunksprecher that I have seen being sold.

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19 minutes ago, Björn said:

Oh man. The Feldfu on the Lux militaria website is already reserved. At 3.850.- Euros it is the single most expensive Feldfunksprecher that I have seen being sold.

I have seen this kind on price bumping before. First they "reserve" it by themselves for totally crazy amount of money

and then say that now it's free again, only for "little less than previous price".

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You could be right, Val.
And concerning the condition of the radio - the on/off switch is missing  and not just the knob, the whole switch is gone. And also the battery test lamp and cover is also missing. I wonder what the internal of the radio looks like. Possibly more parts missing inside?
Without pictures of the inside, it's like russian roulette buying it.
Everything can be replaced and repaired of course, but the pricetag on the radio should reflect the condition.

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On 27/10/2019 at 09:15, Björn said:

I have been in contact with Vince in France, who owns the Feldfunksprecher b1 wich is pictured on the WAF. He did indeed confirm the WaA 798 stampings on his own radio, as well as the  P18F stampings inside the radio. ( made by Kapsch u. Söhne, Wien) Also the bakelite stampings on the casing - ejo was the same.

And only last night, I came across this radio, wich is for sale at the Lux militaria website:

https://www.lux-military-antiques.com/en/p/german-portable-field-radio-transceiver-set-.htm?fbclid=IwAR310ZdYokZ6u0nR0omMCg6FwNyss_jDho0vXa8QsDUeJVIr4DEO5I4aRWE

It is also a Feldfu b1 mounted in the thin rim bakelite casing, WaA 798, has the P18F stamp on the electrical connection box in the back, AND it has what seem to be original paint and legend stenciles on the bakelite casing. And it says Feldfu b1.
It has serial number 006238/44 (74 radios later than mine)

I borrowed some reference pictures from the site:

 

5d93b29ce5f1c.thumb.jpg.f6f6378f1e105f51eaf4d6c7e7e24f25.jpg

 

5d93b2a1b0e85.thumb.jpg.6a3c7a469d960b07fea62611f690978d.jpg

 

5d93b29e0f1e3.thumb.jpg.d93a6f1c5e3c9aa03f09dcaef46cc344.jpg

 

5d93b283d095a.thumb.jpg.9fcc51df129dbb84a7933ba3162eb2b8.jpg

 

5d93b295c62ef.thumb.jpg.51f5684ef1d2cd9798a070bd171acd33.jpg

 

I have now seen 4 different Feldfu b1 radios from Kapsch u. Söhne, Wien made in 1944 within serial number range of only + - 305 radios (including my own b1), all mounted in thin rim bakelite casings.

I am personally convinced that Kapsch made a series of Feldfu b1's in 1944, and issued them in thin rim bakelite casings.

If you look carefully at the "Feldfu.b1" legend on the box, you can see that it has been overpainted. Where the "Feldfu" seems to have been applied with a stencil, the "1" appears to be hand painted. Difficult to say when and why the legend was changed, but I am pretty sure it originally just read "Feldfu.b". I am not saying it is impossible that some b1's were factory fitted in left over b boxes, but it is equally possible that at least this box was altered much later to suit the radio inserted....

regards,

Funksammler

 

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21 hours ago, val said:

BTW @Björn, can you get the inner pictures of Vince's B1 in France (that WAF one)?

I have sent him a email and asked him. I'm waiting for an answer (hoping for a positive one)

@Funksammler
I do see what you mean. There is something funny going on with the b in b1. There seem to be something undernieth the b there between the empty space where the shablon or template should be. But the sloppy 1 conform with the sloppy lettering from a bad template or faulty use of the template when adding the Feldfu legend. 
But I still do have a feeling that the painted legend and the gray paint on the case is original.

I would love to see more Feldfu b1's from Kapsch within the 006100 to 006500 serial number range, to see if there could be a pattern in the un reinforced cases. Also reinforced cases with radios from this producer would be very interesting to see.
 

 

 

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Anyway, there's a nice Feldfu b for sale on ebay at the moment. It looks like it has a damage to upper corner on the bakelite case, but other than that it looks good. Seems to have original paint. Including a battery as well.

 

https://www.ebay.de/itm/264518705043?ul_noapp=true

Edited by Björn
fixing a spelling error
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I have looked in feldfu i own , one is in a very nice condition , other has a whole

somewhere else i have  1 or 2 laying can’t reach them now but i guess

one is a c and other b

pierre

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Hello val ruckenstuztze is well striked on both sets 

they are both bpt, waA798 and  P18F 

and it’s also modified for 2 x DFH f

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Indeed an interesting pattern appearing. I had a look at a slightly earlier "b". The "Feldfu.b" legend on the "b" is actually placed at a 90 degree angle (reading from left to right on the top of the radio). So at some point the placing of the legend was changed...

regards,

Funksammler

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Thank you @tornfuté for the pictures of your radios.

I do also have the stamp that looks like a "b.p.l." inside my b1, and in addition to the P18F stamp.

 

71721778_551083548985164_6597058956223315968_n.jpg.0163775e6559171a2b828f5dab8e03b6.jpg

 

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In both my Feldfu b's from 1943 and the Feldfu b1 from 44, the Rückenstütze are striked out, and all have had the 1 changed to 2 for the Dfh.f.

 

IMG_0521.thumb.JPG.29f55750b8c91527e8eac4bdc8068b54.JPG

 

 

 

I did get a answer from Vincent in France, who has the b1 that is posted on the Wehrmacht awards forum. Althou he did not send pictures of the inside of the radio, but he did confirm that he also had the P18F stamp inside his radio. (as I understand, he has the radio standing in a display somewhere at the time being) He did send me this picture of the rear cover. He could however not confirm if there was ever painted a "1" behind the Feldfu b. legend on his radio, as his radio was a bit scratched up in these areas.

 

IMG_1002.thumb.JPG.693815fa25d5711145b02bbaecdff0af.JPG

 

 

But I am quite sure that we do see a pattern of Feldfu b1's from Kapsch u. Söhne, Wienna  made in early(?) 1944 that within a range of the early 006000 serialnumber that are in fact issued in early un-reinforced Feldfu b bakelite casings. 

 

:)

 

Best Regards
Björn

 

Edited by Björn
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Some more infos about feldfu subject 

kapsch has produced feldfu b in 1942 also in 1944 b1 type

in 1945 they produce feldfu b2 , but on 21/02/45 the  kapsch factory was

bombed and 3/5  was destroyed, 10% of machines were delocated

to Attersee in a small workshop, i guess it’s one of the reason why

 feldfub2 is rare.

for val it comes from radiobote 114 sept-october 2002 and the infos

are from werner Thote

 

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other feldfub1  i own , not so nice , the back pannel due to weakness

of design had in the past broken and somebody repair it badly 

the set is marked feldfu b1 , but the box is feldfu b , the serial number

is in the 12000, and the label is different from kapsch , there is no 

waa that i can identify the stamp is not clear, outside and inside 

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