anjong-ni Posted September 6, 2019 Report Share Posted September 6, 2019 As I understand it, the majority of the 90s parts-kits came up from Basra through Iran and were found in Ukraine. I guess I learned that here. Are these then THE same crates that left Hartford and made the trip through Iran in 1942?...Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APEXgunparts Posted September 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2019 (edited) It has been a crazy week here!I did finally manage to have a few pictures taken on the wood crates that we have for the M1 Thompson.The 1928 crates are still black wrapped. I want to start to get these listed, but I will be travelling next week on another "buying" trip!Richard Edited September 6, 2019 by APEXgunparts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got Uzi Posted September 7, 2019 Report Share Posted September 7, 2019 Im all for the M1 crate!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APEXgunparts Posted September 25, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2019 I finally have all 4 types of Thompson crates listed.They can be found in the "Thompson" category on the APEX Gun Parts web site.::https://www.apexgunparts.com/machine-guns/sub-machine-guns/thompson-45-acp.html?product_list_order=name&product_list_limit=56The crates are basically for the M1928A1 and the M1922M1 (M1) .I didn't know we have 2 size crates for each model of Thompson!That observation came to light while we were listing them.The best way to order these is by calling my Customer Service (due to the shipping)Most selections only had 2 in stock, one of the M1928A1 selections is down to 5 remaining (I listed it first).Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMGguy Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7160 I believe these crates were not made in the USA, but instead were produced by the Russians specifically to store TSMGs. Detailed lists of materiel provided under lend lease state that the TSMGs sent were part of vehicle equipment furnished two with each tank. Wish I could find the lists now, they were fascinating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R67 Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 I am just sitting here waiting or the return of cheap M1928A1 parts kits. I am not a fan of 2k IMA kits. Maybe the day of the cheap russian parts kit will never come again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APEXgunparts Posted September 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7160 I believe these crates were not made in the USA, but instead were produced by the Russians specifically to store TSMGs. Detailed lists of materiel provided under lend lease state that the TSMGs sent were part of vehicle equipment furnished two with each tank. Wish I could find the lists now, they were fascinating. The USA did provide all the OVM and small arms normally associated with each vehicle that was supplied to the Allies thru the "Lend Lease" program.I was in Germany when the French Gov't was returning to the US Army the Half tracks they had received and each one had all the associated material crated up inside.However, there is evidence that the Russians were supplied Thompson's at their request.The one document I read related how the Russians were offered to be supplied with STEN guns and they (the Russians) clearly stated they preferred Thompson's.You cannot fault their logic on that choice! My thanks to the customers who have been buying these Thompson crates.As I write this my people are wrapping and placing 4 on a pallet for the the gent who wanted one of each. Richard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Iannamico Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 I was at an importers when the Thompson kits came in and picked up one of the 1928 marked crates. The importer told me that the crates were Russian made, he could tell by the latches and hinges used in their construction. He had a lot of very similar crates that Mosin Nagant rifles were shipped in. He had so many of the crates he had to burn them to make room. Still, a cool piece of Thompson history. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMGguy Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 Original Thompson M1 factory shipping crates. Each held ten guns and was unpainted. They look very different than the Russian made crates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anjong-ni Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 Thanks for the photos, TSMGguy. These then are the crates that would have crossed the seas in the convoy ships. I see they're made like I would make a "crate". No dovetails, biscuit-joints, metal corners, velvet interior, handles or paint. Wood, nails, two bent hinges and a hasp. Could you show a picture of the interior?...Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpbcps Posted November 10, 2019 Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 I have just tracked down one of those Russian 1928A1 case here in the UK, so I am going to grab that while I can, but it does not have any of the wooden inserts / dividers though. Could I therefore impose upon someone, who has a 1928A1 case with the inserts / dividers, to do me a favor and trace the design and let me have a scan of it, so I can get them made up and added to the case? Thanks in advance. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen1005 Posted November 11, 2019 Report Share Posted November 11, 2019 I would also be interested in obtaining a copy of these inserts/ dividers. Thanks, Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpbcps Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 I have just tracked down one of those Russian 1928A1 case here in the UK, so I am going to grab that while I can, but it does not have any of the wooden inserts / dividers though. Could I therefore impose upon someone, who has a 1928A1 case with the inserts / dividers, to do me a favor and trace the design and let me have a scan of it, so I can get them made up and added to the case? Thanks in advance. Richard Bringing this topic back to the top, in the hope someone can assist Glen and myself with a 'trace & scan' ( template) Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 Me too....had a set but lost them.Have both smaller crates and one larger crate about 3" wider than the others.I can widen or shorten whatever I do get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APEXgunparts Posted November 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2019 APEX has a few Thompson crates in stock.I didn't see many of the wood inserts, I think the one gent who purchased 3 crates received most of them.Its rare that wood crates cross the ocean with the inserts as the importers want the interior space used for parts/surplus and the inserts take up space and add weight.Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen1005 Posted November 30, 2019 Report Share Posted November 30, 2019 I bought 4 of the crates from Apex. None of them had any inserts. Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpbcps Posted December 5, 2019 Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 I have four in my garage. Was going to build enough dummy guns to fill one, displaying that on top of two others.Cheap Parts kits ran out too fast.....Three are what appear to be for ten guns each and the fourth is larger, maybe for 12 guns? (A.O. vs Savage?)Id like to keep one but mught cut the others loose. Will need to think on it a bit. The picture in this topic above showing the M1A1 Crates, is marked '15' on the side and I found a picture on line from Zib Militaria, (Germany), on line, showing an M1A1 crate open and loaded with a number of M1A1's in it with the inserts, and I would say it was designed to hold fifteen Thompsons. In the 1928A1 crates I have just received, both are marked '10' on the sides, although one is slightly wider than the other, but I have not looked in detail yet. Over the next few days, when I get a chance I will look at those in more detail. I also found attached online, which I presume is the same model crate as I have now, and it will accommodate '10' 1928A1's, counting the slots on the insert which is visible, five slots in the top and there are two rows of 1928A1's, although in the picture there is also a M1A1. In my storage, I have four similar crates that came from Bosnia in the mid 2000's. They are great for storing things in, but they take up a lot of space. I obtained them direct from the importer of the Bosnian surplus, which included 1000's of assorted rifles, RPKs, SMG's, MGs all with assorted accessories. He also received a lot of armored vehicles, including Yugoslavian APC's and a couple of T34's, both of which were sold to collectors in the USA I was told. The importer took all the weapons out of the crates and put them in steel 'cages' for storage, while they were awaiting deactivation, for sale in Europe or stripped and cut for shipping to the USA as parts kits. The crates where then smashed up and destroyed, as Richard said above, they took up valuable storage space and for the importer they had no value. He told me to take as many as I wanted, when I asked him if I could have some. However, due to space in my vehicle at the time, I could only transport two at a time, on the two occasions he still had some when I called down to the depot, before he destroyed them all.Stay safeRichard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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