Pistols Issued to Pilots

I have information that pilots prefered the P.06 Navy (Luger) pistol with 6" barrel and adjustable rear sight over the fixed sight P.08 model with 4" barrel.
Does anyone have real evidence that pistols were regularly issued to pilots? If not, is there evidence that they were bought privately?
Last, is the Luger carbine that MvR owned privately in any known museum collection?

In the early days pistols were to an extent issued but many pilots bought there own, as I'm sure you know the first reports of air to air combat were by pilots throwing rocks, bottles etc @ each other and those that could afford it bought there own pistols...As for them being issued I'm not too sure, I can't see the RFC going to the expense to equip all pilots with there own pistol.....

However I claim to be no authority on the subject, I'm sure there are those of you out there who will definatly know better than I

I have wondered whether or not Mannock carried his trusty peashooter on the day of his death. His famous statement that the Germans would never burn him makes me wonder if he actually had to do himself in.

The RFC had a supply of .455 Colt Auto pistols and a larger number of Webley .455 pistols as well as many Webley MkVI .455 revolvers that they issued. Some photos of RFC armories show the Webley revolvers on pegs ready to be issued as well as rows of Lewis Guns.
I'm mainmly concerned with the Luger pistol in 9mm being issued to German aviators. I have seen photos of them firing at ground targets, but am unaware of the holster rigs issued for aviation or the exact pistol model most used.
I know that Count Luckner and his crew were armed with the Navy Luger when they ran the Allied blockade. One would expect Kreigs. units to have them, but, evidence has surfaced to the effect that some sailors prefered the 8" barrel Langpistole with tangent rear sight. The same source makes the statement that aviators prefered the Navy model over the Army issue.

"The RFC had a supply of .455 Colt Auto pistols and a larger number of Webley .455 pistols as well as many Webley MkVI .455 revolvers that they issued"

Indeed sometime in 1916 the .455 pistols were issued. It was something of a status symbol to own one and pilots who came in later often purchased them at their own expense. I have one that was purchased after the general issue, and it's in great shape and also several rounds with it, I just wish I knew the full story behind the firearm.

The book FIRST TO THE FRONT by Charles Wooley, which follows Lt. Waldo Heinrichs' personal diary (95th Aero Squadron), states that he was issued one of Colt's seven shot 'revolvers'(the term revolver obviously miss-used to mean any handgun) before being shipped overseas. Since he received his training and commission overseas this means it was issued before he even became an officer!!! He also picked up a USMC issue battlefield abandoned M1903 Springfield and was allowed to keep that.

[Barrett]

I believe that Norman Franks' book on MvR's last flight (reviewed on this site) mentioned that Aussies scooped up his Luger and binoculars. Gotta wonder what either of those items would bring on the market today!
Of course, I suppose the Luger would've been turned in for destruction by now.

Kind of an extention on Barrett's theme. It's been just over a year since the Austrailian gun ban went into effect. Don't have exact figures in front of me, but murder is up a minimal amount (something like 3 percent), but some crime rates are up 60 percent, reversing a trend of the last few years towards lower crime rates! 500 million dollars went into financing this program. Looked it up: Murder up 3.2 percent (300 percent in Victoria), assaults with firearms up 8.6 percent and armed robberies up 44 percent.
Steve

Geeeee! I guess the crooks didn't turn in their guns.
Steve

[mike_baram]

Note to Ms. Barbara Boxer and Ms. Dianne Feinstein,
Definition: Criminal (kri-mi-nuhl) A person who does NOT obey the gun laws you pass.
Definition: Liberal Politician (li-ber-uhl po-li-ti-shuhn) A person full of idealistic but stupid opinions about criminals (see above).