The S84/98 III bayonet was a knife bayonet that was used by Germany during World War II, primarily on the Karabiner 98 rifle.
Description[]
The blade of the S84/98 was 25.1 centimeters long while its handle was 13.3 centimeters long. The total weight of the weapon meanwhile was around 0.42 kilograms. The S84/98 III differed from its initial World War I counterpart, the S84/98 by having a smaller flash guard. Furthermore, World War II era S84/98 III bayonets typically did not feature a manufacturer's mark. Other than these differences, the weapons were similar. However, what differentiated the S84/98 series from other examples of bayonet was that they were not serrated. This meant that a German soldier could remove the weapon from an enemy without the blade getting stuck and engage the next target quickly and as efficiently as possible.[1]
Variants[]
Several minor differences existed between S84/98 III bayonets throughout the production life of the weapon. For example, bayonets created from 1937 to 1944 were typically made with a bakelite grip, however 1935-1936 and 1945 models had wooden grips, with Germany simply not having enough bakelite available by 1945.[2]
History[]
The S84/98 III required very little in the way of development time as it was merely a 'reinstatement' of older German World War I technology to equip the German Wehrmacht quickly in preparation for an all out war. While the S84/98 III quickly became the standard bayonet, it was certainly not the only one used. Like many other areas of the German, large amounts of weaponry and equipment were collected after the German early conquests and annexations. As such, these were also put into service causing some irregularities. Nonetheless, the S84/98 III was still the most common bayonet of the Wehrmacht, with millions being produced from 1935 to 1945.
References[]
- ↑ http://historywarsweapons.com/german-s84-98-bayonet/
- ↑ Brayley, J. Martin. Bayonets: An Illustrated History. Chartwell Books Inc. (2012), Page 84-87
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