From a logical standpoint, why would valuable LWaA resources inspect and accept arms that were not going to be used by a Luftwaffe component?.
Clearly not aircrews as the P.08 was not authorized to be used in aircraft after 1940. They had to use something else.
Flak units, numbering about a million men and Paratroopers, at least one division, security personnel etc. had a huge need unfulfilled by HK and Mauser. No more P.08s and the P.38 production was going to the Army.
We are pretty certain the HK cleaned house and was out of everything in 1944. And in any case, only made a couple of thousand P.08s after 1938 at most.
But there were plenty of repair depots, contract repair facilities, etc. And there were plenty of spare parts, left overs, etc. to support the last ditch war effort.
From our friends over on the K98 Forum, we know that the Luftwaffe was building/rebuilding K98s and were positioning inspectors, i.e. LWaA personnel at their locations.
A couple of these locations which could have used Ku as a mark have been investigated. Krugau is one of them. Used forced labor. Had LW inspectors. Could have been the location that gathered P.08 parts from all over, assembled and serialized them; had them inspected and accepted by the LW.
Remember, all that was required was maybe second stage and certainly final inspection. Part level inspection not needed because they were already in stock.
If you look at "righteous" KU's, they all comply with this theory.
We know that Krieghoff did not make these guns. Mauser certainly did not. Clearly the Luftwaffe was involved as evidenced by the LWaA acceptance stamps.
My two cents. And thanks to the KU committee and the guys at the K98 Forum all their work in the years past and even now.
John
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