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Plomb WF 3/8 Drive Kit

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Provincial

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I went to an estate sale Friday. In additon to two large (1-1/4 up to 1-1/2) DBE P&C wrenches in excellent conditon and six new handles for ball pein hammers, I found this 3/8 drive set, mostly Plomb WF with a few replacement items of WWII issue from Wright, Duro-Chrome, and Snap-On.

Except for some discoloration on some items and dirt, the overall conditon is very good to excellent, with little or no wear or abuse.

There were two modern 1/2" standard sockets to replace the missing WF-29, and a modern 13/16" spark plug socket. The Proto 1/2" socket is in the tray with the originals, the other new sockets are on the lid. Other than that, it is a complete kit of all WWII vintage.

I don't recognize the case as Plomb, due to the rounded corners. Perhaps it was a GI specification? The paint color looks close. Notice the locking tab in the last photo.

There is an unmarked drag link socket (straight blade screwdriver) that is 11/16" diameter with a 7/64" thick blade. It is cadmium plated to match the Plomb WF items, as is the Duro-Chrome universal joint. Does anyone know anything about it?

All the Wright items are date coded 42 and 43.

I am trying to decide if the set had mixed manufacturers as issued, or if some items were lost, worn out, or stolen and were replaced with what was available in the military stocks. I have seen some discussion on this, but no decision.

This is a really cool set, and I can picture it being used to keep P-47's flying over Europe!
 

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Rileysan

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Provincial said:
I went to an estate sale Friday. In additon to two large (1-1/4 up to 1-1/2) DBE P&C wrenches in excellent conditon and six new handles for ball pein hammers, I found this 3/8 drive set, mostly Plomb WF with a few replacement items of WWII issue from Wright, Duro-Chrome, and Snap-On.

Except for some discoloration on some items and dirt, the overall conditon is very good to excellent, with little or no wear or abuse.

There were two modern 1/2" standard sockets to replace the missing WF-29, and a modern 13/16" spark plug socket. The Proto 1/2" socket is in the tray with the originals, the other new sockets are on the lid. Other than that, it is a complete kit of all WWII vintage.

I don't recognize the case as Plomb, due to the rounded corners. Perhaps it was a GI specification? The paint color looks close. Notice the locking tab in the last photo.

There is an unmarked drag link socket (straight blade screwdriver) that is 11/16" diameter with a 7/64" thick blade. It is cadmium plated to match the Plomb WF items, as is the Duro-Chrome universal joint. Does anyone know anything about it?

All the Wright items are date coded 42 and 43.

I am trying to decide if the set had mixed manufacturers as issued, or if some items were lost, worn out, or stolen and were replaced with what was available in the military stocks. I have seen some discussion on this, but no decision.

This is a really cool set, and I can picture it being used to keep P-47's flying over Europe!
Click to expand...

Excellent find! I had lots of good luck this weekend, myself. I don't suppose that estate sale was in nearby Dallas, Or? I found a Plomb WF-8 1/4" ratchet in mint condition in a box at that estate sale.

Also, would you be interested in selling or trading the P&C wrenches?

Brian
 
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Ole Slewfoot

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Provincial- All your wobblies look like the petite civilian style, most of the WF ones I've run across have huge Frankenstein rivet heads sticking out of their necks.
 
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Rileysan

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chopper1 said:
That WF-8 will probably be a 9/32" ratchet. Most were but, they did make some in 1/4". If it is a 1/4" it's a pretty rare piece.
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Definitely 1/4" - I checked twice :)

Was that the sale on Academy Street? I didn't have time to dig through all the boxes.
Click to expand...

Yes. They must have had quite a selection (I got there later Friday afternoon) and their prices were really reasonable!
 
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Provincial

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Quote: "and their prices were really reasonable!"

The WF set cost me $5.00. :evil:
Slewfoot: All the wobblies are stamped WF, except the 1/2", which is a Wright MU-52 and date coded 43. All the Wright items are also stamped "AC", which could mean "Air Corps" (before the Air Force became a separate branch, it was the "Army Air Corps."

Rileysan, you get a "You ****" on the ratchet. :beer:
 
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Bruce Lancaster

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On the mixed content...it may have been re-sold that way. I remember surplus ads in postwar Popular Mechanics/Science magazines that I collected that offered surplus sets described something like "all good quality Plomb-Snap on-Duro couple of others."
My flying guess is that the things arrived either totally mixed or they arrived sorted by type, like a huge box of 5/8" 3/8 sockets that all net the same military spec and were sorted thus rather than by brand. At any rate, some suppliers definitely sold war surplus socket sets made up from random supplier tools.
 
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Provincial

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Rileysan, I had faith that you would have paid a "You ****" price. Both on your past record, and the prices at that sale. :beer:
 
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Smokeshow69

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Provincial said:
Rileysan, I had faith that you would have paid a "You ****" price. Both on your past record, and the prices at that sale. :beer:
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For the record both of you ****! I was at Sunriver this weekend with my family on a trip I won through work and the whole time on saturday I kept wanting to hit up garage sales in Bend. Looks like the sale I should have hit up was a ways away :thumbup:
 
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Provincial

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Messages
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Location
Near Salem, OR
Bruce Lancaster said:
On the mixed content...it may have been re-sold that way. I remember surplus ads in postwar Popular Mechanics/Science magazines that I collected that offered surplus sets described something like "all good quality Plomb-Snap on-Duro couple of others."
My flying guess is that the things arrived either totally mixed or they arrived sorted by type, like a huge box of 5/8" 3/8 sockets that all net the same military spec and were sorted thus rather than by brand. At any rate, some suppliers definitely sold war surplus socket sets made up from random supplier tools.
Click to expand...

Bruce, thanks for the insight. This is the most in-depth answer that I have seen.

I believe that my set came home in someone's duffel bag. The non-Plomb pieces seem to be common sizes used on aircraft: 3/8, 7/16, and 1/2. I can see these as replacements scrounged at an air base to replace lost or damaged pieces, since they are Government Issue, and show wear and tear. This set is compact enough to fit nicely in a duffel bag otherwise filled with clothes and other personal gear.

The only item that is missing is the 1/2" WF-29 12-point socket, and the set had a later Proto 12-point as a replacement. Probably damaged/lost after the war. ;)
 
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