Bag, Small, Combat (kampftasche Klein)
General Information
Name: Bag, Small, Combat (Kleine Kampftasche).
Country of Origin: West Germany (Bundeswehr).
Manufacturer: Paul Schulze Brakel.
Date of manufacture: 1984.
NATO Stock Number (NSN): 8465-12-127-5602.
Contract Number: Not available.
Colour: Field Grey.
Equipment Family: German Army Feldausrüstung (Field Equipment) 1960 and 1970.
Number Of compartments: Three.
Volume Capacity: 6.5L.
Weight:
Waterproof: No.
Similar Objects
History
The small combat pack, fabricated from cotton canvas, was designed for operations lasting less than 24 hours. This compact bag was issued by the West German army in the early 1960s, replacing the larger “messenger” style bag previously in use. The new design was essentially a scaled-down version of the larger combat pack.
The small combat bag had a specific set of items it carried: a mess kit, canteen (if not carried externally), field cooker, knife, fork, spoon set, butter dish, two spare G-3 rifle magazines, a weapons cleaning kit, and any other small items a soldier could fit inside.
Typically, the Bag, Small, Combat was attached to the back of the web set and supported by the side straps of the web suspenders. It could also be worn as a shoulder bag with the aid of a shoulder strap, and items like the canteen and mess kit could be attached externally when needed.
Throughout its service, the small combat bag underwent minor design changes, notably replacing the weak vinyl straps used to attach it to the web belt with more durable cotton webbing straps.
With the introduction of new web equipment in the early 1990s, the small combat bag was phased out of military service. However, it found new popularity in the second-hand army surplus market, becoming a favored shoulder bag in the 90s.
Description
The Bag, Small, Combat is a square, box-shaped bag with a large lid that closes with two webbing straps and metal buckles. A small alloy D-ring is located on the top of the lid, with additional D-rings on the sides. The bottom of the bag features a small webbing loop at the front, with similar loops on the sides. These D-rings and loops serve as attachment points for the canteen and its alloy holder, as well as the mess kit with its leather strap. The side D-rings also serves as attachment points for the internal straps of the web suspenders when needed.
Initially, the bag had two vinyl straps on the back, secured over the web belt with three small adjustment holes at the top and a metal prong. However, these were later replaced with adjustable webbing straps and alloy buckles. In the middle of each strap, sewn to a webbing base, are single vinyl loops that allow the bag to be worn in a high or low position on the web belt.
Inside the mouth of the bag, there are short webbing tabs with cotton tape on each side that can be drawn over the contents and tied together, securing the items inside. Internally, the bag is divided into three sections to organize and hold the prescribed items.
Examples
Example One
Object Number: 2435-2761-43103.
