Hogan's Heroes is a comedy television series produced by Bing Crosby Productions about a band of multinational POW's imprisoned in the German Prisoner Of War camp Stalag 13 during World War II. After creating a vast underground tunnel network directly beneath the prison complex, the group around Colonel Robert E. Hogan (Bob Crane) begins to disrupt the German war machinery through cunning sabotage operations. The series ran from 1965 to 1971 across 6 Seasons with a total number of 168 episodes.
Major Bonacelli (Hans Conried) uses a Beretta M1934 in "The Pizza Parlor", (Season 1, Episode 22). The handgun made a reappearance in "How to Catch a Papa Bear" (Season 4, Episode 3) in the hands of Sergeants Kinchloe (Ivan Dixon) and Carter (Larry Hovis). The use by Major Bonacelli marks one of the few occurrences were a character is portrayed using a weapon that a potential real life counterpart would have used as well. The Beretta M1934 was the standard sidearm of the Italian Armed Forces - the Esercito Italiano - during World War II.
The Colt Model 1903 is certainly the single most common sidearm used by Hogan's men.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingColt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer - .38 ACP"A lousy pistol! I'd like to swap it for a tank!" Newkirk (Richard Dawson) holds a Colt Model 1903 in "The General Swap" (Season 2, Episode 17). His remark coincides with his apparent love for the Colt M1911.Cpl. Louis LeBeau (Robert Clary) with his Colt Model 1903 in "The Hostage" (Season 3, Episode 15).In "A Russian Is Coming" (Season 3, Episode 12), Igor Piotkin (Bob Hastings) takes Hogan's Colt Model 1903 and holds it on him.Colonel Hogan (Bob Crane) holds his Colt Model 1903 in "The Experts" (Season 6, Episode 2).LeBeau (Robert Clary) holds Seifert (Monte Markham) at gunpoint in "Eight O'Clock and All Is Well" (Season 6, Episode 8).
Colt M1911
Never seen in the hands of resistance members, the Colt M1911 appears to be an exclusive weapon of the Stalag 13 prisoners. It is carried most frequently by Corporal Newkirk (Richard Dawson).
Most prominently featured in the pilot episode and used throughout the rest of the series by German soldiers and resistance members. Colonel Klink has two Luger P08 with pearl or ivory grips in "To Russia Without Love" (Season 6, Episode 18).
Error creating thumbnail: File missingLuger P08 - 9x19mm. This is blank adapted movie gun.Wagner (Noam Pitlik) picks up a cigarette lighter in the shape of a Luger P08 in the Pilot episode "The Informer" (Season 1, Episode 1).Colonel Crittendon (Bernard Fox) nervously fondles around with a Luger P08 in "The Assassin" (Season 1, Episode 29).Sgt. Schultz (John Banner) has a Luger P08 held on him in "The Missing Klink" (Season 4, Episode 15).Capt. Steiner (Gordon Pinsent) holds his Luger P08 on Carter and Hogan in "The Dropouts" (Season 6, Episode 14).
Walther P38
Standard sidearm of the German soldiers.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingWalther P38 WWII dated with black grips - 9x19mmA German soldier fires his P38 in “The Crittendon Plan” (Season 3, Episode 1).Hogan (Bob Crane), disguised as a SS officer, with a Walther P38 in "Carter Turns Traitor" (Season 3, Episode 16).Major Hochstetter (Howard Caine) aims a Walther P38 in "The Defector" (Season 5, Episode 10).
Iver Johnson Revolver
A Iver Johnson Revolver is used by the "Milk Maid" in "Diamonds in the Rough" (Season 2, Episode 3). It can also be seen in "The Rise and Fall of Sergeant Schultz" (Season 2, Episode 6) in the hands of Cpl. Louis LeBeau (Robert Clary). A German doctor is also using one to examine Newkirk's reflexes in "The Swing Shift" (Season 2, Episode 21).
Wielded by part of the German forces. These appear to be a mix of replica MP40 and plastic props. The latter can be recognized by the filled-in front sights, the space between the magazine well and the folding stock.
In a rather memorable scene from "Kommandant Schultz", Colonel Klink takes a MP40 out of Schultz's hands and accidentally unloads a full volley into the roof of the Hausnerhof Hotel, causing an immense amount of damage. It also marks one of only two scenes were the generally bad trigger discipline on the show is directly addressed. The second situation takes place during "Never Play Cards With Strangers" (Season 4, Episode 7).
Error creating thumbnail: File missingMP40 - 9x19mm"Parlez-vous Français? Of course, you pigs would not." One of the guards at the gate carrying a plastic MP40 as Maurice Dubois surrenders in "Nights in Shining Armor" (Season 3, Episode 8).Cpl. Newkirk (Richard Dawson) carrying what appears to be a replica MP40 in "Carter Turns Traitor" (Season 3, Episode 16). Both the receiver and front sights are different to those of an actual Maschinenpistole 40.One of the SS men in "How To Catch A Papa Bear" (Season 4, Episode 3) wields a MP40.Colonel Klink (Werner Klemperer) sets down a MP40 in "Kommandant Schultz" (Season 6, Episode 7).
Thompson Submachine Gun
Used as a stand-in for the MP40 by German forces and by members of the resistance. Most of the Thompson Submachine Guns appear to be replicas which have metal shoulder stocks, pistol grips and foregrips. They also seem to lack an ejection port and have filled in rear sights. In certain scenes the brown paint, made to cover up the metal below, is clearly seen chipping off of parts of the weapon.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingM1928A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine and early 'simplified' rear sight that would be adopted for the M1 Thompson - .45 ACPA British commando aims his M1 Thompson in "Kommandant of the Year" (Season 1, Episode 3).A guard carries one of the suspected replicas in "Go Light on the Heavy Water" (Season 1, Episode 9).Cpl. Louis LeBeau (Robert Clary) carrying a Thompson Model 1928 in "Hogan, Go Home" (Season 3, Episode 19). An odd thing is that the magazine appears to be taped to the weapon.
Rifles
Krag-Jørgensen rifle
The Krag-Jørgensen rifles were used as a stand-in for the German Karabiner 98 which was used by the German military before, during and after WWII. The major difference between this and the aforementioned Karabiner 98 is the loading gate on the right side of the receiver.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingUS Property Marked Krag-Jørgensen Model 1896 Rifle - .30-40 KragColonel Klink (Werner Klemperer), disguised as a private, shoulders his Krag-Jørgensen in "Diamonds in the Rough" (Season 2, Episode 3).Marko (Cliff Osmond) threatens Hogan with his Krag-Jørgensen rifle in “The Crittendon Plan” (Season 3, Episode 1).Hogan (Bob Crane) fires a Krag-Jørgensen rifle in "Nights in Shining Armor" (Season 3, Episode 8)The most efficient piece of the Third Reich's warmachine, Sgt. Schultz (John Banner), holds his Krag-Jørgensen rifle in "Color the Luftwaffe Red" (Season 4, Episode 8).
M1 Carbine
The M1 Carbine can be seen used by Maurice Dubois (Felice Orlandi) in "A Russian is Coming" (Season 3, Episode 12) and Nadya (Naomi Stevens) in “The Crittendon Plan” (Season 3, Episode 1).
First seen during "The Scientist" (Season 1, Episode 12), on a weapon rack next to multiple Krag-Jørgensen rifles and during the last few episodes of Season 6. This weapon, like the Krag-Jørgensen, was meant as a stand-in for the Karabiner 98k.
Appears in stock footage as armament on B-17 bombers and landing craft. A Browning M2 with barrel shroud can be seen mounted on a M7 tank in "One Army at a Time" (Season 5, Episode 20). The tank served as a stand-in for the German Tiger tank, complete with fake markings and fitting flat grey paint job. This is it's second appearance, having already appeared in the second episode of Season 1 "Hold That Tiger" (Season 1, Episode 2).
Error creating thumbnail: File missingBrowning M2HB on vehicle mount - .50 BMGTwo Browning M2 mounted on a landing craft in "The Prisoner's Prisoner" (Season 1, Episode 6)."Low and outside for a ball. Try it two degrees left, uh?". Hogan (Bob Crane) zeroes his men in on a German bridge in "One Army at a Time" (Season 5, Episode 20).Here the large charging handle of the M2 (circled in red) is clearly visible on it's right side.
Browning M1919
Browning M1919 are used in Stalag 13 towers. The majority of the turrets placed around the camps perimeter fence appear to be mock-ups.
A Lewis Gun makes a brief appearance in Stalag 13's ammunition depot in "German Bridge Is Falling Down" (Season 1, Episode 7). The other weapons seen mounted on the walls in that particular scene are plastic molds that represent no real firearm.
In "Praise the Fuhrer and Pass the Ammunition" (Season 2, Episode 19), SS officers training close to Stalag 13 are using fake Stielhandgranaten. They make a reappearance in "Sergeant Schultz Meets Mata Hari" (Season 3, Episode 4) and "The Empty Parachute" (Season 5, Episode 11). The prop department apparently did not do much research on how the actual Model 24 works, so the cord with which the grenade is primed is not kept within the handle, but is attached to the head of the grenade (the "Pot"). A different build of fakes are used in "The Big Broadcast" (Season 6, Episode 12), which lack the priming cord altogether and have a silvery finish.
In "At Last- Schultz Knows Something" (Season 5, Episode 14) Carter (Larry Hovis) can be seen producing a Mk 2 hand grenade from inside his jacket. The group is often shown to simply remove needed weapons from Stalag 13's armory and they frequently receive equipment drops from Allied Command, the latter explaining how Carter was able to get his hands on it, though the logic of carrying U.S. made explosives in the middle of Germany is questionable.
