DALLAS, TX.- In 1946, following his service in World War II where he attained “flying ace” status and a year and a half before he went down in history as the first confirmed pilot to break the sound barrier, Charles “Chuck” Yeager entered the Army Air Forces’ elite Flight Performance School at Wright Field, Ohio, the epicenter of American aeronautical research and development. There, he began the career that would make him a legend as an experimental aircraft test pilot.

Yeager had exceptional eyesight, nerve, reaction time and leadership abilities — in short, “the right stuff” — that made him an outstanding fighter pilot. But having begun his aviation career as an aircraft mechanic, he also excelled at the exacting technical documentation and analysis required to determine the performance capabilities of new aircraft — so much so that he was admitted into the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School despite not having the required college degree.

During this time, Yeager evaluated two of the most important American aircraft of the era: the North American AT-6F Texan advanced trainer and the P-51D Mustang fighter. His AT-6F Texan and P-51D Mustang Performance Data from Wright Field files are tangible evidence of the technical discipline, precision and judgment that underpinned one of the most significant careers in the history of flight. Together, they comprise an exceptional lot in Heritage Auctions’ June 8 Arms & Armor, Civil War & Militaria Showcase Auction.

“This is an exciting piece of history,” says David Carde, Director for Arms & Armor at Heritage Auctions. “It tells the story of an important era in Yeager’s career, the transitional period bridging his wartime service to his making history when he broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis the following year.”

The Arms & Armor, Civil War & Militaria Showcase Auction offers historical treasures, technical advances and cherished collectibles from the 12th century into the modern era. Among the highlights are Civil War and post-war material, including groupings of medical artifacts including several surgical and amputation kits; European blunt and edged weapons spanning hundreds of years; fine firearms, including inscribed and masterfully engraved guns; and a rare Japanese Hinomaru flag signed by a signatory to Japan’s surrender in World War II.

One of the most intriguing historical items Heritage has ever offered is a World War II-era British Portable Wireless Set Type A Mk. III, a compact clandestine radio transceiver designed for covert field communications. It sports a vertical dual-color (red/blue) calibration window and labeled components typical of wartime field sets, including a milliamperes meter, “FREQ CHECK” control and AC/DC power selector, along with rotary tuning dials, including a primary numbered dial (0-11). Connection points are labeled for “CRYSTAL” (dual crystal sockets for frequency control), “KEY” (Morse key input) and "VIB" (vibrator power supply).

“It comes with the original instruction booklet, which is serial-numbered and matches the set,” Carde says. “It’s noteworthy that they have been together since day one.”

Another exciting artifact from the era is an exceptionally rare World War II Japanese Hinomaru Flag bearing a signature attributed to Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu, one of the two officials who executed the Instrument of Surrender aboard the USS Missouri on September 2, 1945, formally ending World War II. He served as Japan’s senior diplomatic representative during the final phase of the war and was a central figure in the surrender proceedings, placing him among the principal diplomatic figures present at the conclusion of World War II.

The auction is replete with items from or related to the Civil War, including firearms, swords, uniformpieces and medical equipment. A Colt 1860 Army Model percussion revolver inscribed to John Moore, a Confederate veteran of Company D in the 24th Texas Cavalry who went on to become a deputy sheriff and constable in Waco, Texas, is a functional piece of Texas and law enforcement history. The revolver remains in very good condition and is accompanied by documentation and historical references relating to his service and law enforcement career. A Whitney-made U.S. Model 1841 Mississippi rifle, originally in .54 caliber and later converted to .58 in 1855, bears a carved inscription to “A.W. Coffee, 8th La” on the stock, indicating it was likely issued to a Confederate. A note inside the patchbox indicates it was brought home from the Civil War by L.L. Hill of Augusta, Maine, reportedly captured from a Louisiana “Tiger” regiment and later donated to a G.A.R. hall.

Those unfortunate enough to have been on the wrong end of firearms in the Civil War may have found themselves in a medical tent with a doctor equipped with an amputation kit like this cased set that includes multiple surgical knives, a medium-sized bone saw and a pair of bone nippers. A label in the case and markings on several of the instruments indicate it was made by George Tiemann, a German immigrant who established himself in New York City and became one of the leading American makers of surgical instruments in the mid-19th century.

Arnold Griebel was another master craftsman German immigrant to America. Griebel made a name for himself as a leading firearms engraver, and this auction includes a finely customized Winchester Model 1885 High Wall rifle and a Smith & Wesson Model K22 Double Action Revolver with a handwritten letter from the engraver confirming he was responsible for the elaborate floral and scroll engraving that covers the gun.

“These are really beautiful pieces,” Carde says. “The best engravers in general were German, and he was a master. The Smith & Wesson is fully embellished, as is the frame on the 1885 Winchester, and the figure and quality of the wood are about as good as one could hope to find.”

An Ewart Oakeshott’s Type X sword, as described in The Sword in the Age of Chivalry, is a rare piece of the early Medieval era. Swords of its type were popular from the age of the Vikings in the 11th century through the 13th century Crusades era. Weighing less than 2 pounds, with a point of balance 6-1/2 inches from the crossguard, it would have been a nimble and authoritative weapon on or off horseback.

Just as authoritative but far more brutal was the Lucerne Type War Hammer, comprising a squared hammer face on one side with a slender, slightly curved 7-inch armor-piercing spike on the other, integrally forged with a tubular long handle. Likely German and dating to the mid-16th century, this hammer’s one-piece construction and unadorned design suggests it was manufactured for the battlefield rather than ceremonial use.