Walther PPK
From Double-Oh-Wiki
| Origin | Germany | |
| Type | Semi Auto Pistol | |
| Caliber | 7.65mm | |
| Operator | James Bond | |
| Service | 1962-1999 | |
The Walther PPK is a german pistol used by James Bond from 1962 (Dr. No) to 1999 (Tommorow Never Dies). Although the promotional material for Casino Royale featured the PPK, it was not actually present in the movie.
[edit] History Within The Novels
The PPK makes it literary debut in Doctor No, the sixth book in the series. The reason for this change is found in the previous book, From Russia With Love where Bond's Beretta sticks in his holster. Taking several months to recover from injuries sustained at the end of the earlier book, Bond has his new weapon forced upon him.
Although he is initially reluctant to use the weapon, he soon comes to rely on it.
The introduction of the PPK as Bond's favoured weapon came about after a series of unfortunate errors contained in Flemings early Bond novels. Firearms expert Geoffrey Boothroyd fired off several helpful letters to Fleming correcting these errors and making helpful suggestions as to a suitable replacement for the "Baretta with the skeleton grip".
In one extensive letter to Fleming regarding the accuracy of Russian firearms Boothroyd suggested in passing that Bond should carry the German made 7.65mm Walther PPK (Polizei Pistolen Kurz = Short Police Pistol) as his chosen sidearm. Though not as accurate as some other pistols of the same era the PPK had the great advantage of using the 7.65mm calibre (0.32" cartridge) which was readily available all over the world, fitting in with Bonds Jet Set lifestyle perfectly.
Thus the PPK entered into Bond folklore and into popular culture as the preferred weapon of the espionage operative.
What is less well known is that Fleming was so grateful for Geoffrey Boothroyds advice on firearms that he named the "Armourer" in Bond novels "Major Boothroyd". We now know this character as "Q" and in the novel "Dr No" "M" introduces "Major Boothroyd" to 007 as the "greatest small arms expert in the world".
By the time John Gardner took over as Bond novelist, he had retired the PPK. However Raymond Benson reinstated the PPK in his first novel Zero Minus Ten, although it would be replaced in his novelisation of Tomorrow Never Dies by the P99. This change remained in all of his following novels (excluding the novelisation of The World Is Not Enough, the reason for this is unknown)
However, the PPK has made a more recent return to the big screen in Quantum of Solace (2008) as 007's (played by actor Daniel Craig) chosen weapon. Why the Walther P99 was dropped as Bond's armament remains unknown at this time.
What is even less well known is that Adolf Hitler used a Walther PPK to commit suicide in the Fuhrer Bunker in Berlin in 1945.
