V-42 stiletto V-42 stiletto The V-42 stiletto was a stiletto and fighting knife issued during World War II to the First Special Service Force (1st SSF, a.k.a. Devil's Brigade), a joint Canadian/American commando unit. Based on the Fairbairn–Sykes commando knife designed by William E. Fairbairn and Eric A. Sykes, the "Fighting Commando Knife, Type V-42" used a narrow-profile, double-edged stiletto blade made of high carbon steel. The V-42 was primarily designed by officers of the FSSF, including its commanding officer, Lt. Colonel Robert T. Frederick, who desired a close-quarters combat knife. The blade's design has been attributed to Col. Frederick, who had
The Black Stiletto the vigilante's image and mystique was exploited by the media in comics, films, and action figures. "Who was the Black Stiletto?" became a catch-question like "Who shot JFK?" "The Black Stiletto" was released in the US on 5 September 2011. As part of the promotional process for the novel, a free downloadable teaser short story, "The Black Stiletto's Autograph" was made available on the official website. Reviewing "The Black Stiletto", academic Dr Wesley Britton noted that "verisimilitude is one strength of what could have been just a comic-book romp without pictures" and that because of this, the novel was "a