I have a wonderful pair of Maxim cocking handles in my Eduard PE sheet but something I think I remember reading somehwhere is nagging at me not to use them. Did the D.III have cocking handles on its Maxims, or were they used on later marks only?

The spade grip cocking handles were developed by Fokker in 1918. None were used on Albatros D. types. Yes on Fokker & Roland D. types. Fokker was a salesman and evidently sold items to other manufacturers, in particular the Fokker developed 4 colour lozenge.

These levers are a large angled handle with a big round knob on top rather than a "spade grip" type.
It looks like this.


Here are the offending parts on the etch sheet.

Do they go on the guns, or into my spares box?

Yes those are the standard mechanisms on all 08 & 08/15 Spandau Maxims. When in place just bend the handle out then add a drop of gel type super glue to the knob's flat profile let dry then paint.

See PE machine Guns 101

Jessica

Go to the WNW site, check the online instruction sheet for the D.Va pages 13 & 26, theres a nice shot of Maxim breech mechanism might show you exactly whats what.

PS DONT press any buy buttons

Here is one from WNW.