auchonvillerssomme Posted 5 May , 2015 Share Posted 5 May , 2015 This is a large shell, possibly 9 inches or equivalent. The indentations around the top, presumably for lifting and handling?, can anyone direct to me to pictures of them being handled, the indentations being utilised. If they aren't for handling then an explanation of their use would be useful Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 5 May , 2015 Share Posted 5 May , 2015 It's not some form of incedrie shell is it. Only a guess based on a similar she'll at Doms? TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 5 May , 2015 Share Posted 5 May , 2015 ... she'll ... Turn off the 'predictive text', TT. Any more info or a better pic, Mick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 5 May , 2015 Share Posted 5 May , 2015 Hi Mick, Yes, according to Notes on German Shells 1918 it's a 1914 Pattern 17 cm. Medium Minenwerfer incendiary shell. The complete shell weighs 82.5 lbs with a bursting charge of 0.02 lb of powder and the incendiary charge of 14.1 lbs of metallic sodium and 19.8 lbs of Thermite and 1.8 lbs of paraffin wax. The small holes in the wall of the shell just above the shoulder are closed with lead plugs and are definately not there for handling purposes. Rather, I imagine they are to allow the flame from the incendiary charge to escape. The notes state that (as of 1918): "This shell was apparently not a success and is no longer issued. The same shell case has found with a gas filling". Hope the above is of interest. Regards, Michael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 5 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 5 May , 2015 That is really interesting and very helpful. I really can't remember seeing one before and certainly wouldn't have gone down that route. Thanks. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 5 May , 2015 Share Posted 5 May , 2015 I've seen similar indentations on naval shells - they were for securing ballistic caps, the skirt of which was staked into them. Take a look at the 15-inchers outside the IWM. Though there'd seem little point in ballistic caps for Minenwerfer rounds. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogilwy Posted 6 May , 2015 Share Posted 6 May , 2015 The british experimented with the same design for 19th Century shell (and Shot) to achieve a degree of stabalization in flight. We have several in our works collection! Rod P.S. It was hardly a sucess for us either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 6 May , 2015 Share Posted 6 May , 2015 If you google 15 inch shell, you should find a good drawing of how the caps were secured. I should have said piercing cap, as this was usually secured into the indentations, with the ballistic cap an apparent roll-crimped drive fit to a taper-turned register on that. In British naval service, I don't believe that this APCBC configuration was used at all in WW1, only arriving with the introduction of 'Green Boy' shells in 1918 - which AFAIK were never fired at any enemy ship. Dunno whether the High Seas Fleet was using such designs earlier, but an unexploded 30,5 cm shell which landed aboard HMS Orion after ricocheting off the sea at Jutland shows no such indentations. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 19 May , 2015 Share Posted 19 May , 2015 Mick, I saw this postcard for sale and thought it might interest you. http://www.ebay.com/itm/German-WWI-Heavy-Mortar-1918-Photo-/361297027504?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item541efb21b0 Regards, Michael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 19 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 19 May , 2015 That's not a view you see very often, thanks for the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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