Cutaway model of a ‘Fallschirmpatrone für Windmessung’ or –in English- a parachute cartridge for wind measurement. This cartridge was meant for the ‘Nebeltrupen’ (smoke troops) to accurately determinate windspeed and -direction.
This was done by placing a flare gun in a tripod and making it point up vertically, so the projectile was fired straight upward.
The cartridge consists of a 135mm long aluminium shellcase with a black powder propelling charge in the base. Above the propelling charge an aluminium cup is placed in the shellcase, housing (from bottom to top) the pyrotechnic delay (which is placed in the base flange of the cup), above this a black powder expulsion charge, above that a stacked series of six lead rings which are tied together with a string which is tied to a white silk ribbon with the other side of the string. The other side of the white silk ribbon is connected to a -red- parachute.
During the expulsion of the aluminium cup from the shellcase (pict. 03) the pyrotechnic delay is ignited; at 70 meters high in the air the pyrotechnic delay ignites the black powder expulsion charge which throws out the parachute, ribbon and lead weights from the aluminium cup.
The parachute will open and the combination will float down to earth , pushed sideways by the wind. After landing, the distance from the flaregun to the ribbon is measured, and with the help of a conversion table the windspeed is descided.
The disadvantage of this system is that the flaregun has to point straight upward with little angular deviation, the system can only be used during daylight hours, and is not suitable for usage in mountains, forrests or heavily built up areas.
Therefore , later in the war handheld windspeed gauges were taken is use which were much easier in usage.
The cartridge was produced by ecb ; Bock Brothers Pyrotechnics, Berlin Bochholz.
Regards, DJH
Note: Any black powder cartridges firing gun from before 1945 is exempt from law in the Netherlands, and therefore legal to own. (this gun is from 1942).
This was done by placing a flare gun in a tripod and making it point up vertically, so the projectile was fired straight upward.
The cartridge consists of a 135mm long aluminium shellcase with a black powder propelling charge in the base. Above the propelling charge an aluminium cup is placed in the shellcase, housing (from bottom to top) the pyrotechnic delay (which is placed in the base flange of the cup), above this a black powder expulsion charge, above that a stacked series of six lead rings which are tied together with a string which is tied to a white silk ribbon with the other side of the string. The other side of the white silk ribbon is connected to a -red- parachute.
During the expulsion of the aluminium cup from the shellcase (pict. 03) the pyrotechnic delay is ignited; at 70 meters high in the air the pyrotechnic delay ignites the black powder expulsion charge which throws out the parachute, ribbon and lead weights from the aluminium cup.
The parachute will open and the combination will float down to earth , pushed sideways by the wind. After landing, the distance from the flaregun to the ribbon is measured, and with the help of a conversion table the windspeed is descided.
The disadvantage of this system is that the flaregun has to point straight upward with little angular deviation, the system can only be used during daylight hours, and is not suitable for usage in mountains, forrests or heavily built up areas.
Therefore , later in the war handheld windspeed gauges were taken is use which were much easier in usage.
The cartridge was produced by ecb ; Bock Brothers Pyrotechnics, Berlin Bochholz.
Regards, DJH
Note: Any black powder cartridges firing gun from before 1945 is exempt from law in the Netherlands, and therefore legal to own. (this gun is from 1942).
Attachments
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01 - Fallschirmpatorne für Windmessung.jpg -
02 - Fallschirmpatorne für Windmessung sectioned.jpg -
03 - Fallschirmpatorne für Windmessung projectile taken out.jpg -
04 - parachute (red), ribbon and lead weights.jpg -
05 - flare gun model Walther 1934 with Fallschirmpatrone für Windmessung and wurfkörper 326 LP.jpg
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