120mm Howitzer, any help with info?

[AudieMurphy88]

Well I'm new here. and I was wondering if somebody could help with telling me something about this. I'm pretty sure it is a WWII era 120mm Howitzer projectile, is that correct? Would just any old US 120mm artillery fuze fit it, or 120mm brass casing, or are they more specific than that? Being that I'm a military collector, I buy all sorts of things that I like. This is my first real piece of ordnance, dug locally, other than several grenades and a mortar. I'd appreciate anything that you might know about this. Thanks, feel free to ask more about it or what else I have.

http://www.majhost.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=3236515

 

[HAZORD]

Your projectile is a 5 inch 54 CAL U.S. Navy projectile. Most likely more recent than WWII, although 5 inch 54 was used in WWII. It is missing its rotating bands.

There are some photos of 5"54 stuff here:

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threa...Navy-from-the-O-Brien-room?highlight=inch+Cal

Your projectile, since it had the double rotating band is most likely a Star (Illuminating) projectile or a White Phosphorus smoke projectile like the ones in the photos (Seafoam green one and blue one with the star on the side).

Your Projectile is propelled with a cartridge case full of powder, except it is a separate loading round, so the projectile doesn't fit into a case. The case is larger in diameter and the projo would fall into it.

Your projectile would normally require a Navy fuze, but it does have the adaptor in the nose, so an Army Fuze might work. You will also notice that the photo shows fuze protectors screwed onto the outside of the projectile. Navy projectiles are shipped already fuzed, with the protectors covering them. That is why there are threads on the outside of the nose of your bullet.

 

[AudieMurphy88]

Thank you Hazord, much appreciated. You have a very nice collection there. I've never heard of a 5"54 though, which is why I'm no projectile expert haha. It was dug up here in South Carolina in the 1950's, so it had to be between the WWII and Korean eras. I was wondering about the outer threads, I had no idea they used protectors like those.

Edit: Also, have any idea where I might be able to find a fuze for it? I check gunbroker for these types of things constantly, but they don't show up often. Ebay just fails when it comes to ordnance, they remove everything if people bid high on it.

 

[HAZORD]

Thanks for the compliment. The 5 inch 54 is the current gun used on a number of Navy vessels. They wil have a single fully automatic gun on the bow of the ship, for dealing with all types of situations. Check the internet and other militaria papers, etc for gun shows. You might find some on a table at a gun show. Also, you could list what you ae looking for here on BOCN. There are quite a few members here in the States, and may people have the odd extra fuze. Antique shops, surplus stores, flea markets, yard sales, etc. are all good sources for ordnance.