120mm Wombat ammunition

[ammocat]

I am looking for information and drawings on the 120mm Wombat ammunition. I am particularly interested in the HESH and SH/Prac projectiles.

 

[ammocat]

I have come across a varity of HESH and SH/Prac projectiles, however I am not familiar with the 120mm ammunition used in the WOMBAT recoilless rifle. These are two SH/Prac projectiles that were found, one with a tracer and one missing the tracer. Both were easily identified as SH/Prac. I do not have any tech info on these projectiles. Does anyone have any information, tech drawings, etc? Are there any physical differences between the HESH and SH/Prac?

 

[xxxx]

Hi - I recently sold my Wombat round, I have attached pictures for reference, I don't know whether this helps in any way but thought I would post the picture for you to view. I also have various recoilless rifle rounds (the ones with the perforated shell cases to prevent back blast / recoil) if you would like me to post pictures of those just let me know. Marcus

PS - The Kugal grenade in the picture was for a size comparison when selling, it was a heavy round to transport !

 

[ammocat]

Thanks for posting the photos. I am familiar with the 106mm recoilless rifle which had the perforated cartridge case and 84mm ammunition that has the frangible cartridge case base. There seems to be very little information on the 120mm Wombat ammunition. In your second photo you can see two grooves going around the circumference of the cartridge case, one immediately above the base and one a couple of inches above the base. From what I have read the base of the cartridge case is frangible. Does the cartridge case separate along one of these grooves or is just the center of the base that is frangible, similar to the 84mm ammunition? I would sure like to examine one of these complete cartridges. Again, thanks for posting the photos.

 

[glevum]

Just the centre of the base is frangible. The two grooves are insulation and the band between them is one contact for the electrical primer. The case is the other contact. There is no groove to align the primer on the case in the weapon like on the 84mm Carl Gustav round.

 

[ammocat]

Thanks for the info. Interesting design, I would sure like to find one of these to have a better look at it.

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

I knew I had posted some on the 120 mm BAT and have just found these threads (didn't turn up in advanced search): http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/70768-120-mm-BAT-case
And this: http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/72419-120-mm-BAT-recoilless-gun
Sorry, I have no diagrams of the shell. Other info, from 1979, as follows:
User: Infantry.
Equipment: Battalion Anti-Tank (BAT) - obsolete
MOBAT (Modified BAT)
WOMBAT (Weapon of magnesium BAT)
CONBAT (Converted BAT)
My notes say that all the above had the same gun but different cartridges. The BAT and MOBAT had a LMG attached, for ranging purposes, while WOMBAT and CONBAT were fitted with a .50 inch spotting rifle, firing the M48A1 / M48A2 rounds. When the main armament was fired, 80% of the propellant gases escaped through the rear venturi - the danger area was 275 m at an angle of 533 mils.
Ammo in service (QF Fixed): Round 120 mm BAT HESH
Round 120 mm Prac SH
Drill round 120 mm BAT
Round 120 mm BAT HESH L19A3 - HES nose pad
RDX/WX6 91/9 + 0.5% zinc stearate
Fuze Percussion Base Medium L19
Tracer Shell No 30
NQ/S propellant in brass cartridge case
Igniter RCL L1A5
Round 120 mm BAT HESH L43A1 - differs from L19A3 round by having a steel cartridge case & Igniter
RCL L3A1
Round 120 mm BAT HESH L44A1 - differs from L19A3 round only by having Igniter RCL L17A1
Round 120 mm BAT SH Prac L18A5 - used the same empty projectile as the HESH and Tracer No 30
Filled HES and plugged
Brass case with Igniter RCL L1A5
Round 120 mm BAT SH Prac L45A1 - used Igniter RCL L17A1, otherwise no difference from the L18A5
Drill Round 120 mm BAT L6A1 - hardwood body, brass base, brass cap, secured together with a steel
bolt.
By late 1992 the L43A1 HESH round and L18A5 Prac SH round were no longer in use. The M48A1 and M48A2 .50 inch spotter tracer rounds were still listed.

 

[rnixartillery]

While on the subject I picked this up on Friday.

Rob...................rnixartillery.

 

[Weasel]

Hi Ammocat,
Here is a picture that was given to me many years ago, printed to a larger scale on tracing paper. I dont have a scanner so have tried to photograph it a best i can, hope it is of interest.
Best regards Weasel.

 

[ammocat]

AMMOTECHXT and Weasel. Thanks for all the information, photos, and the diagram. If the system has been out of use since the early 90's, the projectiles we have uncovered are in pretty good shape. Haven't come across any HESH yet.

Cheers,

 

[rnixartillery]

I have just been in the shed and pulled a couple of 120 mm rounds out so I took a couple of pics.

Rob..................rnixartillery.

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

Hi Ammocat, I'm not sure when the 120 mm BAT series of weapons went out of use. My info from 1992 is based on the UK ADAC (ammo data acquisition code) list. The HESH rounds L19A3 and L44A1 and the Prac SH round L45A1 were still listed as current. Were yours found at Suffield (BATUS)?

AMMOTECHXT and Weasel. Thanks for all the information, photos, and the diagram. If the system has been out of use since the early 90's, the projectiles we have uncovered are in pretty good shape. Haven't come across any HESH yet.

Cheers,