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First war 10.5cm Gr.14 colours / stencils

S

starshell

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Good morning,

Just putting a call out to see if any members here can provide any information on paint schemes / colour's for the German Gr.14 HE shell, or any illustrations / photographs of an original example
Also, any stenciling it may have had when produced during the First war?
The 'Notes on German shells' reference I have show the shell as being painted Red, but has no mention of any painted stencils or bands?

Due to a couple of minor issues with the example I have, I may take the plunge and paint it, but only if I can find accurate references to it beforehand.
Any information would be very much appreciated as always.
Many thanks in advance!
 
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Simply dark red color.

The manual says: The color should cover both joints below and above the driving band well (so that no water can enter behind the driving band). It is allowed that the color covers a few Millimeters of the driving band but the main outside surface of the driving band had to be kept clean. The tapered part of the fuze hole also had to be kept clean. The fuze hole and the tapered part had a thin layer of Vaseline.
 
Some limited information from a German 1917 handbook on field artillery.
It mentions 2 fuzes that are used: the H.Z. 14 Fb and the E.H.Z. 17.
The black vertical stripe above the driving band indicates the presence of a smokebox.
 

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Perfect information. Thank you both very much. Interesting info on both counts.

Greif, do you know if the Black vertical stripe was repeated on both sides of the shell or just the one stripe on one side? Thanks.
 
I am glad you asked, because I misread due to the old style German alphabet. Sorry for that. The black stripe means that a smokebox is omitted. So the opposite. My interpretation of the text is that there is only one black stripe on the projectile body.
The text says: “Projectiles which are provided with a black longitudinal stripe, do not have a smokebox”.
 

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Many thanks greif.....I won't ask you to stay behind for detention for the German error. :tinysmile_shy_t:
Again, great information. I love the old Gothic German text, and while I'm ok reading modern German text, the older text is hard work!
So a well done is in order! Thanks for clearing that up.
Cheers!
 
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