French 75mm gas shell colours....

[starshell]

Hello,

Despite having a good look around, I am struggling to find information on First war period French 75mm gas shells. I am specifically looking for information on colour schemes and also the stencilling/ typeface which they may have displayed. I have a French 75mm which I am looking to restore as a gas variant and would appreciate any help from members in finding out more about how such a shell would look.

Many thanks in advance!
D

 

[Dreamk]

"Sur le haut du projectile : numéro code de la substance utilisée, Initiales de la même substance, atelier de chargement.
Marquage couleur :
Les obus spéciaux sont peints en vert
Une bande blanche : Toxique fugace nébuleux
Deux bandes blanches : Toxique fugace gazeux
Une bande jaune-orange : Toxique persistant d'agressivité immédiate
Deux bandes jaune-orange : Toxique persistant d'agressivité retardée.

Les obus chargés en toxique fugace portent ainsi une ou deux couronnes blanches (4B, 5 et 8 : une couronne ; 4, deux couronnes)
Les obus chargés en toxique persistant portent une couronne jaune-orange (sauf ceux chargés avant le 1er janvier 1918)
Les obus de n°5 de 75mm employés pour le réglage des tirs effectués avec des obus n°9 ou 20 ne comportent pas de fumigène et recoivent en outre une étoile jaune-orange
Les obus chargés en Ypérite portent deux couronnes jaune-orange
Pour tous les calibres, le numéro de l'obus est peint sur l'ogive. Ce numéro est reproduit sur le culot, la douille et les cartouches de 75
Les lettres placées au dessous du numéro de l'obus sont les initiales des produits employés. Ceux contenant un fumigène portent également l'initial de celui-ci. Exemple : MO pour Martonite et O pour Opacite
Les marques placés en troisième ligne indiquent l'atelier et la date du chargement. Les marquages d'atelier disparaissent après octobre 1918 pour être remplacés par des lettres code conventionnelles."


The following table recapitulates schematically the colour and markings of the French 75mm shells

 

[starshell]

Many thanks Dreamk, that's perfect.
Regards!

 

[MINENAZ16]

the web link : http://www.guerredesgaz.fr/Agression/artillerie/francaise/Munitions/Munitions.htm

 

[MINENAZ16]

I never found a ww1 chemical shell with original green paint.
French chemical shell I saw in collection seem to have a too bright green.
No reference for the original color that could match a RAL today.
Color on this image could be good, maybe a little darker with the years (not sure if it's original)

 

[starshell]

Many thanks for the great information Minenaz16, especially the image of the shell with original colour. This is a very good start!
Much appreciated!
D

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

I have a question: Did French chemical shell have a filling plug in the side?

I never found a ww1 chemical shell with original green paint.
French chemical shell I saw in collection seem to have a too bright green.
No reference for the original color that could match a RAL today.
Color on this image could be good, maybe a little darker with the years (not sure if it's original)

View attachment 174894

 

[Dreamk]

RAL colours table for French WW1 shells:

 

[peteblight]

I have a question: Did French chemical shell have a filling plug in the side?

No, they were filled via the fuze well.

 

[MINENAZ16]

I have a question: Did French chemical shell have a filling plug in the side?

Look at the link I posted previously, method of filling is described with diagrams : http://www.guerredesgaz.fr/Agression/artillerie/francaise/Munitions/Munitions.htm

 

[wingsofwrath]

Oh wow, never seen that image of an original paint French gas shell before. And it has the bevelled adaptor as well, which was only used with gas shells to create a better seal.

The markings tell this was filling No.5 CO, or 75% phosgene (Collingite/Collongite) and 25% stannic chloride (Opacite). The single white line marks it as "fugace" or "non persistent" gas.

Here is one more page about French gas shells I had on my hdd from a German manual showing the V4 (Vincennite - a combination of 50% hydrogen cyanide, 30% arsenic trichloride, 15% stannic chloride and 5% chloroform - two white lines because it's "toxic" and "non persistent") filling and a picture showing the YT (Yperite - mustard gas- two orange lines meaning "persistent" and "delayed effect") filling located at the Demining Museum of the Ballon D'Alsace sourced from the net - the paint is most likely not original but it's a pretty good facsimile:

 

[peteblight]

The bevelled adaptor was used with conventional projectiles as well. The difference was that with a conventional projo, a metal pin was inserted into the adaptor.

 

[MINENAZ16]

The bevelled adaptor was used withView attachment 175414 conventional projectiles as well. The difference was that with a conventional projo, a metal pin was inserted into the adaptor.

I think wingsofwrath talks about the later special gaine-adaptor (HE/GAS m1897/14 modified) with a cut base.