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Soviet WW2 projectile

Bellifortis

Well-Known Member
The owner of this projectile named it a "Ratsch Bumm", the nickname german soldiers gave it because of the sound it made when firing. But, to my knowledge the "RatschBumm" was the 76mm M1942 or SiS-3 gun. The only russian projectile shaped like this, that I could find in the literature, is the 45mm HE-projectile. But, the pictured projectile does not exactly fit with the 45mm HE-projectile. It has the following measurements:
L = 235mm ; Dia = 46,7mm , Dia across the copper drivingband = 48,1mm ; wallthickness = 11mm ; thickness of bottom of shell = 30mm ; fuzehole dia = 28mm
For a HE-projectile it seems to be much too massively built, while for an antiarmor projectile it seems not massive enough. The fuzehole with only 28mm dia does not take a KT-1 fuze, which is larger. The projectile fits russian wartime finish. A band 36mm wide, at the top, is left blank, the rest is blackened/blued/phosphatizing finished. Any ideas ?Marks on body.jpgBottom.jpgMouth of shell.jpgRussian WW2 projectile.jpgruss. 4,5cm Sprgr..PNG
 
Hi,
the soviet 45 mm HE projectile has max. body diameter of 44,8 mm and 46,4 mm over the driving band.
You should probably look into 47 mm projectiles like Boehler.

Bob
 
Hi Bob,
thank you for your answer. The finishing of the projectile is WW2 russian. The embossed marks also seem to be russian, but which I can't translate. Also the shape, the very long heavy body, looks russian. It seems to be ment for a high velocity gun. I need some help with the identification.
regards,
Bellifortis.
 
No access to my documents at the moment but an oval stamp on the base: compare with the italian 47 mm Böhler HE shell.
 
Thank you guyes, that fits. I never thought of Italy in this case before. Does somebody have the designation and may be a drawing of the fuze for this projectile ? But, how can the surface-finishing, with the blank-untreated 36mm wide band at the top be explained ?
 
Thank you guyes, that fits. I never thought of Italy in this case before. Does somebody have the designation and may be a drawing of the fuze for this projectile ? But, how can the surface-finishing, with the blank-untreated 36mm wide band at the top be explained ?


The UK documentation just calls the round the 'Italian 47/32 QF'. This documentation stating: "The fixed Q.F. round is fired from the 47 mm. 32 calibre anti-tank gun, model 35".

Diagrams below.

ITALIAN 47-32 CARTRIDGE, Q.F., H.E. WITH FUZE.jpg

The projectile...

Italian 47-32 H.E. Shell's Direct Action-Graze Fuze.jpg

And the fuze.
 
With all your good info, a search in www revealed, that the Boehler 47mm was used in quite a few countries. Even GB used it after capturing many in North-Africa. Also germany captured quite a few guns in NL, IT, austria and Russia, it was not introduced but given to Romania who had introduced it before. Most countries used it only in its anti-armour role, like Finland. The HE-round is mostly not even mentioned. The italian colour code finish of the HE-shell is different to my above photos. which somehow conforms with russian WW2 wartime shell finishing. @Alpini remarked that the bottom stamp is "Böhler". So, this must be an export order. But, for which country ? Quite a few licence productions were also made in for instance IT and NL.
 
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