UK based 37 mm projectiles

[Hoeksel]

I have 5 UK 37 mm shell cases in my collection and after organizing all data I got some questions.

1) Only 2 out of 5 projectiles have a broad arrow. Are the other 3 export projectiles? Most have been found in Belgium. I know Belgium bought these weapons from the UK during WW1.

2) What does "S" mean on 2 of the 5 projectiles?

3) What is the meaning of the "alphabet (A, B, J, N and T" on the side-wall of the fuze?

4) What do "P" and "L" mean on the top-side of the fuze? Only 1 fuze is branded "VSM" on the top.

5) Does anybody want to share data from their projectiles in their collection?

 

[highlandotter]

S indicates steel versus cast iron composition of projectile.Can't help on the Letters, Usually on some shells they are inspectors marks.

 

[Gspragge]

Here's my 2 cents worth~

1) Only 2 out of 5 projectiles have a broad arrow. Are the other 3 export projectiles? Most have been found in Belgium. I know Belgium bought these weapons from the UK during WW1.

The un-arrowed projectiles are British service and could also be sold to anyone by VSM. For no reason that I know the preww1 British projectiles are not arrow proofed, maybe they are all Boer War bought in a rush old stock and never were marked at the time and no more was made until the war. The Arrow marked projectiles that you have are Tracer (I presume liquid tracer with a lead plug in the base , or hole where it used to be) These would be modified projectiles during wartime and are reinspected/accepted hence the arrow mark.


2) What does "S" mean on 2 of the 5 projectiles?

The Otter was correct, cast steel

3) What is the meaning of the "alphabet (A, B, J, N and T" on the side-wall of the fuze?

I think these are inspector marks hence the variety

4) What do "P" and "L" mean on the top-side of the fuze? Only 1 fuze is branded "VSM" on the top.

P means plug so it is a fuze that has been altered to act as a plug. L - I don't know ? VSM indicates a VSM made fuze, goes on a VSM marked body. Some fuzes are not marked or only have an inspector mark, So they could be made by any one, but I suspect most are VSM but perhaps made for a third party. Some PA projectiles have unmarked fuzes and so do some EOC bodies.

I show my 1pdrs in the album so you can check there, but nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[Hoeksel]

Thanks for the clarification guys!

I do have some additional questions about the tracer elements.

- What does "V" mean? All projectiles seem to have it.

- What tracers exist in these projectiles? Some tracers seem to have a material that looks like solder. Are these tracers using phosphorous? I know some tracers are based on magnesium or like Gordon mentions liquid.

- One projectile does have a "V" but no clear hole from a tracer. Do projectiles of this type without tracer exist or is the hole just not visible?

 

[Gspragge]

I think the V is just a Vikers inspection mark

The tracers are some sort of liquid, there is an off centre hole in the base of the projectile with a lead plug, see image

 

[Quatermass]

The tracers are some sort of liquid, there is an off centre hole in the base of the projectile with a lead plug, see image

As far as I'm aware the tracer liquid was a mixture of turpentine and aniline dye.