88mm flak projectile

[BMG50]

A while back about 8 years ago the market was flooded with Finish 88mm flak cases refurbished with a phosphates lacquered case with Finish writing. There was also the yellow projectiles that was sold along with them, were theses projectiles original and altered by the Finish Army. Someone said that extra serration were made on the body of the projectiles, I was wondering if this is true.

 

[Vasco Da Gama]

I cannot offer any documentary proof but my understanding is the projectiles were genuine. Most had the original stencilling, especially any obviously Nazi marking, removed before being disposed of by the Finns. The grooves on the body of the projectiles were intended to improve the fragmentation pattern for anti-aircraft use. The desired affect was similar to the classic pineapple style grenades. The outcome was supposed to be evenly sized fragments which could seriously damage a large aircraft. The same concept is used in many modern missile warheads, the warhead is composed of pre-formed cubes surrounding the explosive charge. If you look at pictures of the nose section of the Malaysian airliner shot down over the Ukraine you can see evenly sized holes from the fragments.

In terms of the WW2 88mm shells the grooves on the outside did not work as intended. Post war research shows they needed to be on the inside face of the shell to generate the intended affect.

 

[M8owner]

I have had my hands on several of the Finnish 88mm projectiles. The only alteration I saw was "VAARATON" stamped into the side or driving band. My current example still has the waffenamts on it.

 

[greif]

The serrations are of German origin, they also can be found on 8,8 cm Flak 41 HE projectiles. I have never seen German documentation on this subject, I think because shells with serrations I have seen were from 1944 and later and by that time the German military had other things on their mind, than making documents.
I came across this US pamphlet on German captured ammo.