What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

9cm Kanone 73/88

Burney Davis

Moderator
Premium Member
Pictures below are two projectiles for the German model 73/88 gun. The projectile on the right (top) is threaded for the HZ14 fuze, thread diameter 57.5mm. Although the projectile on the left (bottom) looks almost identical it has a thread diameter of 55mm. Can anyone advise the designation of each shell and the fuze that would be used with the 55mm threaded projectile? Many thanks in advance. (no matter how I save these images they are always up loaded incorrectly)

20200726_113142.jpg20200726_113237.jpg
 
Hello,
The first fuzed HZ14 is 9cm Gr14A
The second is a mystery. I only know threads : 25mm, 30mm, 45mm, 57.5mm but no 55mm (kz fuzes)
 
Hello,
The first fuzed HZ14 is 9cm Gr14A
The second is a mystery. I only know threads : 25mm, 30mm, 45mm, 57.5mm but no 55mm (kz fuzes)

Thank you Minen. The projectile came with a nice KZ 11 Gr fuze but I can find no reference to any 55mm threaded fuzes being used with projectiles for the 73/88 gun.
 
Your shell was fitted with KZ 11 Gr O.A.Z and used for B.A.K and F.L.A.K
Very good find and not current
 
Your shell was fitted with KZ 11 Gr O.A.Z and used for B.A.K and F.L.A.K
Very good find and not current

Thank you doctor, and good to hear from you once again. The fuze is marked o AZ so great to know it is original to the shell. Does it have a designation and do you have any references as to it’s use? Interesting that they were using such an old gun in that role with a specially modified shell.
 
Fantastic shells BURNEY DAVIS!

Do they have much in the way of stamps, inspection marks etc? Superb condition and what a find. (Especially the HZ14 topped beauty....).
Well done!
 
here are all the fuze they fit on the 88mm (9cm )

Gr.Z. 14
H.Z. 14 Vorst , (safety pin )
Dopp Z 91 + Zdlg 91
Dopp.Z. 92 lg.Brlg.
Dopp.Z.92 n.F
Dopp.Z. 92 f 10 cm K
Dopp.Z. 92 K.15
 
In WW1 the Germans converted some of the 9 cm field guns into AA guns. Some are known under the designation 9 cm Flak System Plett , also see
https://ivanhernandezdala-armored.com/page/5/

After WW1 the Dutch Army took over some of these guns under the designation Kanon van 9 tl.
A nice specimen of this type of gun survived and is displayed at the Dutch National Military Museum.

@ Burney Davis: Do you have a picture with the fuze screwed on?
 

Attachments

  • image0.jpg
    image0.jpg
    242.1 KB · Views: 36
  • DSC03126.jpg
    DSC03126.jpg
    291.7 KB · Views: 36
  • DSC03129.jpg
    DSC03129.jpg
    295.2 KB · Views: 28
  • DSC03128.jpg
    DSC03128.jpg
    293 KB · Views: 28
  • DSC03130.jpg
    DSC03130.jpg
    292.3 KB · Views: 29
Last edited:
Thank you doctor, and good to hear from you once again. The fuze is marked o AZ so great to know it is original to the shell. Does it have a designation and do you have any references as to it’s use? Interesting that they were using such an old gun in that role with a specially modified shell.

I'm very insterested by other pictures of the shell with 55mm thread especially with fuze Kz11 screwed on it.
What is the length without fuze ?
 
Last edited:
A lot of information in the 2 volumes "La Flak 1914-1918" by Bernard Delsert, Jean-Jacques Dubois and Christian Kowal (I can provide contact details, just pm me). In these books, there's a mention of a case, especially designed to speed up the loading of the gun and thus the rate of fire. Does anyone have one of these cases?
 
I’ll get some pictures together in a couple of days with more detail.

Thanks to all for the information to date.
 
As promised I have added pictures of the projectile with fuze and some close ups of the markings. There is nothing readable on the base.

@minenaz16 the height of the projectile is 194mm.

Let me know if any questions arise.

20200731_112528 (2).jpg20200731_112547 (2).jpg20200731_112600 (2).jpg20200731_112616 (2).jpg20200731_112712 (2).jpg20200731_112745 (2).jpg
 
I assume rare shell.
Thanks a lot for sharing and keeping knowledge.
The fuze is not common as well.
I know Kz11Gr o Az graduated to 30 but this one is very interesting, Kz11 Gr Zl o Az graduated to 72 (like Kz11 Gr l.B.). Nice
 
Last edited:
There are differents types of K Z 11 Gr OAZ:
-graduated to 4 to 30 (graduated from 4 to 4) fuze from 1916 modified 1917, L.B.(long delay), noze steel used on 7.62cm Gr FLAK
-graduated to 4 to 72 OAZ , 1917 1918 production, noze steel or zinc used on 7,7 cm Gr15 an 7.62 cm FLAK
 
I thought they used a KZ 14 on this one. Could be wrong though.

K.Z.11 is correct. If I remember right in the "La FLAK" books there is a copy of a German Flak ammunition manual in which this 9 cm shell is pictured. And I also have seen this shell found in Germany with K.Z.11.
 
Last edited:
The Dutch army also used the Kz11 Gr graduated to 72 on this shell. The Dutch designation was Tijdschokbuis No 11.
 

Attachments

  • 3899D114-9880-475B-A984-C0925793C5AD.jpg
    3899D114-9880-475B-A984-C0925793C5AD.jpg
    293.2 KB · Views: 51
I can read Zl o Az, so the same fuze but strange to see the percussion device in diagrams (?)
 
Top