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8,8cm Gr.Leucht-zerlege. (Illuminating - self destruct shell) shell,

pzgr40

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Cutaway model of a WW2 German 8,8cm Gr.Leucht-zerlege. (Illuminating - self destruct shell) shell, as used in the WW2 German flak 18/36 & 37 gun.

Projectile build up:

The projectile is build up of a thin walled high tensile steel body (1), threaded on the inside in the top to receive the fuze. Below this thread an internally threaded flange is machined which houses the self destruct mechanism (2). Around the thread, four holes -at 90 degr. each- , 3mm. in diameter are drilled (3) that guide the flame of the fuze into the black powder ejection charge (4). The base of the projectile is machined to a wider diameter on the inside, enabeling it to recieve the base plug (5). A lead gasket is placed between the rim of the base plug and the body to enshure gas tight functioning on firing. One 3mm dia. steel vertical pin, half on the circumferences of the base plug and body prevents the base plug from radial movement against the projectile body on firing. Four radial drilled 3 mm dia. aluminium pins (6) act as shear wires after the ejection charge has ignited.
The inner works of the projectile are the expulsion charge (4), the expulsion flange (7), the triangular grid (8), a distance piece (9) and the flare (10) with it’s parachute (11).
The expulsion charge exists of a cloth bag filled with black powder, resting on the expulsion flange. This flange has four 2,5mm dia. holes drilled through -at 90 degr. each-, through which the flare is ignited during ejection.
The flare exists of a pipe, which fits around the pipe of the self destruct mechanism, with a 8,5 mm thick flange (12) on the base and a 1 mm thick outer casing, locking up the magnesium of the flare.
Connected to the flange is a sliding bearing in a cup (13), held in position by a locking ring. A hinge is screwed to the cup, to which the parachute is connected.
The parachute is made of a very strong and stiff fabric. The wires of the parachute are made of 3,5 mm dia. Steel cable. The parachute is packed in two pipe halves (14) that serve as a pushing piece between flare and base plug on ejection as well as a protective casing for the parachute.

Description and functioning of the self destruct mechanism:

After base ejection of the flare, the emptied projectile body still travels upward. To avoid it from returning to earth with high speed over populated areas, a self destruct charge (2) is placed in the projectile body. The self destruct element exists of a threaded bushing (15), screwed into the top of the projectile body. The lower side of this bushing houses a steel pipe (16) containing the penthrite self destruct charge (17). This pipe is brasses to the lower part of the bushing. The bottom end of the pipe is sealed with a welded in plug (18). The inside of the bushing is also threaded, housing the delay and detonator element (!9). A small screwed in cap (20) in top of the delay and detonator element houses two stepped holes (21) of 2 / 0,2 mm dia. -180 degr. apart-, passes the flame of the fuze into the black powder delay element (22).
After a short delay, the flame of this black powder delay pellet will hit the detonator (23) exploding the main charge below it. This small charge will blow the projectile body into several pieces, causing less damage upon return to earth.
A simmilar self destruct device was also used in the 8,8cm Gr. Brand-schrappnel shells.
http://213.147.167.60/blaze/viewtopic.php?t=1777

Functioning of the projectile:

After firing, the Zt.Z.S30 Fg. will produce a flame which runs down the (green) hole in the base of the fuze into the (red) ignition channels of the ejection charge and the self destruct mechanism.
The expulsion charge ignites, pushing down the flare, transfering the force on the base plug by means of the pipe halves up till where the four aluminium shear pins break and falls away, throwing out the burning flare. The self destruct mechanism destroys the projectile body some time later


The shellcase used is the 8,8cm Flak 18, type 6347 St (Stahl / Steel) shellcase, with a C12 or C12 N.a. firing pin ignited firing cap.
The shellcase is 570 mm long.
The powder charge in the shellcase is build up of 2,95 Kg Digl R.P (Diglykol powder sticks) , 485 mm long , ø4,5 outside dia , with a ø1,8 mm hole. A bag containing 20 grams of Nz. R.P. ( Nitrocellulose riflepowder) 1,5 x 1,5 x 0,5mm . This bag is meant to ignite the main charge instantanoiusly.

Calibre : 88 mm
Projectile length (with fuze) : 416 mm
Projectile length (w/o fuze) : 324 mm
Fuze : Zt.Z.S 30 Fg
Length of complete cartridge : 928,5 mm
Vo. : 820 / 840 m/s
Max. Ceiling : 10.600 mtrs.

Manufacturor of the projectiele was czk, date of manufacturing was 1/45 (january 1945)

No drawings or descriptions of this projectile are found anywhere.
As no information is available about the colour scheme of this type of projectile I gave it a green finish, realizing however this is probably not the right colour.
The parachute and cables in the cutaway are replica’s, as it was impossible to remount the original in the cutaway model without doing extensive damage to the cutaway surfaces and the paint.
Any description or info about this projectile is welcome.

Regards, Pzgr40 / DJH
 

Attachments

  • 01 - 8,8cm Gr.Leucht -zerl..JPG
    01 - 8,8cm Gr.Leucht -zerl..JPG
    31.2 KB · Views: 37
  • 02 - 8,8cm Leucht -zerlege complete cartridge.JPG
    02 - 8,8cm Leucht -zerlege complete cartridge.JPG
    83.8 KB · Views: 59
  • 03 - 8,8cm Leucht -zerlege prior to firing.JPG
    03 - 8,8cm Leucht -zerlege prior to firing.JPG
    51.8 KB · Views: 48
  • 04 - 8,8cm Leucht-zerlege just prior to self destruct.JPG
    04 - 8,8cm Leucht-zerlege just prior to self destruct.JPG
    44.1 KB · Views: 36
  • 05 - parachute and flare.JPG
    05 - parachute and flare.JPG
    95.5 KB · Views: 35
  • 06 - Self destruct delay fuze.JPG
    06 - Self destruct delay fuze.JPG
    40.9 KB · Views: 43
  • 07 - Complete shell 8,8cm Leucht-zerlege.JPG
    07 - Complete shell 8,8cm Leucht-zerlege.JPG
    46.7 KB · Views: 42
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