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!

3” (76mm) M62A1 cartridge, USA, ww2

pzgr40

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Cutaway model of a WW2 US 3” (76mm) M62A1 cartridge as used in the M1A1 /L55 high velocity gun as used in the improved Sherman M4A1. This Sherman tank had a better (longer barreled) gun than the original Sherman M4 with the L40 M3 Gun
On the lower picture the diffrence can be observed between the shorter M61A1 cartridge for the M3 gun of the Sherman M4 and the longer M62A1 cartridge for the M1A1 gun of the Sherman M4A1. Exept for the longer shellcase, the M62A1 also has a wider driving belt.
The M62A1 projectile exists of a steel, nose hardened body with an ogive shaped hole drilled in the base, threaded to receive the B.D. (Base Detonating) fuze M66A1. This fuze is delayed in its function, so the projectile can penetrate the target before exploding inside. The functioning of the fuze is simple: A brass cylinder with a firing pin on top is held away from the firing cap by an internally serraded brass ring, forming “fingers” that hold down the cylinder. At impact, the negative acceleration will throw the cylinder forward, bending away the fingers and enabeling the firing pin to hit the firing cap (green). Above the firing cap are two small chambers, the top one filled with a pellet of black powder that acts as a pyrotechnical delay. Above this pyrotechnic delay a detonator pellet is placed (copper) which ignites the booster charge and the main charge. The ogive shaped hole is filled with 65 grams of Explosive D (Ammonium pikraat). On top of the hardened nose a piercing cap is attached by means of four 1 cm wide crimps. This softer steel piercing cap devides the force of the impact on the target over the entire nose, so preventing the hardened nose from shattering upon impact. The top of the piercing cap is threaded to receive an aluminium windshield.

The shellcase is the brass shellcase M26. It is ignited by the M28B2 base igniter which has a black powder magazine which ignites the main charge fast en evenly.

Lenght of complete round: 854mm
Length projectile: 355 mm
Length shellcase: 540 mm
Vo.: 792 mtrs/sec.
Penetration: (@ 30 degrees from vertical) 93mm at 457 mtrs, 75 mm at 1828 mtrs.
 

Attachments

  • 01 - cartridge M62A1 compleet achterzijde.JPG
    01 - cartridge M62A1 compleet achterzijde.JPG
    60.2 KB · Views: 47
  • 02 - cartridge M62A1 APC.JPG
    02 - cartridge M62A1 APC.JPG
    54.6 KB · Views: 54
  • 03 - 76mm M62A1 projectiel achterzijde.JPG
    03 - 76mm M62A1 projectiel achterzijde.JPG
    103.9 KB · Views: 54
  • 04 - Projectile  M62A1 APC.JPG
    04 - Projectile M62A1 APC.JPG
    109.6 KB · Views: 66
  • 05 - Fuze BD M66A1.JPG
    05 - Fuze BD M66A1.JPG
    74.2 KB · Views: 59
A thing of beauty! Just incredible!


Blown Away, pun intended :)


Jason
 
Top