Chinese 107mm type 63 spin stabilized HE rocket

[pzgr40]

Cutaway model of a Chinese 107mm type 63 spin stabilized HE rocket. The rocket was designed by Norinco in the late 1950’s. It is used in a launcher which exists of a 12 barrels (3 stacked rows of 4 barrels), which formed the type 63 launcher when used on a two wheeled tow carriage, either the type 81 when used as the 4x4 truck mounted version. There also is the type 85 one man portable one shot tripod version for special forces usage. The type 63 MLRS is widely exported around the world as well as manufactured by several countries (often in upgraded versions); by Iran as the Haseb or Fadjr 1, by North Korea, Turkey and Iraq (not anymore). Mechem of South Africa -a Denel company division-, redesigned the Type 63 launcher, as well as it’s rocket into an improved and upgraded version. Originally, two Chinese rocket types were available, the HE (this type) and a –blunter nosed- white phospor filled incendiary type, however –today- upgraded versions with improved fragmentation as well as HE-incendiary and a jamming rocket are also available.


The rocket exists of a cast steel fragmentation warhead, upon which a MJ-1 impact and graze fuze is screwed. The warhead is filled with cast TNT, closed at the base by a thin cartboard spacer. The lower portion of the fragmantation body is threaded on the outside to receive the base plate which forms the connection part between warhead and the rocket motor. The motor exists of a steel pipe threaded on the inside both in top and base. In top the base flange of the warhead is screwed. Below this flange the aluminium igniter booster housing is placed in a screwed in steel spacer ring. In the base the venturi flange is screwed which houses seven angled venturi holes that give the rocket spin after launch. Above the venturi flange a bakelite grid is placed (prevents pieces of burning propellant from blocking venturi’s) which also houses the electric squib igniter in the center. A spring pushes the squib igniter downward upon a brass contact pin placed in the center of the venturi flange. The lower portion of the venturi flange is sealed by a sheet metal cap which is electrically isolated from the rest of the missile by an insulating rubber gasket. By placing the rocket in a barrel –observe the unpainted contact rings on outside motor in pict 02- and placing a contact pin on the base cap the electric circuit can be closed, igniting the squib. The squib igniter houses a black powder magazine which ignites, passing a flame upward through the 6mm dia hole in the center propellant stick. The igniter booster charge in top exists of an aluminium housig containing black powder. In the center of this housing a 20mm hole is drilled, closed with a thin aluminium foil seal on both sides. The flame of the igniter charge will ignite the black powder booster charge passing a big flame down along the powder sticks, igniting all powdersticks simultaniously. The propelling charge exists of seven powdersticks with a diameter of 32mm, 400mm long and a 6mm dia hole drilled through.


Functioning of the MJ-1 fuze:
The MJ-1 fuze is an impact fuze with a graze function. It also has a 0,1 second delay function, enabeling it to “dig in” the ground or a target before exploding. It exists of an upper (1) and lower (2) body. The upper body houses the centrifugal weights (3), the firing pin (4), the firing pin spring (5), the firing cap housing (6), the locking bushing (7) and the locking bushing spring (8). Upon firing, the centrifugal weights (3) are thrown outward enabeling the locking bushing (7) to move upward by means of it’s spring (8), locking the centrifugal weights (3) in their outward position. The firing pin and the firing cap housing are now both released; the firing pin can move down into the firing cap (red), the firing cap housing can move upward when in graze function. The lower fuze part (2) houses the delay screw (9), a brass screw with a centerline channel that can be opened and closed by rotating the screw on the outside of the fuze 90 degrees by means of a key. When closed, the flame of the firing cap has to pass through a brass screw (10) containg a pressed black powder pellet (11) that delays ignition for 0,1 seconds. Above the delay screw the rotation safety slider mechanism is placed. This is a disc (12) containing a slider (13) which is held in place by two spring loaded centrifugal weights (14). Upon firing the weights are thrown outward, releasing the slider (13) to move outward and open the flame channel. The disc is closed by a sheet metal cap (15). On top of the rotation safety two graze weights (16) are placed. These exist of two ring halves with a chamfered hole on the inside that fits over the chamfered edge on the lower portion af the firing cap housing. Both ring halves are lowered two mm on the wide side (see pict.05) enabeling them to move inward upon impact. Upon graze impact the weights –which in flight are thrown outward against the inner wall of the lower fuze housing- are thrown in the direction of where the outer skin of the rocket hits it target, launching the firing cap housing upward into the firing pin.
Upon impact –with either impact or graze- the flame of the firing cap wil move down, through the channel of the opened safety slider (12), through either the opened central channel of thenbrass screw (no delay), either through the delay pellet (11). The flame ignites the detonator (17) which ignites the booster charge (18), which on it’s turn ignites the main TNT charge of the rocket warhead.
Weight of the complete rocket: 19 kg.
Weight of the explosive charge: 1,3 kg TNT.
Vo: 385 mtrs/sec 1260 ft/sec.
Range: 8.050 mtrs.
The twelve rockets can be fired in seven to nine seconds.
The type 63 launcher /rocket is used by the following countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Cambodia, China, Iraq, Libya, Miamar, Nicaragua, Sudan, Syria, Vietnam, Zimbabwe.
Regards, DJH

 

[pzgr40]

You're welcome

 

[weberoed]

Another great cutaway and and information

 

[M8owner]

The US imported great amounts of Norinco small arms ammunition and firearms for the consumer market until Congress implemented a ban in the 90's. The everything was of very good quality and cheap. I still have some 5.56mm ammo saved.

 

[Bellifortis]

This rocketsystem is one of the weopons that won the war in Afghanistan for the Mujahedeen. Besides the chinese AK47 , the RPG7 and last but most important the US stinger. The CIA must have been the best customer of Norinco in the 80s. The Mujahedeen never had any control of their airspace. That's the same since the last 45 years. In the high mountains of the Hindukush manportable systems were needed. This Norinco 107mm rocket was the cheapest on the world market. The western suppliers of these arms always looked for the cheapest and most efficient ways. They bought up the whole world-supply of AK47s. But the demand was huge. So Norinco was the Best and cheapest supplier. I don't know how many millions of AK 47s and Type 63 rockets were smuggled by the allies into the Hindukush region. They all are still there, as we can read in the news every day.

 

[Eggburt1969]

Wonderful sections. I'd love to have them on the munitions database I manage!

Is this the Type 63-2, sometimes written as the Type 63-II, rocket? I ask as there seems to be some confusion as to if there's an initial Type 63 HE-frag, a Type 63-1 incendiary and Type 63-2 HE-frag, or just a Type 63-1 incendiary and a Type 63-2 HE-frag. In both case this followed by the later models? I'm ignoring direct clones or other country's versions.

Related to the Type 63-2 bit, unfortunately as I can't read Chinese, I'm unsure what the Chinese script with the 'xx-2' (the xx being the two Chinese characters) on the warhead means (better view below). I take it that it either refers to the HE filling type, or the rocket designation (aka -2 bit of the Type 63-2 designation)? I'm aware of the marking for the composite high explosives JH-2 and TD-42, but not this one if it is a HE-filling.



Nice to see the MJ-1 cut open. So similar to the Russian V-25 it’s based on. From a quick glance, the centrifugal firing pin spin-lock weights are certainly different. The MJ-1 fuze would also seem to only have instantaneous (point-detonate [PD]) and one delay setting, whereas the V-25 has PD and two delays.

Do you know anyone who's x-rayed the incendiary version, the Type 63-1, that has the different-shaped warhead? If it is white phosphorus filled, obviously cutting one open when exposed to the atmosphere would be rather dodgy, so it would have to be done underwater.