Cartridges 1 & 2 are meant for the pre-WW2 designed Czech 15x104mm ZB vz/60 MG heavy machine gun, built and used in licence in the UK as the Besa MkII, as spoils of war in German service as the 15mm FlaMg 38(t) or -when captured in Yugoslavia- the 15mm FlaMg 490(j).
In German service it was primarily used as a heavy anti aircraft machine gun.
Czech shellcases are brass made, German manufactured shellcases for captured weapons have brown laqured steel shellcases. The cartridges depicted here (1 & 2) are Czech manufactured. The projectiles stand out as they have a striking double driving belt, with the top driving belt flanged in top, causing only a small rim of the driving band to be visable when the projectile is placed in the shellcase. The space between both driving belts is filled with graphite grease.
The high explosive shell (1) has a tracer self destruct mechanism that detonates the projectile if no target is hit. After the tracer is burnt up, a cilinder of powder (black) which ends in the duplex detonator is ignited, detonating the shell.
When safe, the firing pin is fixated in the upper position by four steel balls in a concave part of the fuze body and placed under the firing pin. A spring loaded flange above the four balls keeps the balls forced in the inner position. Upon firing, the balls are swung outward, climbing the concave surface of the fuze housing, pushing the spring loaded flange slightly upward. The firing pin is released, and is now floating. Upon impact, the firing pin is pushed inward into the duplex detonator, exploding the projectile.
Vo; 860 mtrs/sec. Cartridges are delivered in belts of 40.
Cartridge No.2 has a armour piercing projectile. A hardened steel core is placed in a gliding metal jacket. The armour piercing capability is 27mm of steel at 91 meters with a vertical positioned plate, 15mm of steel at 300 meters when the plate is placed at 30 degrees from vertical.
Vo: 883 mtrs/sec, the projectile weight is 74,5 grams.
The cartridges 5 & 6 are for the German 15x96mm Mg151/15 Mauser heavy machine gun as used for instance in the Messerschmitt Bf-109F2.
The high explosive projectile (No.5) weighs 57 grams and has a tracer self destruct that ignites the incendiary charge of 1,3 grams Elektronthermit, placed below the 1,9 grams explosive charge of Nitropenta. Self destruct occurs between 900 and 100 meters.
The AZ 1552 nose fuze has a firing pin which is fixated in the upper position by two collar halves , which are kept in inner position by a rolled up brass spiral strip. Upon firing the spiral stip unrolls, allowing the two collar segments to move outward, releasing the firing pin. Above the firing pin a hammer pin is placed which pushes the firing pin into the duplex detonator upon impact with a target.
The AP-T projectile (No.4) consists of a hardened steel projectile with a copper driving belt. A hole is drilled in the base to house the tracer composition.
Vo: 850 mtrs/sec, armour penetration; a 19mm steel plate placed at 30 degrees from vertical at 100 mtrs.
The cartridges 3 and 4 (15x101) use the same projectiles as cartridges 5 and 6 (15x96 Mg151/15), but are meant for the FlaMg 38(t). As the German shells have a single -wide- drivingbelt in contrast to the Czech double drivingbelt that is sunk into the shellcase, placing a German manufactured projectile on a Czech shellcase would make the chambering length of the cartridge too long. To avoid this, German manufactured shellcases are 3mm shorter than czech manufactured ones (15x101 instead of 15x104) to enshure the chambering length remains the same. Therefore, the cartridges 1,2,3,and 4 can be fired from the same weapon.
In interesting detail is that the High explosive shell (no.3) has no tracer self destruct pressed in, however the hole in the flange between the tracer and the explosives room is present. As the self destruct element is pressed in place in a rim, the element has not been drilled outlater, as than at least the rim would remain. So, suposedly shells without a tracer self destruct were manufactured also.
Funny detail; as I am bussy changing the German manufactured FlaMg 38(t) cartridge (no.3) into a cutaway model, a complete belt of 15x101 HE cartridges is pulled from the Voorne canal by magnet fishers about a week ago, approximately 250 meters from my house. Of cource, the Dutch EOD collected and destroyed them.
Lots of work for me to get one of these cartridges, as in fact they are lying around about in my back garden……..
Interesting to see that after 76 years on the bottom of the canal these catridges are still in a very good condition (sweet water).
As the FlaMg38(t) was often used as a Heavy anti aircraft machine gun on German patrol ships, and the canal behind the lock was a known German patrol boat harbour I assume it was from one of the patrol boats moored in the canal.
Regards, DJH
In German service it was primarily used as a heavy anti aircraft machine gun.
Czech shellcases are brass made, German manufactured shellcases for captured weapons have brown laqured steel shellcases. The cartridges depicted here (1 & 2) are Czech manufactured. The projectiles stand out as they have a striking double driving belt, with the top driving belt flanged in top, causing only a small rim of the driving band to be visable when the projectile is placed in the shellcase. The space between both driving belts is filled with graphite grease.
The high explosive shell (1) has a tracer self destruct mechanism that detonates the projectile if no target is hit. After the tracer is burnt up, a cilinder of powder (black) which ends in the duplex detonator is ignited, detonating the shell.
When safe, the firing pin is fixated in the upper position by four steel balls in a concave part of the fuze body and placed under the firing pin. A spring loaded flange above the four balls keeps the balls forced in the inner position. Upon firing, the balls are swung outward, climbing the concave surface of the fuze housing, pushing the spring loaded flange slightly upward. The firing pin is released, and is now floating. Upon impact, the firing pin is pushed inward into the duplex detonator, exploding the projectile.
Vo; 860 mtrs/sec. Cartridges are delivered in belts of 40.
Cartridge No.2 has a armour piercing projectile. A hardened steel core is placed in a gliding metal jacket. The armour piercing capability is 27mm of steel at 91 meters with a vertical positioned plate, 15mm of steel at 300 meters when the plate is placed at 30 degrees from vertical.
Vo: 883 mtrs/sec, the projectile weight is 74,5 grams.
The cartridges 5 & 6 are for the German 15x96mm Mg151/15 Mauser heavy machine gun as used for instance in the Messerschmitt Bf-109F2.
The high explosive projectile (No.5) weighs 57 grams and has a tracer self destruct that ignites the incendiary charge of 1,3 grams Elektronthermit, placed below the 1,9 grams explosive charge of Nitropenta. Self destruct occurs between 900 and 100 meters.
The AZ 1552 nose fuze has a firing pin which is fixated in the upper position by two collar halves , which are kept in inner position by a rolled up brass spiral strip. Upon firing the spiral stip unrolls, allowing the two collar segments to move outward, releasing the firing pin. Above the firing pin a hammer pin is placed which pushes the firing pin into the duplex detonator upon impact with a target.
The AP-T projectile (No.4) consists of a hardened steel projectile with a copper driving belt. A hole is drilled in the base to house the tracer composition.
Vo: 850 mtrs/sec, armour penetration; a 19mm steel plate placed at 30 degrees from vertical at 100 mtrs.
The cartridges 3 and 4 (15x101) use the same projectiles as cartridges 5 and 6 (15x96 Mg151/15), but are meant for the FlaMg 38(t). As the German shells have a single -wide- drivingbelt in contrast to the Czech double drivingbelt that is sunk into the shellcase, placing a German manufactured projectile on a Czech shellcase would make the chambering length of the cartridge too long. To avoid this, German manufactured shellcases are 3mm shorter than czech manufactured ones (15x101 instead of 15x104) to enshure the chambering length remains the same. Therefore, the cartridges 1,2,3,and 4 can be fired from the same weapon.
In interesting detail is that the High explosive shell (no.3) has no tracer self destruct pressed in, however the hole in the flange between the tracer and the explosives room is present. As the self destruct element is pressed in place in a rim, the element has not been drilled outlater, as than at least the rim would remain. So, suposedly shells without a tracer self destruct were manufactured also.
Funny detail; as I am bussy changing the German manufactured FlaMg 38(t) cartridge (no.3) into a cutaway model, a complete belt of 15x101 HE cartridges is pulled from the Voorne canal by magnet fishers about a week ago, approximately 250 meters from my house. Of cource, the Dutch EOD collected and destroyed them.
Lots of work for me to get one of these cartridges, as in fact they are lying around about in my back garden……..
Interesting to see that after 76 years on the bottom of the canal these catridges are still in a very good condition (sweet water).
As the FlaMg38(t) was often used as a Heavy anti aircraft machine gun on German patrol ships, and the canal behind the lock was a known German patrol boat harbour I assume it was from one of the patrol boats moored in the canal.
Regards, DJH
Attachments
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Pict 01 - 15x104, 15x101 , 15x96 cartridges.jpg -
Pict 02 - 15x104 FlaMg 38(t).jpg -
Pict 03 - 15x96 Mg151-15.jpg -
Pict 04 - 15x104 FlaMg 38(t) naval use.jpg -
Pict 05 - 15x101 (No.3) magnet fished from Vorne canall, destroyed by EOD service.jpg -
Pict 06 - 15x101 cartridge magnet fished from Voorne canal, destroyed by EOD service.jpg
LV ,,Protiletadlová výkonná,, 
