Cutaway model of a 57 x 224mm Maxim-Norderfelt cannister shot. This type of cartridge was meant for the Fortress gun.
The Gun was designed in 1880 In England. 1888 the Belgian war ministry ordered 185 guns, which had a shorter barrel (L/26) than the normal 57mm Norderfelt six pounder naval guns which had a L/42 or L/50 and a longer shellcase. The guns were placed in bunkers where they shot in the length direction of the dry moath.
As spoils of war, the gun was also placed in the German WW1 A7V tank as the forward gun, some were placed on a truck as a mobile anti tank gun. In 1916, the German army had 450 of these Guns in use.
After WW1 the gun was obsolete and taken out of service.
As the gun used fixed rounds, the firing rate was quite high with 36 rpm
The cannister is one mm thick brass made and and filled with lead balls. Two driving belts are rolled in the cannister body to give the cannister rotation so the lead balls will form a cone shaped cloud of balls when the cannister rips open after leaving the barrel. In the base of the cannister a steel disc is placed to close the cannister and act as a pusher plate
The shellcase is brass made and has a coarse black powder propelling chargecharge, closed by a cartboard disc.
The base stamp is EP 98, EP meaning Ecole de Pyrotechnic, Antwerp , Belgium, 98 is the year of manufacture of the shellcase.
Length complete round: 400mm
Length projectile: 275mm
Diameter projectile: 57mm
Length shellcase: 224mm
Diameter lead balls : 15mm
Regards, DJH
The Gun was designed in 1880 In England. 1888 the Belgian war ministry ordered 185 guns, which had a shorter barrel (L/26) than the normal 57mm Norderfelt six pounder naval guns which had a L/42 or L/50 and a longer shellcase. The guns were placed in bunkers where they shot in the length direction of the dry moath.
As spoils of war, the gun was also placed in the German WW1 A7V tank as the forward gun, some were placed on a truck as a mobile anti tank gun. In 1916, the German army had 450 of these Guns in use.
After WW1 the gun was obsolete and taken out of service.
As the gun used fixed rounds, the firing rate was quite high with 36 rpm
The cannister is one mm thick brass made and and filled with lead balls. Two driving belts are rolled in the cannister body to give the cannister rotation so the lead balls will form a cone shaped cloud of balls when the cannister rips open after leaving the barrel. In the base of the cannister a steel disc is placed to close the cannister and act as a pusher plate
The shellcase is brass made and has a coarse black powder propelling chargecharge, closed by a cartboard disc.
The base stamp is EP 98, EP meaning Ecole de Pyrotechnic, Antwerp , Belgium, 98 is the year of manufacture of the shellcase.
Length complete round: 400mm
Length projectile: 275mm
Diameter projectile: 57mm
Length shellcase: 224mm
Diameter lead balls : 15mm
Regards, DJH
