The projectiles were used in different types of German 15cm naval guns, but in combination with this shell case in the 15cm Sk L/45
Quote From wikipedia:
“The 15 cm SK L/45 was a widely used naval gun on many classes of World War I Dreadnoughts and Cruisers in both casemates and turrets. It was constructed of an A- tube and two layers of hoops with a Krupp horizontal sliding-wedge breech block. During World War I a few pre-war cruisers that were armed with 10.5 cm guns were rearmed with these weapons. In World War II the 15 cm SK L/45 was widely used as Coastal artillery and as primary armament on German Auxiliary Cruisers.
Ship classes that carried the 15 cm SK L/45 include: Bremen class, Brumer class, Graudenz class, Kolberg class, Magdenburg class, Pilau class (Pict 09)
End of quote
As a land based Gun in WW1 it was also used as a railrod gun, the so called 15cm ‘NathanGeschütz’ (Pict 08)
Right Shell on picture 01 (and picture 04):
15 Cm SpGr. L/4,6 mit kopfzunder und haube, or in English; 15 Cm high explosive shell, long 4,6 times its calibre (672 mm), with nosefuze and ballistic cap. The shell consists of a forged mild steel body, machined flat at the top in which a stepped hole is drilled with two threads which receive the fuze and the long booster bushing below it. The bottom of the shell has a threaded hole with an enlarged chamber below the thread is machined. The bottom plate consists of a threaded flange with a larger flange below it that fits the enlarged chamber in the lower part of the shell. The flange, as well as the chamber have a groove and lock up a lead ring between them to ensure a high pressure gastight seal. In the center of the bottom plate is a blind plug. this can be exchanged with a tracer element if required. The ballistic nose cap is made of mild steel and is screwed on top of the shell body. In top of the cap, there is a small brass receiver tube, screwed in top of the cap. A wooden hammer pin is locked up between the brass tube and the firing pin in the fuze.
The Fuze (pict 05) is the Kz. C/27, in English: Nose fuze C/27. This is an aluminium fuze with a ring of brass centrifugal segments, pushed inward by an expanding brass ring spring. In this position, they hold the firing pin and the firing cap apart. After firing, the segments are swung outward by the centrifugal force and the firing pin as well as the the firing cap can move towards each other upon impact, held apart only by the spring surrounding the firing pin. Upon impact, the wooden hammer pin pushes down the firing pin in the firing cap, upon graze action the firing cap is swung forward into the firing pin by the deceleration, thus activating the firing cap. The booster exists of three parts, in top the booster Type A, the charge painted pink to represent the penthrite, below that two additional smaller boosters with a flame sensitive detonator in top
The driving band is made of KPS (Kupfer Panzer stahl); copper cladded to steel. This saves copper which was a relatively scarce strategic material for Germany.
The shell is painted yellow, except for the upper part of the nose cap which is painted black.
As the German navy took many of its designs from the British navy, the fuze, the booster housing and the brass cup on top of the ballistic cap all use Withworth thread, which can be observed by the ‘W’ stamped into the parts.
The explosive charge consists of two cardboard containers housing 4,46 kg FP02 (TNT) in the lower big container, and 0,211 kg FP02 in the upper container.
Vo: 835 mtrs/sec.
Weight or the shell: 45,3 kg (100 Lb)
Left shell on picture 01 (and picture 02):
15 Cm SpGr. L/4,5 mit bodenzunder und haube. In English: 15 Cm High explosive shell (635 mm) with base fuze and ballistic cap. The shell is the equivalent of the British “common pointed” shell. The main difference between this shell and the Armor piercing shell is the absence of the piercing cap between the nose and the ballistic cap (see added drawing picture 06). It means this shell could better not be used against thick armor plated main battleships, but was very suitable against lighter, less armored ships (destroyers, light cruisers). The shell consists of n forged steel body with a hardened nose (found that out after grinding, it was still too hard for rasping and had to be annealed). The lower part of the body and the bottom plate have the same construction as the right shell. The Fuze housing is screwed in the bottom plate, and has the same type of lead ring gas tight sealing as the bottom plate. The base fuze used (pict. 03) is the Bd.Z C/38 (base fuse C/38). The fuze is made of steel, with a brass cap. Its functioning is roughly the same as the Kz C/27, except for the fact that the firing pin points downward and is fixed. On impact or graze the firing cap is thrown forward by deceleration into the firing pin, overcoming the creep spring. The brass cap in top of the fuze has a black powder delay element, ensuring enough delay to pierce the armor and explode inside the target. On top of the fuze the Zdlg./ A is placed.
The ballistic nose cap is made of magnesium, and is screwed over the top of a steel cap that is soldered over top of the shell body. Upon impact on the target, the magnesium cap will burn up and give of a bright blue flash of light, that can be used for spotting purposes.
The explosive charge consists of two cardboard containers housing 2,02kg FP02 (TNT) in the lower big container, and 0,17kg FP25 in the upper container.
Vo: 835 mtrs/sec.
Weight or the shell: 45,3 kg (100 Lb)
The shell case is straight and flanged at the base, brass made and 815mm (32”) long. It is filled with 13,25 kg (29Lb 3,5 oz) powder sticks that are 825mm (32,5”) long with an outside diameter of 7,6mm (0,3”) and a through hole of 3mm (0,12”).
The powder sticks consist of Nitrocellulose and diethylene-glycol-dinitrate.
A brass lid (missing) is placed in top of the shell case the protect the powder sticks. It sticks out of the shell case 50mm (2”). It is removed before loading the shell case into the gun.
The percussion primer C12 N/A is used in the shell case.
The shellcase with charge weighs 22,3 kg (49Lb 4oz).
As the shellcase -when turned upside down- is used to place a shell upon to save space in my collection room, I have descided not cut it
Regards, DJH
Quote From wikipedia:
“The 15 cm SK L/45 was a widely used naval gun on many classes of World War I Dreadnoughts and Cruisers in both casemates and turrets. It was constructed of an A- tube and two layers of hoops with a Krupp horizontal sliding-wedge breech block. During World War I a few pre-war cruisers that were armed with 10.5 cm guns were rearmed with these weapons. In World War II the 15 cm SK L/45 was widely used as Coastal artillery and as primary armament on German Auxiliary Cruisers.
Ship classes that carried the 15 cm SK L/45 include: Bremen class, Brumer class, Graudenz class, Kolberg class, Magdenburg class, Pilau class (Pict 09)
End of quote
As a land based Gun in WW1 it was also used as a railrod gun, the so called 15cm ‘NathanGeschütz’ (Pict 08)
Right Shell on picture 01 (and picture 04):
15 Cm SpGr. L/4,6 mit kopfzunder und haube, or in English; 15 Cm high explosive shell, long 4,6 times its calibre (672 mm), with nosefuze and ballistic cap. The shell consists of a forged mild steel body, machined flat at the top in which a stepped hole is drilled with two threads which receive the fuze and the long booster bushing below it. The bottom of the shell has a threaded hole with an enlarged chamber below the thread is machined. The bottom plate consists of a threaded flange with a larger flange below it that fits the enlarged chamber in the lower part of the shell. The flange, as well as the chamber have a groove and lock up a lead ring between them to ensure a high pressure gastight seal. In the center of the bottom plate is a blind plug. this can be exchanged with a tracer element if required. The ballistic nose cap is made of mild steel and is screwed on top of the shell body. In top of the cap, there is a small brass receiver tube, screwed in top of the cap. A wooden hammer pin is locked up between the brass tube and the firing pin in the fuze.
The Fuze (pict 05) is the Kz. C/27, in English: Nose fuze C/27. This is an aluminium fuze with a ring of brass centrifugal segments, pushed inward by an expanding brass ring spring. In this position, they hold the firing pin and the firing cap apart. After firing, the segments are swung outward by the centrifugal force and the firing pin as well as the the firing cap can move towards each other upon impact, held apart only by the spring surrounding the firing pin. Upon impact, the wooden hammer pin pushes down the firing pin in the firing cap, upon graze action the firing cap is swung forward into the firing pin by the deceleration, thus activating the firing cap. The booster exists of three parts, in top the booster Type A, the charge painted pink to represent the penthrite, below that two additional smaller boosters with a flame sensitive detonator in top
The driving band is made of KPS (Kupfer Panzer stahl); copper cladded to steel. This saves copper which was a relatively scarce strategic material for Germany.
The shell is painted yellow, except for the upper part of the nose cap which is painted black.
As the German navy took many of its designs from the British navy, the fuze, the booster housing and the brass cup on top of the ballistic cap all use Withworth thread, which can be observed by the ‘W’ stamped into the parts.
The explosive charge consists of two cardboard containers housing 4,46 kg FP02 (TNT) in the lower big container, and 0,211 kg FP02 in the upper container.
Vo: 835 mtrs/sec.
Weight or the shell: 45,3 kg (100 Lb)
Left shell on picture 01 (and picture 02):
15 Cm SpGr. L/4,5 mit bodenzunder und haube. In English: 15 Cm High explosive shell (635 mm) with base fuze and ballistic cap. The shell is the equivalent of the British “common pointed” shell. The main difference between this shell and the Armor piercing shell is the absence of the piercing cap between the nose and the ballistic cap (see added drawing picture 06). It means this shell could better not be used against thick armor plated main battleships, but was very suitable against lighter, less armored ships (destroyers, light cruisers). The shell consists of n forged steel body with a hardened nose (found that out after grinding, it was still too hard for rasping and had to be annealed). The lower part of the body and the bottom plate have the same construction as the right shell. The Fuze housing is screwed in the bottom plate, and has the same type of lead ring gas tight sealing as the bottom plate. The base fuze used (pict. 03) is the Bd.Z C/38 (base fuse C/38). The fuze is made of steel, with a brass cap. Its functioning is roughly the same as the Kz C/27, except for the fact that the firing pin points downward and is fixed. On impact or graze the firing cap is thrown forward by deceleration into the firing pin, overcoming the creep spring. The brass cap in top of the fuze has a black powder delay element, ensuring enough delay to pierce the armor and explode inside the target. On top of the fuze the Zdlg./ A is placed.
The ballistic nose cap is made of magnesium, and is screwed over the top of a steel cap that is soldered over top of the shell body. Upon impact on the target, the magnesium cap will burn up and give of a bright blue flash of light, that can be used for spotting purposes.
The explosive charge consists of two cardboard containers housing 2,02kg FP02 (TNT) in the lower big container, and 0,17kg FP25 in the upper container.
Vo: 835 mtrs/sec.
Weight or the shell: 45,3 kg (100 Lb)
The shell case is straight and flanged at the base, brass made and 815mm (32”) long. It is filled with 13,25 kg (29Lb 3,5 oz) powder sticks that are 825mm (32,5”) long with an outside diameter of 7,6mm (0,3”) and a through hole of 3mm (0,12”).
The powder sticks consist of Nitrocellulose and diethylene-glycol-dinitrate.
A brass lid (missing) is placed in top of the shell case the protect the powder sticks. It sticks out of the shell case 50mm (2”). It is removed before loading the shell case into the gun.
The percussion primer C12 N/A is used in the shell case.
The shellcase with charge weighs 22,3 kg (49Lb 4oz).
As the shellcase -when turned upside down- is used to place a shell upon to save space in my collection room, I have descided not cut it
Regards, DJH
Attachments
-
01 - 15cm German naval shells.jpg -
02 - 15 Cm SpGr. L4,5 mit bodenzunder und haube..jpg -
03 - Bd.Z C38.JPG -
04 - 15 Cm SpGr. L4,6 mit kopfzunder und haube.jpg -
05 - Kz. C27.jpg -
06 - 15 cm psgr L3,8.JPG -
07 - Base stamp 150x 815mm L45 shellcase..jpg -
08 - 15 cm SK L45 in Mittelpivot-Lafette „Nathan“.jpg -
09 - 15cm L45 ship gun.jpg
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