35 x 228 cartridges for the Oerlikon KDA, KDB, KDC and KDE guns
Hi Peter , here some info:
In the last year I have been able to collect a nice set of 35x228 shells for the Swiss Oerlikon KDA, KDB, KDC and KDE anti aircraft gun series. The guns are in use as towed guns, self propelled AA guns, mounted on armoured vehicles and personel carriers, and are placed on naval vessels.
Here some picturs of cartridges, the guns and some explanation about the shells:
Note that some shellcases are straight and some have a groove just below the bottleneck of the shellcase, The ones with the groove are for belt fed weapons, the ones without are fired from clips containing six cartridges.
Shellcases are always steel, painted dark green or greyish green.
Type 1:
APHEI-T , Armour Piercing High Explosive Tracer shell made by Diehl Germany
A hardened steel body with a nosecap filled with an incendiary composition. Note the intricate fuze, containing two self destruct mechanisms and 5 safety devices.
The shell is meant to explode inside the target after piercing it.
It is suitable for a wide range of targets, exept heavily armoured targets.
Type2 :
APHEI, Armour Piercing High Explosive Incendiary, Swiss design from Oerlikon, designated PSBH/H. Designed in 1962. Hardened steel body with an aluminium windshield. Suitable for light to medium armoured targets. The fuze has a self destruct device.
Type 3 :
APHEI-T, Armour Piercing High Explosive Incendiary -Tracer, Swiss design from Oerlikon, designated PLD-044. Hardened steel body with an aluminium windshield. Suitable for light to medium armoured targets. The fuze has a self destruct device. It penetrates a 15 mm thick steel plate at 1000 mtrs @30 degrees. Vo.:1041m/s.
Type 4 :
HEI , High Explosive Incendiary. Swiss design from Oerlikon, designated SSD-048. It has a mechanical base fuze BDZ357. The projectile has a hardened nose, giving it a limited capacity to pierce lightly armoured targest before exploding. Mainly meant to be used against aircraft.
Below the nose and above the explosive charge (blue) a zirconium (black) incendiary element is placed. The fuze has a self destruct device. Vo.: 1175 m/s.
Type 5 :
HEI , High Explosive Incendiary. Swiss design from Oerlikon, designated SSD-048. It has an Electric base fuze BDZ363. The projectile has a hardened nose, giving it a limited capacity to pierce lightly armoured targest before exploding. Mainly meant to be used against aircraft. Due to the electronic fuze the shell is more sensitive and has a shorter reaction time. The fuze has a self destruct device. Vo.: 1175 m/s.
Type 6 :
3,5cm Sprg B G Patr. 3,5cm High explosive shell of Swiss design. It is fuzed with the AZZ65 (impact time fuze 65) which can be seen in cutaway in Type 7. The shell is produced by Oerlikon. The fuze has a self destruct device.
Type 7 :
HEI, High explosive Incendiary shell of Swiss design and colour code. The projectile is designated MSD-042. It is fuzed with the AZZ65 (impact time fuze 65). The shell is produced by Oerlikon. The fuze has a self destruct device.
Type 8 :
HE, High Explosive shell, manufactured in Holland by EMZ (Eurometaal Zaandam). The projectile is designated MSD-042 It is fuzed with the KDZ228 impact fuze. The fuze has a self destruct device. Vo.: 1175 m/s.
Type 9 :
HE, High Explosive shell, manufactured in Holland by EMZ (Eurometaal Zaandam).The projectile is designated MSD-042. It is fuzed with the KDZ-228 impact fuze. The fuze has a self destruct device (cutaway model of type 8 ). Vo.: 1175 m/s.
Type 10 :
APDS-T Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot Tracer. Swiss design, designated TLD-038. The penetrator has a weight of 294 grams and is made of tungsten carbide. Vo:1385m/s
It penetrates a 100 mm block at 90 degr. at 1000 mtrs., or a 40 mm thick steel plate at 30 degr. from horizontal at 1000 mtrs.
Type 11 :
APDS-T Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot Tracer. German design by Rheinmetal, specially designed against the Hind helicopter. Project was cancelled at the end of the cold war. No further info available.
Type 12 :
FAPDS-T , Frangible Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot- Tracer, Same as the APDS, exept for the fact that the penetrator breaks to small pieces after penetration, fanning out in a cone shaped cloud of debris. Especially meant for anti misile use.
The 35x228 mm FAPDS-T on trials penetrated 2 steel plates, 10 and 30 mm (with 60 mm of free space between both), angle 45 and range 2000 mtrs.
Type 13 :
FPDS , Frangible Piercing Discarding Sabot, experimental. Many experiments were carried out with different shapes of windshield and/or projectile body. No further info available.
Type 14 :
APFSDS-T, Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot- Tracer. Fires a dart shape formed projectile. Rheinmetal experimental design.
The 35x228mm APFSDS-T (388g penetrator at1417m/s) is stated to penetrate 120 mm @90 degr @1000 mtrs.
Type 15 :
Break up, Live practice very short range projectile of Dutch design. It consists of a thin plastic body filled with iron powder. In the barrel it is held together, after leaving the barrel the centrifugal force rips open the body dispersing the iron powder just before the firing vehicle.
An advantage is that the weapon will function and fire on its full working pressure without the need for a large shooting range.
Type 16 :
Target practice.
Regards DJH 8)