Panzerschreck rocket connector

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Here's what I'm talking about, a picture that shows a firing pit with a team loading a schreck with another rocket. I say another because nearby, lower right, is the wood block connector with the transport tape on it from a previous rocket waiting for someone 67 yrs from then waiting to be found. http://www.ullsteinbild.de./photodat...w/00281715.jpg How many of you folks have come across firing pits ? Those connectors are out there waiting to be found.
Thanks, Bill

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All RIGHT !,
I'm finally getting some results from my inquirey on multiple forums. A collector on another forum posted two images from a Finnish poster showing drawings of the connector, one in plan view and another in slight perspective. They can be seen here:

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...69#post4741869

Now if someone could come up with an image of the pin with the wire attached I would be really "wired" !!!
Bill

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Here's a reply I got to this thread running on another forum:
"I saw your post on the communications forum about wire connection to rocket. I believe there were 2 types of rockets that could be used in the launcher. A ring contact type and a pin contact type. I think that the wood block was in the later type with a pin. It was made for simple manufacturing in the later part of the war. The wood block was a simple way to keep the pin from getting damaged in shipping and made a simple handle to push it into the tube's contact assembly at the top rear of the tube. As to how the wire was attached to the pin, there was likely some wired through the slot and held in by the tension of the groove and some also soldered to the pin (if the maker had solder to spare) after it was put into the pin groove. The big problem is that a lot of the manufacturing areas were moved into smaller and scattered places to protect them from bombing. This led to a wide variety of assembly practices on many armaments. I know this doesn't provide a nice simple answer to your question but I don't believe one really exists. Hope this helps. Good luck."
I replied:
"Thanks for the reply ! I think the info you have is correct only reversed. The wood block connector is on the early ammunition for the early "long" launcher. The ring contact ammo was used in the later "short launcher RPzB-54 (please see the walkaround image gallery at http://www.primeportal.net/armory/yu...panzerschreck/ ) which had a contact box with a switch which allowed it's use with ammo that had the woodblock connector and the new ammo with the contact ring. I will send you an image from the manual showing these connections via email. Thanks again and thanks for the "slot" idea, makes more sense !
Regards, Bill"
To which he replied:
"I am sure you are right. I am going off memory of a poorly translated manual I had a friend in germany do on a whim almost 20 years ago. Do you have scans of the original German manual?"
and then I said :
"These should give you an idea of the setup of the firing circuit for the early and late schrecks.
If there are any gun stores, surplus/Army-Navy stores, antique/junk stores, swap meet/flea markets, museums, or re-enactment events in your area you should hit as many as you can 'cause you never know what you will find there.
Regards, Bill"
and I sent these pictures . . .

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Here is what I would like to see a REAL picture of . . .


PshreckRktConnec2.jpg

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I must have been practicing my alzheimers when I started this thread a year ago because I just came across a thread posted by bazooka chris in Feb 2009 with a reply by Mike P. that has a picture of his schreck rocket that looks like the pin from the connector block is laying right behind it. See http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/attach...6&d=1234831903 . I sent Mike P. a PM hoping he might still have the rocket and could post one or two closeup pix of that pin. Fingers crossed, here's hoping.

[scottvalle]

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