Morning all,
Fairly new to the site, and thoroughly enjoying all the gossip/info.
(Firstly, please note this shell is inert and empty of all and any explosive medium. I don't travel to France or Belgium to collect relics from the field of battle, live or inert, because I have a deep respect for those who have fallen, and secondly because I wish to carry on living in one piece... Hope I don't come across as a pompous old sod, but thats the thing I like most about this site,responsible and respectable people).
Wondered if I could tap into the vast sea of knowledge out there and hopefully find an answer to my conundrum. I have an inert and empty, First war 15cm German HE projectile in relatively good condition, minor pitting and unfired as indicated by the driving band. But the base of the shell has what appears to be a plate, about 1/4" thick, turned to the same diametre of the shell and fixed to the base with a slotted screw(?). It doesn't increase the shell in height and the distance from the driving band to the base of the shell is exactly the same compared to others I have. The age and patina suggests this is original to the shell.
Could it be a reinforcing plate to give a bit of extra strength to the projectile from the explosive force from the firing of the weapon. Never seen it before.
Looking inside the shell, the base inside is flat, which suggests to me that the plate on the base was threaded and screwed in the base of the shell? the slotted screw is just visible inside, flush with the plate.
I'm quitely hoping that its not a case of someone in the past having turned the base off for whatever reason then making a new one later???
I'll post some pics soon, but in the meantime many thanks for any info you chaps might be able to forward.
Cheers!
Fairly new to the site, and thoroughly enjoying all the gossip/info.
(Firstly, please note this shell is inert and empty of all and any explosive medium. I don't travel to France or Belgium to collect relics from the field of battle, live or inert, because I have a deep respect for those who have fallen, and secondly because I wish to carry on living in one piece... Hope I don't come across as a pompous old sod, but thats the thing I like most about this site,responsible and respectable people).
Wondered if I could tap into the vast sea of knowledge out there and hopefully find an answer to my conundrum. I have an inert and empty, First war 15cm German HE projectile in relatively good condition, minor pitting and unfired as indicated by the driving band. But the base of the shell has what appears to be a plate, about 1/4" thick, turned to the same diametre of the shell and fixed to the base with a slotted screw(?). It doesn't increase the shell in height and the distance from the driving band to the base of the shell is exactly the same compared to others I have. The age and patina suggests this is original to the shell.
Could it be a reinforcing plate to give a bit of extra strength to the projectile from the explosive force from the firing of the weapon. Never seen it before.
Looking inside the shell, the base inside is flat, which suggests to me that the plate on the base was threaded and screwed in the base of the shell? the slotted screw is just visible inside, flush with the plate.
I'm quitely hoping that its not a case of someone in the past having turned the base off for whatever reason then making a new one later???
I'll post some pics soon, but in the meantime many thanks for any info you chaps might be able to forward.
Cheers!
