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Random Museum Ordnance Photos

HI,
here tw type of italian gas shell;
left "diaframma" right "codolo"
DSC00007.JPG

best regards
 
And for the larger projectiles, the "recipiente"?
 
Hi Us-Subs,
yes, you're right. But diaframma and codolo was used too.
best regards

Certainly - I believe I have photos of all of them (types), taken at Civitavecchia, Codroipo, etc. 210mm, 149mm, 305mm - some very interesting rounds. We also found many (none chemical) in Ethiopia, including some earlier designs.
 
Us-Subs,
I'm always interested in italian items. Would you PM me and sohw some of the photos?
thanks in advance
best regards
 
Us-Subs,
I'm always interested in italian items. Would you PM me and sohw some of the photos?
thanks in advance
best regards

Here are a few general shots. The Xray is a 305mm phosgene.

305_05_top_60_W_H_BC.jpgDSC_0019.jpgDSC_0020.jpgItalian 305mm CG  1.jpgP7020015.jpgPB200008-1.jpg
 
The recovered CW items have been destroyed, though of course more will turn up over the years. The "museum" pieces were held at one time by the Italian EOD school. I was able to see them during a visit around 2000. Some years later (2006?) I was organizing a mission to Ethiopia in order to look at several recovery sites which were suspected of containing CW. In country vs country issues like this it is not always sufficient to say that it is not CW, you may need to positively identify exactly what it is, in order to pacify the accusing country.

I requested permission to go back to the EOD school, for the purpose of photographing the conventional projectiles. I was not satisfied with the historic diagrams/information I had available on the Italian munitions and wanted to create a document for my own use in identification.

The problem with military and museum collections, EOD included, is that frequently priorities change. Space is limited, items become boring to the new generation and are no longer considered "relevant". This was no exception. The collection was no longer available, but after a couple of days searching some of the rounds were found shoved in a storage area. The fate of the other rounds was unknown. In the end I had a couple of hours to photograph as many pieces as I could, not my best work I'm afraid. After my visit there was a rumor that they were considering/had decided to destroy the remainder. I was not able to confirm this, I made some minor attempts to establish a rescue mission, but had no success. I have no idea if any of the original collection remains or not, I hope so.
 
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