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US 37mm M51 Target Practice Projetile from WWII
- Thread starter M8owner
- Start date
Hi Steve,
Thanks for showing that one, its a new one for me to add to the list, the only flat top one that i knew of was the M51 A1 TP that i have been after for years, now i have two more to find as well.
Thought i would add some drawings of these rounds below for anyone interested.
Best regards Weasel.
Thanks for showing that one, its a new one for me to add to the list, the only flat top one that i knew of was the M51 A1 TP that i have been after for years, now i have two more to find as well.
Thought i would add some drawings of these rounds below for anyone interested.
Best regards Weasel.
Weasel,
Thanks for the drawing of the M51B1 round. I've always liked this variation as it appears to be a mid-war attempt to make a bare bones practice projectile that was SOMETHING to send down the bore with a minimum of manufacturing costs and effort. It's mentioned in the TM9-1901 but not illustrated and they don't show up very often. Most I've seen were fired and recovered examples from the Patton training area or similar sites. Here's a couple photos of mine.
Steve,
Really interesting that your M51B2 projectile is painted under the windscreen. I don't recall seeing that before. Or has it been repainted?
Rick
Thanks for the drawing of the M51B1 round. I've always liked this variation as it appears to be a mid-war attempt to make a bare bones practice projectile that was SOMETHING to send down the bore with a minimum of manufacturing costs and effort. It's mentioned in the TM9-1901 but not illustrated and they don't show up very often. Most I've seen were fired and recovered examples from the Patton training area or similar sites. Here's a couple photos of mine.
Steve,
Really interesting that your M51B2 projectile is painted under the windscreen. I don't recall seeing that before. Or has it been repainted?
Rick
Rick,
In your first photo of the M51B1 without windscreen, is the point made of a dissimilar metal like a lead alloy or am I just seeing a color difference near the tip? I have one that looks just like that and I always assumed someone just made an end for it.
Steve,
That sort of looks like a proof projectile but the bevel at the top is wider than my example and the markings are completely different. Mine is marked as an M52 proof projectile on the body above the rotating band and not on the base. Of course, those differences might just be the change from prototype to standardized form. Mine came Via Steve Greenberg from an antique shop in Berwick, PA where American Car and Foundry proof fired the guns in M3A1 Stuarts. I'll try to post a photo of it later together with a couple other oddballs.
Rick
In your first photo of the M51B1 without windscreen, is the point made of a dissimilar metal like a lead alloy or am I just seeing a color difference near the tip? I have one that looks just like that and I always assumed someone just made an end for it.
Steve,
That sort of looks like a proof projectile but the bevel at the top is wider than my example and the markings are completely different. Mine is marked as an M52 proof projectile on the body above the rotating band and not on the base. Of course, those differences might just be the change from prototype to standardized form. Mine came Via Steve Greenberg from an antique shop in Berwick, PA where American Car and Foundry proof fired the guns in M3A1 Stuarts. I'll try to post a photo of it later together with a couple other oddballs.
Rick