Converted l70 case to shortened, necked version

[Depotman]

I’ve only ever seen another one of these and there’s verylittle information available on the internet. The case MAY have been partof the ‘Red Queen’ or ‘Red King’ projects, although the case length and shape aredifferent to the rounds from these two projects.
The case is an L70 Mark 4 dated 1957 and made at RoyalLaboratories Birtley (RLB). It is 238mmlong and the necked calibre measures 40mm.
There are two holes in the case at right angles to eachother, presumably to ‘de-militarise’ it.

Can anyone identify it please? Depotman

 

[TimG]

The Red Queen program was long dead and buried by 1956.

TimG

 

[SG500]

Hi thanks for the photos, see these links.
http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/4288-42mm-Red-Queen-anti-aircraft?highlight=queen
http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threa...-t-a-40mm-L70-Case-40x278?highlight=red+queen
http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/87437-Unusual-Bofors-Round?highlight=red+queen
I believe the consensus is that its not Red Queen as the case is so totally different from a Red Queen case, but nobody has been able to find out any more information on these shortened cases.
There are 2 case length variations of the one you have. They do crop up now and again, I've seen half a dozen of each case length over the last 10 years.
From memory all the headstamps are the same.
Dave.
Dave.

 

[Depotman]

Hi thanks for the photos, see these links.
http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/4288-42mm-Red-Queen-anti-aircraft?highlight=queen
http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threa...-t-a-40mm-L70-Case-40x278?highlight=red+queen
http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/87437-Unusual-Bofors-Round?highlight=red+queen
I believe the consensus is that its not Red Queen as the case is to totally different from a Red Queen case, but nobody has been able to find out any more information on these shortened cases.
There are 2 case length variations of the one you have. They do crop up now and again, I've seen half a dozen of each case length over the last 10 years.

From memory all the headstamps are the same.
Dave.
Dave.

Thanks Dave - it's still surprising that relatively modern experimental cases/rounds are still unknown or not recorded. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised as the British 'L' series fuzes are not too well documented either, especially the base fuzes. Maybe my next book when I've finished WW1 British fuzes! Trevor

 

[Tony Williams]

238mm is shorter than usual for these cut down and slightly blown out 42mm cases (I have one which is 280mm long).

I have suspected that they might be connected with the Red King/Queen project, in that they could have been used for firing prototype 42mm projectiles to measure aspects of their ballistic performance; the projectiles had a cup-type rubberised driving band, which would have needed thorough testing at an early stage. The problem is that the late date of the headstamps would seem to preclude this.

OTOH, I have a 6pdr 6cwt round dated 1960, when the project was cancelled in 1946, and a 7x43 EM-2 round dated 1970, when that project was cancelled in the early 1950s....

 

[SG500]

238mm is shorter than usual for these cut down and slightly blown out 42mm cases (I have one which is 280mm long).

Hi Tony yes, that's the 2 x case lengths that I've come across. The shorter ones seem to be scarcer than the longer cut down versions.

Dave.