2.8 cm PzB41 - French souvenir from Tunisia / North Africa campaign 1942-1943

[37bis]

 

[Tony Williams]

Those HE shells must be rare - I can't recall seeing one before.

 

[M8owner]

The HE are very hard to find. Mine came out of Russia.

 

[37bis]

Hi Tony,
So here is a second, for the pleasure of your eyes :tinysmile_twink_t2: :

 

[pysall]

The souvenir.... a lovely piece.
Here a couple with a splash of original colour and natural wood finish...

 

[Spaceinvader]

Was the original color of these yellow? Would the AP versions of the 2.8cm rounds have paint on them?

 

[Tony Williams]

Was the original color of these yellow? Would the AP versions of the 2.8cm rounds have paint on them?

Generally speaking, German Army HE shells were painted a grey-green colour (I have the RAL number somewhere if anyone's interested). Yellow was used by the Luftwaffe (including FlaK rounds) and also I think by the Navy. Don't know about the AP.

 

[glevum]

Here is another one.

 

[pysall]

The HE rounds were painted yellow with the black band for "tropical" use. The AP rounds as far as I know were painted black except for the tip.

 

[Tony Williams]

The HE rounds were painted yellow with the black band for "tropical" use. The AP rounds as far as I know were painted black except for the tip.

Interesting - anyone know why they would be painted yellow rather than the standard army grey-green?

 

[greif]

The HE rounds were painted yellow with the black band for "tropical" use. The AP rounds as far as I know were painted black except for the tip.

No, the AP,HE, Prac and Flathead rounds were all painted black, some with a red stripe to indicate that the round had a propelling charge suitable for use in hot climates (Tropenladung) . Here 2 images from the handbook on colors and markings of German ammo.

 

[MINENAZ16]

example of red ring

 

[pysall]

I stand corrected! Black projectile with red case-mouth seal. According to official documentation.

Maybe the example I have comes from the experiments carried out for the 8202L in June 1941 for the Luftwaffe by Dr. Neufeldt? ref. "Von Flanschgeschossen und Wolframkernen" by Manfred Stegmueller? Who knows.

 

[Spaceinvader]

Ah yes I forgot about the grey-green, I have a 5cm squeezebore that's the original color. Would you happen to know why many of these 2.8's are seen without paint? Or the 3.7cm HVAP?

 

[Tony Williams]

Maybe the example I have comes from the experiments carried out for the 8202L in June 1941 for the Luftwaffe by Dr. Neufeldt? ref. "Von Flanschgeschossen und Wolframkernen" by Manfred Stegmueller? Who knows.

Was this for the Luftwaffe? I had assumed that it was for an automatic AFV gun.

Below is my replica of the 28/20 x 210B for the Mauser MK 8202.

 

[greif]

Ah yes I forgot about the grey-green, I have a 5cm squeezebore that's the original color. Would you happen to know why many of these 2.8's are seen without paint? Or the 3.7cm HVAP?

I wasn't entirely correct. The 2,8 HVAP and 3,7 HVAP shots were not painted black but blackened by browning (blueing) or phophatizing and then were painted with clear varnish. See remark (Anstrich) in the right corner of this 3,7 HVAP document.
Also interesting to see is that in 1942 somewhere between the Lot numbers 2k and 4e the caliber and designation of the gun were added in the headstamp.
In 1942 it said 2,8 cm Ptrh. PzB and in 1943 2,8 cm Patrh. PzB. Typo?

 

[greif]

Was this for the Luftwaffe? I had assumed that it was for an automatic AFV gun.

Below is my replica of the 28/20 x 210B for the Mauser MK 8202.

View attachment 138737

I found these pictures in my computer. I have forgotten where they came from. Could this be the cartridge case for the 2,8 cm Kwk 42?