What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

7,5cm brisantgranaatpatroon van 7 veld met pantserkopbuis No.38

pzgr40

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Cutaway model of a 7,5cm “brisantgranaatpatroon van 7 veld met pantserkopbuis No.38” which translates as “High explosive cartridge for gun 7 field with armour piercing fuze No.38”, as used in the “Gun 7 field “ (Kanon 7 veld) with the Dutch artillery prior to WW2. In 1904 the gun was taken into service with the Dutch army, it had a max. Range of 6.500 mtrs. In 1926 the gun was modernised, which resulted in a max. Range of 10.000 mtrs.
With the mobilisation in 1939 the Dutch army had 280 pcs. of 7 veld available for use.
The lack of anti-tank guns led to this interesting design, in which a high explosive shell was used as the carrier shell for an armour piercing fuze. The thought behind the design was that on impact the ‘pantserkopbuis No.38’ would break off the thread of shell body, traveling through the target armour plate, detonating behind the armour plate inside the target.
Of course one will understand the armour piercing capabillity was low compared to real armour piercing guns as the piercing capability is more depending upon speed of the projectile than weight, and a field gun shell normally has no high speed, so it was suitable only for attacking armoured cars, but not tanks. The High explosive shell on which the fuze was placed does not explode upon impact when the pantserkopbuis No.38 is used, but will act as a kind of hammer, when hitting the target.

The steel projectile body has a red copper driving band. The main charge of the projectile exists of a cartboard bushing containing Trotyl (TNT) with a smoke element placed in the middle of the explosive charge.

Description of the “pantsekopbuis No.38”:
The pantserkopbuis No.38 consists of a hardened steel ogive shaped body, ending in a pointed nose. On the inside, an ogive shaped cavity is drilled which houses the explosive charge.
The lower part of the pantserkopbuis is threaded, so it can be screwed on a 7,5cm shell body.
The pantserkopbuis is filled with a charge of pressed Trotyl (TNT, dark yellow) below it a charge of pressed Tetryl (light yellow). A heat sensitive detonator No.10 is placed in the Tetryl charge.
The lower part of the cavity is threaded to receive the impact fuze No.36.
This steel fuze has a firing cap (red), placed in a brass inertia weight cylinder. A brass shear wire is placed through the base of this inertia cylinder, preventing it from moving forward. Above the firing cap a disc with a firing pin is placed, facing towards the firing cap. A small hole beside the firing pin allows the flame of the firing cap to move upward into the brass element housing the black powder pyrotechnic delay.
Upon impact, inertia moves the firing cap inertia weight forward, breaking the shear wire, pushing the firing cap into the firing pin. The flame of the firing pin travels through the small hole into the black powder delay, which allows the pantserkopbuis N.38 to penetrate the target before the detonator No.10 is ignited.

The shellcase used is the “Kardoes Mg. Van 7 veld” shellcase Brass Gun 7 field. The main charge exists of “RB vlamvrij pijpen 180x4/2” Smokeless and Flameless sticks 180mm long , 4 mm outer diameter with a 2 mm diameter hole. In the base of the shellcase a percussion primer No 8 is screwed.
The stamped in letters “GL” (Gescheiden Lading) in the base of the shellcase mark out that the projectile is of the seperate loaded type.

Length complete cartridge: 550 mm
Length of projectile: 308 mm
Length of the shellcase: 277 mm
Length pantserkopbuis No.38: 98 mm
Diameter pantserkopbuis No.38: 55mm


Regards DJH
 

Attachments

  • 01 - Brisantgranaatpatroon van 7 veld met pantserkopbuis No.38 doorsnede.jpg
    01 - Brisantgranaatpatroon van 7 veld met pantserkopbuis No.38 doorsnede.jpg
    284 KB · Views: 56
  • 02 - Brisantgranaatpatroon van 7 veld met pantserkopbuis No.38.jpg
    02 - Brisantgranaatpatroon van 7 veld met pantserkopbuis No.38.jpg
    199.7 KB · Views: 47
  • 03 - pantserkopbuis No.38.jpg
    03 - pantserkopbuis No.38.jpg
    246.8 KB · Views: 52
Last edited:
Top