10.5cm

[TonyE]

I have been asked to try to identify this shell which currently resides in a military collection.

Since it is way outside my comfort zone I hope some more informed member can help.

It is a German 10.5cm and appears to be a starshell. It has a possibly dummy fuze and is painted dark green overall. "Leucht" is stencilled in black and "dag 11 (?) 44" is over-stencilled in white. It has double driving bands and is waisted with a distinct bourrelet. There is a screw in the centre of the base.

There is a section cut from the skirt of the shell and two shallow 25mm holes drilled in the base, presumably for exploitation and material analysis.

All and any help appreciated.

Regards
TonyE

 

[Weasel]

Hi Tony,
You have a 10.5 cm WW2 German Naval star shell, the original colour is stated as light green but that covers a multitude of shades. The correct fuze for this would be the Zt ZS/60nA as far as i know.
I dont have a picture of the 10.5 in my documents but i do have one of the 8.8cm star shell and it too has two holes shown on the base although i can find not explanation for the purpose of these, it also states that the base is centrally bored with a screw thread to accept a tracer.
The marking " Leucht " is Leucht Geschoss meaning Star Shell, Cant help you with the "Dag 11" though maybe a makers mark and 44 would, i think be the date.
Best regards Weasel.

 

[TonyE]

Starshell

Hi Weasel

You are a scholar and a gentleman! Thank you very much.

Is there any chance that you can post the picture you have of the 8.8cm for camparison?

Many thanks again,
TonyE

 

[Weasel]

Hi Tony,
I can offer you this page taken from the Handbook of Enemy Ammunition Published by the war office 1945 Pamphlet 14 page 31.
I will also add that the fuze i have that i thought was for ththis round is marked ZZS/60nA, maybe another member can tell us what the difference is between these two fuzes ? If you would like any more info regarding function etc then please let me know.




Best regards Weasel.

 

[Defender]

The wartime 'dag' (small letters) is "Orion" Metallwarenfabrik GmbH, Kremmen
They are known for gunparts and signal/illuminating ammunition.

Not to mix up with 'DAG' (capitol letters), which is postwar for Dynamit AG (and divisions).

 

[Weasel]

Hi Defender,
Thank you for that info, best regards Weasel.

 

[TonyE]

Thanks Weasel (and Defender).

Regards
TonyE

 

[Pascal]

Hello

... and it too has two holes shown on the base although i can find not explanation for the purpose of these ...

Not sure I can explain it in english... but i'll try :

When the base go out, these holes make a different weight, so the base don't follow the same trajectory than the shell.

It's the same thing, by example, with the 75mm illuminating shell Mle 1916G : there is a counterbalance on the ejecting base.

 

[TonyE]

Base

Thank you for that explanation, your English was perfectly good enough!

It makes complete sense now.

Regards
TonyE

 

[blackwatch]

This shell was also used by the german army, as 10,5 cm flak 38.
Tony is there a WaA stamp on it?
My shell got 2 stamps on it , army and navy.

 

[TonyE]

Waffenamt

I did note note any stamps, but I shall check next time I am there, although that will not be until after Christmas.

Regards
TonyE

 

[flak18]

Hello Blackwatch....I know this thread was a long time ago, but I wondered if you have any documentation that shows the Flak 38 used this shell also ? There are so many sources of so called "Intelligence" on German ammunition and they all differ. The American ones appear to have been written by a child and are full of errors. Any help you can give will be very much appreciated.....and used to good effect. Thanks in advance....Matt

 

[flak18]

No, no documentation ? The reason I asked is that all my books say the Flak 38 did not use a Starshell.

 

[Fjordhouse]

Hello, The flak 38 did not use the starshell, the SKC 32 (navy) had a starshell. regards Ben

 

[thekees]

And the SKC33 too, this gun used the same case as the FLAK38.

 

[flak18]

Thank you gentlemen...as usual, the answers are always to be found here.