Andy Naude
Well-Known Member
Received two 4.5 inch cases this past weekend. Was pleasanlty surprised when I saw they were marked as "DRILL". At first I thought that they had been cut down to make umbrella stands. After some enquieries I received an answer from an old friend who served on one of the South African frigates.
My first question was if he knew what they were?
His answer:
This has jogged my mind (I had forgotten all about these). As I recall this is used when shutting the breach after cleaning. Last time I had anything to do with the 4.5" was in 1968!
My next question was if they were real (as in not cut back)?
His answer:
Yes, but it was actually a breech closing "tool" (my terminology) but that is a lot to stamp on the base. It was needed to trip the extractor arms after cleaning because the breech had to be open during cleaning.
Normally during a shoot, as the gun recoiled the breech was opened by a cam then as the breech reached its end of travel during opening the extractor arms jerked back by means of a cam and that extracted the spent cartridge case (with great force) and the extractor arms engaged in a notch and so was held open ready for the next shell to be rammed in. The round going in would trip the arms off the notch and the breech slammed shut ready to fire. I would need to discuss with a Gunner from that era to get more details (it was their job to keep the barrel clean not the OA).
Three Type T 12 frigates were purchased from Britain in 1962, 1963 and 1964 and were in service up to 1985. These were the South African Presidents Class Frigates. The President Kruger, President Steyn and the President Pretorius.
(Photo S A Navy)
Each of these frigates was equiped with one twin 4.5 inch gun. I am assuming that the two Drill cases that I have were delivered as "tools", as part of the cleaning kit, with the frigates in 1962, 1963 and 1964 respectively.
If each frigate only had two Drill rounds and there were three frigates using the 4.5 inch guns then there would only have been six of the Drill cases.
Head stamp was over stamped in 1962 by "P & M ENG CO"
My first question was if he knew what they were?
His answer:
This has jogged my mind (I had forgotten all about these). As I recall this is used when shutting the breach after cleaning. Last time I had anything to do with the 4.5" was in 1968!
My next question was if they were real (as in not cut back)?
His answer:
Yes, but it was actually a breech closing "tool" (my terminology) but that is a lot to stamp on the base. It was needed to trip the extractor arms after cleaning because the breech had to be open during cleaning.
Normally during a shoot, as the gun recoiled the breech was opened by a cam then as the breech reached its end of travel during opening the extractor arms jerked back by means of a cam and that extracted the spent cartridge case (with great force) and the extractor arms engaged in a notch and so was held open ready for the next shell to be rammed in. The round going in would trip the arms off the notch and the breech slammed shut ready to fire. I would need to discuss with a Gunner from that era to get more details (it was their job to keep the barrel clean not the OA).
Three Type T 12 frigates were purchased from Britain in 1962, 1963 and 1964 and were in service up to 1985. These were the South African Presidents Class Frigates. The President Kruger, President Steyn and the President Pretorius.
(Photo S A Navy)
Each of these frigates was equiped with one twin 4.5 inch gun. I am assuming that the two Drill cases that I have were delivered as "tools", as part of the cleaning kit, with the frigates in 1962, 1963 and 1964 respectively.
If each frigate only had two Drill rounds and there were three frigates using the 4.5 inch guns then there would only have been six of the Drill cases.
Head stamp was over stamped in 1962 by "P & M ENG CO"