82mm mortar shell marked wxh

[Draoich]

Hi All,
I wonder if anyone can give me some information on an 82mm mortar shell with the markings:
wxh
514/85
82
I think this ammunition was produced for the Czech 82mm mortar VZ52. These were being sold as decorative items some 10 years ago.


They are unusual as they have no Bourrelet. Also, although they are fitted with either a Soviet M5 or M6 fuze, they are not Soviet standard ammunition. I cannot find a designation for this type on CAT-UXO.

Regards,

Draoich

 

[MINENAZ16]

Hi,
I think it's a Czech 82mm M52 projectile. Used with Czech or Russian type fuzes.

 

[Draoich]

Hi MINENAZ16,

Thank you for the information. It is interesting that the casting is similar to the pre-war Czech VZ36 81mm mortar shell (photo attached).


Regards,

Draoich

 

[Draoich]

Hi,

The information that MINENAZ16 provided led me to look further at the fuzes produced by the Czech Republic, particularly the MZ 30 AV and the MZ 31 as these look very similar to one type shown on his drawing of the M52 mortar shell. I wonder if one of these is the type shown in the drawing?


Regards,

Draoich

 

[BrunO]

Hi Draoich,
the meaning of the symbols on the mine body is as follows:
wxh - old code of military repairing plant (VOP) Nováky (Slovakia)
514/85 - serial number and revision year of old ammunition (the number 5 means that the ammunition has been revised)
82 - caliber (in mm)
T - TNT (cast)
O - Fragmentation
A - body made of cast steel
This is a fragmentation, eight-fin tail mortar shell of Czechoslovak design. The shells were produced in the slovak ammunition factory in Dubnica nad Váhom (currently ZVS Holding). The shells were only revised in the VOP Nováky. The shells could use Soviet fuzes of the M-5, M-6 type, or Czechoslovak fuzes of the MZ-35, MZ-35/36 type.

Regards
BrunO

 

[Draoich]

Hi Draoich,
the meaning of the symbols on the mine body is as follows:
wxh - old code of military repairing plant (VOP) Nováky (Slovakia)
514/85 - serial number and revision year of old ammunition (the number 5 means that the ammunition has been revised)
82 - caliber (in mm)
T - TNT (cast)
O - Fragmentation
A - body made of cast steel
This is a fragmentation, eight-fin tail mortar shell of Czechoslovak design. The shells were produced in the slovak ammunition factory in Dubnica nad Váhom (currently ZVS Holding). The shells were only revised in the VOP Nováky. The shells could use Soviet fuzes of the M-5, M-6 type, or Czechoslovak fuzes of the MZ-35, MZ-35/36 type.

Regards
BrunO

Hi Bruno,

Thank you very much for the information. This is very helpful.

Regards,
Draoich

 

[BrunO]

Hi,

The information that MINENAZ16 provided led me to look further at the fuzes produced by the Czech Republic, particularly the MZ 30 AV and the MZ 31 as these look very similar to one type shown on his drawing of the M52 mortar shell. I wonder if one of these is the type shown in the drawing?
View attachment 205352View attachment 205353

Regards,

Draoich

Hi Draoich,
no, the picture on the right shows a mortar shell with a Czechoslovak MZ-50 fuze. This fuze was used exclusively for smoke mortar shells of the type 82-ED-M37, M41 and M52.
Regards,
BrunO

 

[Draoich]

Hi Bruno,

Again, Thank you very much for the information. This explains the fuze incorrectly guessed by me as an MZ 30 AV or an MZ 31. I understand now that it is the Czechoslovak MZ-50 fuze used for smoke shells.

Regards,
Draoich