Flare cartridge and High explosive cartridge for Kampfpistole Z, Germany WW2

[pzgr40]

The Kampfpistole Z was a further development of the Flare gun 34. The main difference is that the Kampfpistole Z has a barrel is rifled. The Kampfpistole Z was taken intom service in 1939 and was kept in service throughout WW2. It was produced by Walther and Erma.
Different types of projectiles were available for the Kampfpistole Z; High explosive shells, a flare, different colours smoke shells, a message projectile, and the 2,6cm Wurfgranatepatrome 326 LP (described here: http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/102305-2-6cm-Wurfgranate-326LP ). Later the stick handgrenade and the egg handgrenade, both with an adjusted wooden or aluminium stick that fit the barrel were added

In this posting , both the “Sprenggranat fur lichtpistole Z” high explosive shell and the “Fallschirmleuchtpatrone fur kampfpistole” Illuminating shell are described.

Left on picture 01 the “Fallschirmleuchtpatrone fur kampfpistole Z” the flare cartridge. The projectile body is made from extruded aluminium with the rifling on the outside. The magnesium flare is placed inside the projectile body, packed in a thin cartboard container. On top a cardboard closing cap is placed, fixated to the magnesium flare by means of a staple. To this staple a 30cm long chain is attached to which the parachute wiring and the parachute is attached. A hollow bakelite nose cap closes the projectile.
An aluminium flange is screwed tot he base of the projectile. A pyrotechnic fuze is placed in the center of this fuze which is being ignited if the projectile is fired. If the fuze is burned up it ignites a small black powder charge that ignites the flare and launches the flare from the projectile body. A groove is machined to the side of the aluminium flange in which two pop out fins are placed (pict 03). These fins largely decrease the rotation of the projectile, as the rotation will cause the wires of the parachute to roll up after launch of the fare from the projectile.
The shellcase is aluminium made and functions according to the high-low pressure principal, causing the projectile to be launched with a relatively slow speed.

Diameter flare : 27mm
Length shellcase : 34mm
Length projectile : 122mm
Length complete cartridge: 140mm

On the right in picture 01 the “Sprenggranate fur kampfpistole Z”, the high explosive shell. The projectile body is made from extruded aluminium with the rifling on the outside. On the inside of the projectile body a 1mm thick steel liner is placed in which the explosive charge consistig of two cylinders Penthrite are placed. The top one is a cylinder with a cone shaped hole in top. It is clearly visable that the duplex detonator is not placed in the explosive charge, but above it. I suspect this is done to enshre the right center of gravity for the projectile, as it seems more logic to fill the complete projectile with one cilinder of penthrite.

The fuze on top of the projectile is the AZ1570. AZ is the abriviation for Aufschlag Zunder / Impact fuze, an aluminium made fuze. It functions as follows: (picture 02) the firing pin is placed in the magnesium firing pin housing, both out of line with the hole in the center above the duplex detonator. The firing pin housing is placed in the detonator housing and forms a slider that can move from left to right. It is however fixated in it’s out of line position by the two centrifugal safety pins that are kept pushed inward by the clock spring surrounding the two pins. The arming ball also forms a lock for the firing pin to move and is forced in the lower position by the two cetrifugal safety pins. The hole in which the arming ball is placed is not straight, but deviates a few degrees to the outside from the centerline when going to the top of the fuze.
After firing the projectile the arming ball is kept in it’s backward position by the acceleration. On the same moment the rotation throws out the two centrifugal safety pins, pushing the clock spring outward. The firing pin housing is now free to move. After the acceleration has decreased the arming ball is thrown outward and starts climbing the slanted wall of the hole untill it falls in the recess in the firing pin housing The firing pin housing is now heavier on that side and the firing pin housing slides outward placing the firing pin in the center of the fuze, above the duplex detonator. Upon impact the thrust pin below the nose piece pushes the firing pin into the detonator, exploding the shell.
The lethal radius of the projectile is stated to be 10 meters. According to instructions the projectile is not to be fired within a range of 20 meters, but not further that 200 meters, as accuracy will decrease sharply with any range above that.


Diameter flare : 27mm
Length shellcase : 34mm
Length projectile : 117mm
Length complete cartridge: 124,5mm

Regards, DJH

 

[Bellifortis]

Hi @pzgr40,
thank you for this additional interesting write-up. Last night, while going through my notes, I noticed another type of round for the "Kampfpistole Z", the "Nebel Z" round. This was an HC-smoke round, apparently developed late in the war. As a priming composition for the HC-smoke, already Tetranitrocarbazole was used instead of Black-Powder. Black-Powder was a universal standard for ignition comps of pyrotechnics. But, the germans had a lots of problems with dud "Kal.4" cartridges. The percussion caps failed. On investigation it was found that through ingress of moisture "Hydrogensulphide gas" was formed with the sulphur of the black powder. This gas killed the percussion cap comp. After an intensive search "Tetranitrocarbazol" was found as a synthetic replacement for Black Powder. From then on all igniters in Pyro-rounds used this chemical for igniter comps. Also the flash-igniters in electric Rheinmetall fuzes used this chemical instead of a black powder ring. I always thought this to be a very good invention, but after WW2 there seems to be no more use of this interesting invention. Does anybody have an idea why ?
Regards,
Bellifortis.

 

[pzgr40]

Can anybody help me on a good and reliable cutaway drawing of a 27mm nachrichtengranatpatrone z, enabeling me to change one into a cutawy model. At the moment I have no reliable info, as one site one speaks about a ribbon behind the smoke charge, and another site one speaks about an expulsion charge that throws out the message part together with the smoke part from the rifled shell body.
Thanks in advance
Regards, DJH

 

[Chris]

27 mm

Maybe this helps DJ

 

[pzgr40]

Thanks Chris, so it does have a ribbon.

 

[pzgr40]

An addition to the two kampfpistole Z cartridges; the nachrichtenpatrone (message cartridge). It is used to transfer a message when under enemy fire up to 550 meters.
The message container consists of a bakelite nosecap, screwed over the base plug of the message container on top of the projectile. Inside the message container a rolled up sheet of paper and a small lead pencil is placed. The message tot he other trench or infantery section is written on the paper, the paper is placed in the nosecap, and the nosecap is screwed back on the base plug of the message container. I do not know, but I assume the lead pencil is not returned in the nosecap before firing. Below the message container the aluminium smoke box is placed, below that the 1,3 meter long rolled up red- white ribbon. From top to bottom the following parts are placed in the projectile: The aluminium smoke box, housing the smoke composition, the 1,3 mtr. long rolled up white red ribbon, the intermediate flange in the projectile body, housing a central brass tube, the expulsion charge around and below this tube, and the bakelite base plug with the pyrotechnic delay, screwed in the base of the projectile.
If the projectile is fired, the pyrotechnic fuze in the base of the projectile is ignited. If the pyrotechnic fuze is expired (I do not know the time) the black powder charge above it is ignited. The flame travels through the central tube (green) that consists of an upper and lower half, connected by a sleeve. The flame ignites the smoke composition through two radial holes in top, and ejects the message container, the upper half of the central tube, the smoke element and the red-white ribbon forward from the projectile body. Red smoke is emitted from the place where the message container has landed for 15 seconds, and when burnt out the red-white ribbon helps to find back the message container.

Diameter flare: 27mm
Length shellcase: 34mm
Length projectile : 132mm
Length complete cartridge: 150mm

 

[pzgr40]

Additions per 31-03-2021

Left the Nebelgranatpatrone or smoke shell for the kampspistole. After firing, a short pyrotechnic delay fuze in the center of the bakelite base plug is ignited, which ignites the smoke charge ignition charge. The smoke charge weighs 70 grams and consitst of 58,5% Hexachloroethane, 34% zinc powder, 5% magnesium and 2,5% potassium nitrate. Five seconds after igniting the smoke charge it is fully working and this will maintain 30 to 40 seconds. If the kampfpistole is raised 45 degrees the grenade will be shot 400 meters away.

On the right the Deutgranatepatrone, Deut meaning ‘marking’. This projectile emits coloured smoke to mark the position for artillery or aircraft to fire upon. The projectile body is filled with a pressed smoke composition in the nose, below that eight rings of smoke composition are stacked with a thin ring of ignition composition (black) on the inside of the ring. A thin flange of black powder is placed below the lower ring which serves as an ignition charge. Below this an aluminium flanged ring with nine holes is placed. This rings allows the smoke to easily escape the proiectile body. The projectile body is closed with a bakelite cap, screwed into the base of the body. A small steel pipe with a short (1,8 to 2 sec) pyrotechnic delay is screwed into the center of the bakelite base plug. Around this, eight holes are drilled (green) that allow the coloured smoke to escape. A cartboard ring is placed over the holes when the projectile is placed in the shellcase. This enshures the smoke charge is not ignited through these holes upon firing. After the pyrotechnic fuze has ignited the smoke charge, the smoke will push the cartboard ring away.