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German 5.3 cm Gruson - latest find.

S

super7

Well-Known Member
Managed to obtain two complete and identical 5.3 cm Gruson shells of German origin (both dated 1915). Original black paint still in place although
some of it has been removed by years of polishing. Very pleased with this (cheap) find :tinysmile_shy_t:

gruson_5.3.jpg

Regards, Jan
http://www.westernfront.nl
 
They were fortress defensive rounds generally widely exported, am a bit surprized seeing them made in 1915. They are called (Anti) Balloon Gun rounds, but they are obviously too low powered to reach anything like that. They would be used in things like this. Some of these guns were utilized in the lines in 1915 and so on.
 

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  • GrusonMobile5cmFortress.jpg
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They were used in many of the Belgian forts in turrets and casements. I saw one in the 1980's which had been restored,They used both cannister and HE. I am sure they were used in many of the other fortresses in Eastern Europe built in the late 1800's.There is a great drawing of their use on p. 18 of Fortress 78, The German Fortress of Metz 1870-1944 in th Osprey series
 
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