Hi,
I've just spotted something that would be a really good addition to my collection, *IF* I can ID it as being Japanese.... See the attached pictures.
Woefully poorly repainted, but it does show several features that one also typically sees on Japanese projectiles around the 75mm and taller range: straight long pointed, upper DB, lower broad DB, base plate...
The calibre is 105mm, given weight around 4KG, around 43 cm tall with the white nose part included...
Now, the issue is that extremely little documentation exists on Japanese 105mm projectiles. The US forces only retrieved two kinds of them, which are the only kinds that are described well (both HE kinds). The best indication for candidates can be found in OpNav 30-3M. That TM lists the projectiles in this calibre that the US forces knew to have existed from documentary sources, but that were not retrieved. I have by now managed to find several such specimens in 105mm calibre (like shrapnel, HE-SUB, etc.) but for this very projectile I'm looking for some help first.
The relevant page from OpNav 30-3M is attached and it does mention some candidates for this (see the attached page): Smoke, Incendiary (?), Gas....
Especially the gas ones sound like good candidates, as they mention being 'long pointed'.
I have a Japanese booklet of an ordnance study group; it pictures 150mm gas projectiles. The shape looks really similar, except for things like the boattail, separate nose piece, smaller DB.
If this can be IDed as "almost certainly IJA" or at least as "definitely not post WW2 or US or Russian" I would be very tempted to buy it.
Now then for my question(s):
-Does anyone perhaps recognise this projectile?
-If not: does this come across as anything that could be US, or "typical of a different nation"?
-What do you make of that electrical wire on the inside: trench art purposes, or perhaps some electrical fuzing system?
If it's true Japanese (and pre-1946) I'd love to buy it, but if it's not, it will be too expensive and not of interest to me.
Any ideas?
Cheers,
Olafo
I've just spotted something that would be a really good addition to my collection, *IF* I can ID it as being Japanese.... See the attached pictures.
Woefully poorly repainted, but it does show several features that one also typically sees on Japanese projectiles around the 75mm and taller range: straight long pointed, upper DB, lower broad DB, base plate...
The calibre is 105mm, given weight around 4KG, around 43 cm tall with the white nose part included...
Now, the issue is that extremely little documentation exists on Japanese 105mm projectiles. The US forces only retrieved two kinds of them, which are the only kinds that are described well (both HE kinds). The best indication for candidates can be found in OpNav 30-3M. That TM lists the projectiles in this calibre that the US forces knew to have existed from documentary sources, but that were not retrieved. I have by now managed to find several such specimens in 105mm calibre (like shrapnel, HE-SUB, etc.) but for this very projectile I'm looking for some help first.
The relevant page from OpNav 30-3M is attached and it does mention some candidates for this (see the attached page): Smoke, Incendiary (?), Gas....
Especially the gas ones sound like good candidates, as they mention being 'long pointed'.
I have a Japanese booklet of an ordnance study group; it pictures 150mm gas projectiles. The shape looks really similar, except for things like the boattail, separate nose piece, smaller DB.
If this can be IDed as "almost certainly IJA" or at least as "definitely not post WW2 or US or Russian" I would be very tempted to buy it.
Now then for my question(s):
-Does anyone perhaps recognise this projectile?
-If not: does this come across as anything that could be US, or "typical of a different nation"?
-What do you make of that electrical wire on the inside: trench art purposes, or perhaps some electrical fuzing system?
If it's true Japanese (and pre-1946) I'd love to buy it, but if it's not, it will be too expensive and not of interest to me.
Any ideas?
Cheers,
Olafo
