Please help with these two 4 inch 35 pound cut aways.

[Andy Naude]

Got these two 4 inch 35 pound projectiles which have been sectioned. I would like to clean the inside out and replace with a more realistic filling. More representative of what it would have looked like.

The first is what I think is a practice shell. This one is marked "HE SUB".

Marked:

4 " 35 LB FA. 5 B

HE SUB

ST 5.67

Does this mean that is was an inert substitution or is it just a lower explosive charge ?

What color would the "HE SUB" filling have been?





The second shell is marked "RDX / TNT 1".

Marked:

4 " 35 LB F.A Mk N4

RDX / TNT 1

ST 5.67

What color is "RDX / TNT 1 "



Any other comments are most welcome.

 

[ydnum303]

Hi Andy,

In the past I have had 2 shells filled with HE Sub; one a 4.5" Naval, the other a 105mm FD. Both fillings were a darkish pink-to-red clay-like substance. Both were very hard, and packed in tight, needing a hammer & chisel (or a drill) to make any impression on it at all!

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Roger.

 

[Bonnex]

It might be worth investigating whether Simonstown (ST) had anything to do with making Inert Instructional ammunition in the late 60s, perhaps by seeing what museums have in their collections.


PS I should have said that ST is a mark used by the Naval Station, Simonstown.

 

[Andy Naude]

Interesting. Might well be. I think that is where they would have originated.

 

[MINENAZ16]

Hello Andy,

Could you give length of projectiles please ?

Regards.

 

[Andy Naude]

Total length 346 mm

 

[MINENAZ16]

Thank you Andy.