German Projectiles - 105mm Projectiles Part 1

German Projectiles

A.P.C. Projectile with Tracer, 105mm

German Designation: 10cm Pzgr. rot (Panzergranate rot)

Employment: 10cm Flak 38
                       10cm Flak 39
                       s 10cm K.T. 
                       s 10cm K. 18

Dimensions

Overall length (complete round): 44.25 inches
Overall length w/o fuze (projectile): 15.4 inches

Distance from base to band: 1.15 inches

Width of rotating band: 0.905 inches
Width of bourrelet: 0.812 inches

Diameter of bourrelet: 4.125 inches

Diameter of projectile base: 4.133 inches
Total weight (complete round): 57.625 pounds
Total weight (projectile): 34.7 pounds

Type of Bursting Charge: TNT in aluminum container

Tracer present

Overall length (cartridge case): 30.17 inches

Diameter at case neck: 4.204 inches

Diameter at case shoulder: 4.628 inches

Diameter at case base: 5.45 inches

Weight of propellant: 12.85 pounds

Type of propellant: Tubular Diglycol

Fuze: Base detonation fuze Bd. Z. f. 10cm

Markings: Painted black with 0.5 inch red band above rotating band

 Remarks: There are two cannelures below the rotating band.

A.P. Projectile for Light Field Howitzer, 105mm

German Designation: Pzgr. rot L'spur (Panzergranate rot Leuchtspur)

Employment: 10cm LFH 16
                       10cm LFH 18
                           10cm LFH 18 M
                   10cm K.K. 
                 10cm K.T

Dimensions

Overall length (complete round): 37.441 inches
Overall length w/ fuze (projectile): 11.5 inches
Overall length w/o fuze (projectile): 10.285 inches

Distance from base to band: 2.579 inches

Width of rotating band: 0.625 inches

Diameter of projectile base: 4.026 inches
Total weight (projectile): 34.62 pounds
Weight of bursting charge: 8.11 ounces

Type of Bursting Charge: TNT

Tracer present

Overall length (cartridge case): 6.125 inches

Diameter at case neck: 4.375 inches

Diameter at case shoulder: 4.5 inches

Diameter at case base: 4.937 inches

Weight of propellant: 1.54 pounds

Type of propellant: Flaked Diglycol

Fuze: Base detonation fuze Bd. Z. f. 10cm

Markings: Painted black with red stencilling

 Remarks: There are two cannelures below the rotating band.
When projectile has been fired from LFH 16 there will be 32 engravings on the band.

H.E. Projectile for Field Howitzer, 105mm

German Designation: F.H. Gr. (Feld Hautbitze Granate)

Employment: 10cm LFH 16
                       10cm LFH 18
                           10cm LFH 18 M
                         10cm Stu H 42 
                    10cm LG 40
                    10cm LG 42

Dimensions

Overall length (complete round): 25.295 inches
Overall length w/ fuze (projectile): 19.17 inches
Overall length w/o fuze (projectile): 15.55 inches

Distance from base to band: 3.385 inches

Width of rotating band: 0.59 inches

Total weight (projectile): 33.08 pounds
Weight of bursting charge: 3 pounds, 4 ounces

Type of Bursting Charge: TNT or Amatol, plus red phosphorus smoke box

No tracer

Overall length (cartridge case): 6.125 inches

Diameter at case neck: 4.375 inches

Diameter at case shoulder: 4.5 inches

Diameter at case base: 4.937 inches

Weight of propellant: 1.54 pounds

Type of propellant: Flaked Diglycol

Fuze: Nose percussion fuze AZ 23v or Time and Percussion Fuze Dopp Z s/60

Markings: Painted green
The cartridge case may be of brass-coated steel, unpainted steel, or black steel spirally wound.

Packaging: One projectile in a wooden crate - 41.8 pounds

 Remarks: Four types of H.E. are fired.  They do not differ materially from each other and have approximately the same weight.  Their ballistic qualities are the same.  The use the same fuzes.


They are designated:
-FH Gr.
-FH Gr. 38
-FH Gr. 33 Stg.
-FH Gr. FES

FH Gr. 33 Stg. is of cast steel and the bursting charge is poured.

When projectile has been fired from LFH 16 there will be 32 engravings on the band.

Smoke Projectile for Field Howitzer, 105mm

German Designation: 10cm F.H. Gr. Nb. (Feld Hautbitze Granate Nebel)

Employment: LFH 16
                       LFH 18
                           LFH 18 M
                         Stu H 42
Dimensions

Overall length (complete round): 15.905 inches (Error, cannot be shorter than projectile)
Overall length w/ fuze (projectile): 19.29 inches
Overall length w/o fuze (projectile): 17.32 inches

Distance from base to band: 3.385 inches

Width of rotating band: 0.59 inches
Diameter of base: 3.3 inches

Total weight (projectile): 30.8 pounds
Weight of bursting charge: 4.3 ounces

Type of Bursting Charge: Picric Acid

No tracer

Weight of smoke mixture: 4.1 pounds
Type of smoke mixture: Oleum impregnated in pumice

Overall length (cartridge case): 6.125 inches

Diameter at case neck: 4.375 inches

Diameter at case shoulder: 4.5 inches

Diameter at case base: 4.937 inches

Weight of propellant: 1.54 pounds

Type of propellant: Flaked Diglycol

Fuze: Nose percussion fuze K1 AZ 23 Nb

Markings: Painted green, stencilled in white.
"Nb" stencilled on body.

Packaging: One projectile in a wooden crate - 40 pounds

 Remarks: There is also a round designated: "F.H. Gr. 40 Nb" believed to be of the ejector type, and a round, "F.H. Gr 38 Nb" similar to the above but producing a large cloud of smoke, and a round, "F.H. Gr. 40 Deut" which emits a cloud of blue smoke lasting one to two minutes and is used as a marker for air support.

When projectile has been fired from LFH 16 there will be 32 engravings on the band.

H.E. Projectile for Long Distance use in Field Howitzer, 105mm

German Designation: 10cm F.H. Gr. F. (Feld Hautbitze Granate (distance) )

Employment: 10cm LFH 18 M

Dimensions

Overall length (complete round): 24.23 inches
Overall length w/ fuze (projectile): 20.47 inches
Overall length w/o fuze (projectile): 16.77 inches

Distance from base to band: 2.362 inches

Width of rotating band: 0.59 inches

Total weight (projectile): 32.58 pounds

Type of Bursting Charge: Amatol

No tracer

Overall length (cartridge case): 6.125 inches

Diameter at case neck: 4.375 inches

Diameter at case shoulder: 4.5 inches

Diameter at case base: 4.937 inches

Weight of propellant: 3.4 pounds

Type of propellant: Gudol

Fuze: Nose percussion fuze AZ 23v or Time and Percussion Fuze Dopp Z s/60

Markings: Painted green

Hollow Charge Projectile, 105mm

German Designation: 10cm Gr. 39 rot HL (Granate 39 rot Hohl Ladung)

Employment: 10cm LFH 16
                       10cm LFH 18
                           10cm LFH 18 M
                    10cm LG 40
                    10cm LG 42

Dimensions

Overall length (complete round): 12.699 inches (Error, cannot be shorter than projectile)
Overall length w/ fuze (projectile): 15.314 inches

Distance from base to band: 2.165 inches

Width of rotating band: 0.669 inches
Diameter of base: 4.055 inches

Total weight (projectile): 25.56 pounds
Weight of bursting charge: 3.91 pounds

Type of Bursting Charge: Cyclonite/Wax/TNT

No tracer

Overall length (cartridge case): 6.125 inches

Diameter at case neck: 4.375 inches

Diameter at case shoulder: 4.5 inches

Diameter at case base: 4.937 inches

Weight of propellant: 1.54 pounds

Type of propellant: Flaked Diglycol

Fuze: Nose percussion fuze AZ 38

Markings: Painted green, with red band above rotating band

 Remarks: When used with LG 40, rotating band is 0.59 inches in width.

When projectile has been fired from LFH 16 there will be 32 engravings on the band.

Hollow Charge Projectile, Type A, 105mm

German Designation: 10cm Gr. 39 rot HL/A (Granate 39 rot Hohl Ladung/A)

Employment: 10cm LFH 16
                       10cm LFH 18
                           10cm LFH 18 M
                    10cm LG 40
                    10cm LG 42

Dimensions

Overall length (complete round): 23.76 inches
Overall length w/ fuze (projectile): 19.803 inches

Distance from base to band: 2.165 inches

Width of rotating band: 0.669 inches
Diameter of base: 4.074 inches

Total weight (projectile): 27.156 pounds

Type of Bursting Charge: Cyclonite/Wax/TNT

No tracer

Overall length (cartridge case): 6.125 inches

Diameter at case neck: 4.375 inches

Diameter at case shoulder: 4.5 inches

Diameter at case base: 4.937 inches

Weight of propellant: 1.54 pounds

Type of propellant: Flaked Diglycol

Fuze: Nose percussion fuze AZ 38

Markings: Painted green, with red band above rotating band

 Remarks: When used with LG 40, rotating band is 0.59 inches in width.

When projectile has been fired from LFH 16 there will be 32 engravings on the band.

Next Time: 105mm Projectiles Part 2