German Explosives
8.8-cm H.E. Hollow Charge Rocket, Fin Stabilized
Nature of Projectile: Multiple-venting, non-rotating, fin-stabilized pusher motor.
Caliber: 8.87 cm
Overall Length (Complete round): 19.4 inches
Total Weight (Complete round): 5 pounds, 13.5 ounces
Nature of Fuze: Instantaneous nose percussion
Nature of Filling: Cyclotol
H.E. Head
General Shape: Cylindrical main body; truncated, conical impact cap and rear section
Overall Length: 10.47 inches
Diameter of Bearing Surface: 3.494 inches
Depth of Cavity Liner: 3.67 inches
Main Body Wall Thickness: 0.045 inches
Impact Cap Wall Thickness: 0.09 inches
Cavity Liner Wall Thickness: 0.06 inches
Forward Diameter, Impact Cap: 1.356 inches
Weight (Empty): 4 pounds 0.75 ounces
Weight (Filling): 1 pound 7.14 ounces
Markings:
Cylindrical Portion of Body:
Stenciled in Purple - WaA 424
Stenciled in Black - Tpn 2.3 44D LM 4312
Rear Portion of Body:
Stenciled in White - 43 fcc 47
Description: This projectile is fired from the mobile anti-tank rocket launcher 8.8cm Raketenwerfer and is similar in appearance to the 8.8cm Raketen Panzerbuchse Granate 4322. The projectile, which is fin-stabilized, consists basically of an H.E. head, a motor tube, and a tail-fin assembly.
H.E. Head: The head of the projectile consists of the body containing the cyclotol hollow-charge located by a cavity liner and an impact cap. The impact cap is flanged at the read end to bear against the cavity liner and is fitted at the forward end with an adapter, threaded to receive either of two nose percussion fuzes, the A.Z. 5095 or the A.Z. 5095/1.
Two pressed flanges at the forward end of the body secure the impact cap and the cavity liner. The rear end of the body is conical in shape and fits over a tail adapter which forms the junction with the motor tube. A reinforcing sleeve is pressed into position over the cylindrical portion of the body and provides the forward bearing surface of the projectile.
At the lower end of the cavity liner is a flash tube below which is located the gaine; this consists of an aluminum cup containing a charge of PETN and wax and a detonator. The gaine is separated from the motor tube by a wooden plug which acts as a buffer and which also provides the necessary thermal insulation between the motor and the gaine.
Motor Tube: The forward end of the motor tube is sealed and threaded to screw into the tail adapter. The rear is screwed into the venturi block.
The propellant consists of a single stick with 14 small longitudinal perforations and a single axial drilling of larger diameter. Three lands around the outside of the stick keep the propellant from touching the inside of the tube and ensure an external burning surface. Two grids, one at each end, are used to support the propellant; each grid is a triangular metal platform on three legs. At the rear there is a wire mesh between the grid and the propellant to prevent any unburnt particles from blocking the venturi drillings.
Between the grid and the propellant at the forward end is an ignition charge mounted so that it is free to burn on both surfaces. A celluloid tube, containing a thin strip of what appears to be nitrocellulose powder, is located in the axial drilling of the propellant; both ends of the tube are capped with a block of black powder. This train serves to transmit the flash from the primer to the ignition charge at the forward end of the motor tube.
Tail-Fin Assembly: The tail-fin assembly consists of a venturi block, stabilizing fins, obturator, and percussion igniter.
The venturi block, which is screwed over the end of the motor tube, has six venturi drillings parallel to the axis of the projectile. These are each formed by two drillings of different diameter; instead of taper there is a sudden step from the smaller to the larger diameter. The block is drilled and tapped in the center to receive the firing-pin adapter. A collar on the rear of the firing-pin adapter holds the obturator in position around the rear of the fin assembly. A percussion cap is mounted in the forward end of the firing-pin adapter, immediately in rear of the quickmatch train. The adapter is machined down to a separation point near the rear end; when the projectile is fired, the adapter severs, and the rear portion remains in the breech together with the obturator.
The six stabilizing fins are mounted in three pairs around the venturi block and are strengthened by a sleeve fitted around the fins and under the forward lip of the obturator.
Remarks: The German designation for this round is "8.8 cm R. Pz. B. Gr."
This same round, modified for percussion firing, is used in a single tube, two-wheel launcher, the "8.8cm Raketenwerfer 43"
15-cm H.E. Rocket, Spin Stabilized
Overall Length: 38.55 inches
Diameter: 6.22 inches
Total Weight: 70 pounds
Propellant Weight: 14 pounds
Type of Filling: TNT
Weight of Filling: 4.5 pounds
Description: This rocket resembles an elongated gun projectile with a bulbous nose cap. The round consists of a forward motor body containing the seven single-perforated propellant grains and the after H.E. container. An enlarged diameter ogival ballistic cap is threaded to the forward end of the motor, and a venturi assembly with 26 drilled jets threads over the base of the motor. The venturi assembly also is threaded externally at its after end to receive the machined steel bursting charge container. An H.E. charge in a fiber container is placed in the steel shell case, separated from the base of the motor by an iron spacer to provide an insulating air void between the H.E. and propellant charges. A booster adapter, containing the booster charge and threaded to receive the base fuze, screws into the base of the H.E. shell.
The propellant grains are supported fore and aft on a pair of metal grids. A black powder igniter charge is placed over the rear grid, and a second black powder charge is contained in an aluminum holder between the head of the motor and the forward grid. The two charges are connected by a black powder filled cellulose tube, which passes through the perforation of the central grain. An electric igniter is fitted into 1 of the 26 jets.
Remarks: This round is designated "15-cm Wgr. 41 Spr."
15-cm Smoke and Chemical Rocket, Spin Stabilized
Overall Length: 40.16 inches
Diameter: 6.22 inches
Total Weight: 79 pounds
Propellant Weight: 14 pounds
Type of Filling: Smoke Composition
Weight of Filling: 8.5 pounds
Description: Except for the shell after body, this rocket is identical to the 15-cm H.E. rocket. The motor arrangement is identical to the latter, and the shell similarly attached to the motor. The shell for the smoke rocket is 4.5 inches longer than that for the H.E. round and is somewhat differently constructed. The shell consists of a thin-walled steel cylinder with a long burster charge container threaded into the after end. This container holds 3.05 pounds of picric acid. The container is threaded to receive a base fuze and a short exploder. The smoke composition is located between the shell body and the outer wall of the burster container.
Remarks: The German designation for this round is "15-cm Wgr. 41 Nb."
This round may also be employed as a chemical shell. When so used, the German designation is "15-cm Wgr. 41 Grunring"
Next Time: Rockets (Part 17)
Source: German Explosive Ordnance Vol. 1: Bombs, Rockets, Grenades, Mines, Fuzes & Igniters
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