Monday, 15 August 2016

Italian Explosive Ordnance - 37mm to 47mm Projectiles







Italian Explosive Ordnance

  



37/40mm H.E.


Guns used in: 37/40mm Gun
Fuzing: Nose fuze for 37/40 Shell

Overall length of round: 72mm
Diameter at base: 36.4mm (approx.)
Distance base to band: 18mm
Width of band: 22mm
Diameter at bourrelet: 36.5mm

Type of filling: Ballistite
Weight of filling: 41.5 grams
Weight of loaded projectile: 677 grams
Total length of projectile: 328mm
Weight of propellant: 112 grams
Weight of complete round: 2 lb, 13.5 oz

Remarks: The projectile is closed by a heavy steel pointed nose fitted internally with the fuze.






37/40mm HE/AP


Guns used in: 37/40mm Gun
Fuzing: None

Overall length of round: 138mm
Diameter at base: 30mm
Distance base to band: 18mm
Width of band: 20mm
Diameter at bourrelet: 36.4mm

Type of filling: Ballistite
Weight of filling: 23 grams
Weight of loaded projectile: 698 grams
Total length of projectile: 322mm
Weight of propellant: 112 grams
Weight of complete round: 2 lb, 14.5 oz

Remarks: The base of the projectile is closed by a screwed plug, and there is no fuze.  It is possible that the filling is intended to ignite by heating effects resulting from shock of impact.

  


37/45mm AP


Guns used in: 37/45mm Anti-Tank Gun
Fuzing: None

Overall length of round: Unknown
Diameter at base: Unknown
Distance base to band: Unknown
Width of band: Unknown
Diameter at bourrelet: Unknown

Weight of loaded projectile: 0.7 kg
Total length of projectile: 337mm (Manual states "kg")
Weight of complete round: 1.43 kg
Length of cartridge case: 202mm
Weight of propellant: 0.188 kg

Remarks: The projectile contains no explosive, but has a tracer.





37/54mm AA


Guns used in: 37/54mm Anti-Aircraft Gun
Fuzing: Nose fuze for 37/54 Shell

Overall length of round: Unknown
Diameter at base: Unknown
Distance base to band: Unknown
Width of band: Unknown
Diameter at bourrelet: Unknown

Type of filling: TNT
Weight of filling: 0.024 kg
Weight of loaded projectile: 0.8 kg

Remarks: This projectile is a fixed round, packed in a tray for use in the gun.  Weight of complete round is 1.59kg, and overall length is 14.5 inches.  The propellant charge weighs 0.2kg composed of powder grains 0.65mm x 7mm x 185mm.  The projectile is grey-green, with a red band below the nose fuze.  A tracer is fitted into the base of the projectile.






40/39mm AA


Guns used in: 40/39mm Anti-Aircraft Gun
Fuzing: Nose fuze for 40/39 Shell

Overall length of round: Unknown
Diameter at base: Unknown
Distance base to band: Unknown
Width of band: Unknown
Diameter at bourrelet: Unknown

Type of filling: TNT
Weight of filling: 0.055 kg

Remarks: This projectile is a fixed round, packed in a tray for use in the gun.  The complete round is 1.45kg, and is 291 mm long.  The propellant charge weighs 0.104kg, composed of powder 2.3mm x 0.8mm x 98mm.  The projectile is grey-green, with a red band below the nose fuze.  A tracer is fitted into the base of the projectile.





47/32mm HE M35


Guns used in: 47/32mm Anti-Tank Gun
Fuzing: Percussion nose fuze M39

Overall length (w/ fuze): 10.1 inches
Overall length (w/o fuze): 9.2 inches
Diameter at base: Unknown
Distance base to band: Unknown
Width of band: Unknown
Diameter at bourrelet: Unknown

Type of filling: TNT
Weight of filling: 0.15 kg
Weight of loaded projectile: 2.37 kg

Remarks: This projectile is a fixed round.  The complete round weighs 2.37kg.  The propellant charge weighs 0.052kg, composed of Italian type F.C. 4 Powder.

The shell is machined from a rolled bar steel and has a parallel-walled cavity the same diameter as the fuze hole.  The exterior of the shell is thinly coated with zinc before coloring.  There is no base plate.  The upper rotating band is more than one third of the length from the base.




47/32mm AP M35 (With Cap)


Guns used in: 47/32mm Anti-Tank Gun
Fuzing: Base fuze MO9

Overall length with tracer: 206mm
Diameter at base: Unknown
Distance base to band: 50mm
Width of band: 8mm
Diameter at bourrelet: Unknown

Type of filling: TNT
Weight of filling: 0.03 kg
Weight of loaded projectile: 1.5 kg
Total length of round: 355.6mm (Manual forgets to state measurement)
Weight of complete round: 2.9kg

Remarks: A tracer element is fixed to the base of the projectile.




47/32mm AP M35 (Without Cap)


Guns used in: 47/32mm Anti-Tank Gun
Fuzing: Base fuze MO9

Overall length with tracer: 155mm
Diameter at base: Unknown
Distance base to band: 50mm
Width of band: 8mm
Diameter at bourrelet: Unknown

Type of filling: TNT
Weight of filling: 0.03 kg
Weight of loaded projectile: 1.5 kg
Total length of round: 299.7mm (Manual forgets to state measurement)
Weight of complete round: 2.9kg

Remarks: A tracer element is fixed to the base of the projectile.





47/32mm AP M39


Guns used in: 47/32mm Anti-Tank Gun
Fuzing: Percussion nose fuze M39

Overall length: Unknown
Diameter at base: Unknown
Distance base to band: Unknown
Width of band: Unknown
Diameter at bourrelet: Unknown

Type of filling: TNT
Weight of filling: 0.03 kg
Weight of loaded projectile: 1.42 kg

Remarks: The complete round weighs 2.035kg and contains 0.179kg propellant powder F.C. 3. A tracer element is fitted into the projectile.

Another version of the M39 has no explosive filling or fuze but contains a tracer element.  The round is very similar to the 47/32mm A.P. M35.




47/32mm E.P. (Hollow Charge)


Guns used in: 47/32mm Anti-Tank Gun
Fuzing: Base Fuze E.P. M41

Overall length: 251.5mm
Diameter at base: Unknown
Distance base to band: Unknown
Width of band: Unknown
Diameter at bourrelet: Unknown

Type of filling: Tritolite (50% TNT and 50% Cyclonite)
Weight of filling: Unknown
Weight of loaded projectile: 1.23 kg

Remarks: This projectile is used in a fixed round.  The propellant charge used is smaller than the other 47/32mm shells, since a larger portion of the projectile is located in the case.




47/32mm E.P.S. (Hollow Charge)


Guns used in: 47/32mm Anti-Tank Gun
Fuzing: Nose Fuze  I.E.P.M.

Overall length: 251.5mm
Diameter at base: Unknown
Distance base to band: Unknown
Width of band: Unknown
Diameter at bourrelet: Unknown

Type of filling: Unknown
Weight of filling: Unknown
Weight of loaded projectile: Unknown
Length of cartridge case: 192mm






Next Time: Italian 57mm to 70mm Projectiles

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