Monday 5 June 2017

German Projectiles - 88mm Projectiles







German Projectiles










Hollow Charge Projectile, Type 39, 88mm

No picture available

German Designation: H L Gr. Patr. 39 Flak (Hohl Ladun Granate Patrone 39 Flugabwehrkanone)

Employment: 8.8cm Flak 18
                       8.8cm Flak 36
                       8.8cm Flak 37

Dimensions
Total weight (projectile): 16.83 pounds
Weight of bursting charge: 1.5 pounds

Soft iron rotating bands
No tracer

Overall length (cartridge case): 22.4 inches
Diameter at case neck: 3.625 inches
Diameter at case shoulder: 3.812 inches
Diameter at base: 4.02 inches
Weight of case: 11.625 pounds
Type of propellant: Diglycol

Fuze: Nose percussion fuze AZ 38 St.
This fuze is identical with the AZ 38 except that it is made of steel.

Markings: Painted Grey, stencilled in black.
"HL FES" stencilled on body.


 Remarks: Information is from captured documents.  All three weapons employ the same cartridge case.











A.P.C. Projectile, Type 39, 88mm


No picture available

German Designation: Pzgr. Patr. 39 (Panzergranate Patrone 39)

Employment: 8.8cm Flak. 41

Dimensions

Overall length (complete round): 45.5 inches
Overall length (projectile): 13.5 inches
Distance from base to band: 1.937 inches
Width of rotating bands: 0.469 inches
Diameter of projectile base: 3.437 inches
Total weight (complete round): 46 pounds
Total weight (projectile): 22.44 pounds
Weight of bursting charge: 2.12 ounces

Type of Bursting Charge: Cyclonite
Tracer present

Overall length (cartridge case): 33.687 inches
Diameter at case neck: 3.562 inches
Diameter at case shoulder: 4.094 inches
Diameter at case base: 4.844 inches
Weight of propellant: 11.91 pounds
Type of propellant: Tubular Gudol

Fuze: Base detonating fuze - Bd. Z. f 8.8cm (unmarked)

Markings: Painted black with white tip.


 Remarks: This is the "small cavity" type of German APCBCHE with Cyclonite bursting charge and a spring-loaded fuze.












H.E. Projectile Type L/4.5, 88mm

German Designation: Sprgr. Patr. L/4.5 (Kpf.Z) (Sprenggranate Patrone Lange/4.5 (Kopfzunder) )

Employment: 8.8cm Flak 18
                       8.8cm Flak 36
                       8.8cm Flak 37


Dimensions

Overall length (projectile): 15.51 inches
Distance from base to band: 1.375 inches
Width of lower rotating band: 0.531 inches
Width of upper rotating band: 0.469 inches
Diameter of bourrelet: 3.446 inches
Diameter of projectile base: 3.447 inches
Total weight (projectile): 20.35 pounds
Weight of bursting charge: 1.9 pounds

Type of Bursting Charge: Amatol 40/60
No tracer
Overall length (cartridge case): 22.4 inches
Diameter at case neck: 3.625 inches
Diameter at case shoulder: 3.812 inches
Diameter at case base: 4.02 inches
Weight of case: 11.625 pounds
Weight of propellant: 5.03 pounds
Type of propellant: Tubular Diglycol

Fuze: Nose percussion fuze - AZ 23/28 or Mechanical time fuze - Zt. Z. s/30

Markings: Painted yellow or green

Packaging: Three rounds in a wicker basket - 123 pounds; or
One round in metal cylinder - 47.3 pounds


 Remarks: All three weapons employ the same cartridge case.  There are two types of this projectile.  One has a cardboard container, the other has a solid base and is poured filled.











A.P. Projectile for 88mm Anti-Tank Gun, 88mm



German Designation: 8.8cm Pzgr. Patr. 41 (Panzergranate Patrone 41)
Employment: 8.8cm Flak 36
                       8.8cm Flak 41


Dimensions
Overall length w/o fuze (projectile): 13 inches
Distance from base to bands: 1.375 inches
Width of rotating band: 0.48 inches
Diameter of projectile base: 3.45 inches
Total weight (complete round): 22.8 pounds
Tracer present
Overall length (cartridge case): 33.625 inches
Diameter at case neck: 3.55 inches
Diameter at case shoulder: 4.1 inches
Diameter at base: 4.65 inches

Weight of propellant: 5.38 kilograms
Type of propellant: Tubular Diglycol
Fuze: Bd. Z 5127








A.P. Projectile with Tungsten Carbide Core (Type 40), 88mm



German Designation: 8.8cm Pzgr. 40 (Panzergranate 40)

Employment: 8.8cm Flak 36
                       8.8cm Flak 41

Dimensions

Overall length (complete round): 33.99 inches
Overall length (projectile): 12.75 inches
Distance from base to band: 1.166 inches
Width of rotating band: 0.437 inches
Diameter of bourrelet: 3.437 inches
Diameter of projectile base: 3.562 inches
Total weight (projectile): 16 pounds

Length of tungsten carbide core: 5.437 inches
Diameter of tungsten carbide core: 1.406 inches
Weight of tungsten carbide core: 4.25 pounds
Tracer present

Overall length (cartridge case): 22.4 inches
Diameter at case neck: 3.625 inches
Diameter at case shoulder: 3.812 inches
Diameter at base: 4.02 inches
Weight of case: 11.625 pounds
Type of propellant: Diglycol

Fuze: No fuze

Markings: Painted black


 Remarks: The cartridge case employed for Flak 41 is "8.8cm Flak 41" (Fixed).











H.E. Projectile Type L/4.7, 88mm



German Designation: Sprgr. Patr. L/4.7 (Sprenggranate Patrone Lange/4.7 FES)

Employment: 8.8cm Flak 41
                       8.8cm Flak 43

Dimensions

Overall length (complete round): 47 inches
Overall length (projectile): 16.35 inches
Distance from base to band: 2.905 inches
Width of rotating band: 0.51 inches
Diameter of bourrelet: 3.425 inches
Diameter of projectile base: 3.031 inches
Total weight (complete round): 46.42 pounds
Total weight (projectile): 20.68 pounds
Weight of bursting charge: 1.9 pounds

Type of bursting charge: 40/60 Amatol

Overall length (cartridge case): 33.687 inches
Diameter at case neck: 3.562 inches
Diameter at case shoulder: 4.094 inches
Diameter at base: 4.844 inches
Type of propellant: Tubular Gudol
Fuze: Nose percussion fuze - AZ 23/28v; or
Mechanical time fuze - Zt. Z s/30


Markings: Painted yellow






A.P.C. Projectile for AA Gun 18, 88mm



German Designation: Pzgr. Patr. m.3d. Z. (Panzergranate Patrone mit Boden Zunder)

Employment: 8.8cm Flak 18
                       8.8cm Flak 36
                       8.8cm Flak 37

Dimensions

Overall length (complete round): 34.25 inches
Overall length (projectile): 13.25 inches
Width of bimetallic rotating band: 0.469 inches
Diameter of projectile base: 3.437 inches
Total weight (complete round): 35.2 pounds
Total weight (projectile): 20.75 pounds
Weight of bursting charge: 5.5 pounds

Type of bursting charge: TNT/Wax
Tracer present

Overall length (cartridge case): 22.4 inches
Diameter at case neck: 3.625 inches
Diameter at case shoulder: 3.812 inches
Diameter at base: 4.02 inches
Weight of propellant: 5.65 pounds
Type of propellant: Tubular Diglycol
Fuze: Base detonating fuze - Bd. Z. f. 8.8cm


Markings: Painted black

Packaging: Three rounds to a wicker basket, or one round to a metal container.

Remarks: This projectile is the large cavity design of German A.P.C.




Next Time: 105mm Projectiles Part 1

2 comments:

  1. A small clarification here for "8.8cm Sprgr. Patr. L/4.5 (Kz)" abbreviation needed: when we are seeing (Kz.) within a warhead name it should be read as "Kurz" (and not Kopfzunder!) which means "short, shortened type, with flat base". And the capital letter "L/4.5" is for "Lange 4.5" (and not for Ladung!) that means "Length" in calibers - should be read as "Warhead's length of 4.5 calibers".

    For point detonation nose fuses the same abbreviation "kz." but always small letters is placing always upfront, never behind the abbreviation - "kz.AZ" (kurzer Aufschlagzunder). When used for fuses the meaning for "kz." is also "short, shortened" type.

    We could also meat "KZ" embossed capital lettering on the German nose fuses for naval 3.7cm gun SKC/30 - it looks like this: "3.7cm KZ 40" and only here the meaning of big "KZ" is "Kopfzunder 40" that means "Nose fuse type 40".

    The correct abbreviation for "Kopfzunder" is always "Kpf.Z." - always going upfront and never behind, always in use only with German point detonation nose fuses, for example: "Kpf.Z.Zerl.Pv" (Kopfzunder Zerleger Pulver vereinfacht) means "Point detonation powder self-destruction nose fuse simplified". Or another one "Kpf.Z.Zerl.Fg" (Kopfzunder Zerleger Fliehgewicht) that means "Point detonation light weight self-destruction nose fuse".

    Hope this useful.

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    Replies
    1. Once again, I thank you for the clarifications. I've changed the Kpf.Z. entries to properly reflect the official designation.

      Once I get through the current manual I'm on, I'll eventually be getting back'round to these earlier entries to add more sources and information, as I've been expanding my library.

      Cheers!

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