Thanks a lot guys! Really helped. Does anyone know what the AP rounds looked like? I have this picture of one but it was fired from a Flak 36. Would it be similar?
88mm AP shell.
good picture. Hope most of us here caught the fact that the Germans were using steel cases instead of the brass ones like we used in WWII. The U.S. went to steel in that mid to late sixties, and even used fiberglass ones for awhile.
gary
Gary,
It’s not an either/or scenario. The Germans did use brass shell casings on a regular basis until around late 1943 or so when they began to use parkerized steel casings due to metal shortages at the same time as they continued to use brass. Both types could be recycled and reused in the manufacture of munitions. Either would be appropriate depending on the timeframe in question. [;)]
It’s also worth noting that the pic that Gino posted is of an 8.8cm round but is stenciled as being a Flak 36 round and not one for Nashorn equipped 8.8cm Pak 43. The Pak 43 rounds were longer and had a more pronounced tapered neck than what is depicted. Round color would still be the same though. [;)]
have seen a little bit of WWII German ammo in the past, and virtually everything I’ve seen was steel cased. But there’s an exception here as well. I seen quite a bit of German small arms stuff that was copper plated steel cased stuff. At first I thought that it was to aid in wear, but later I think I see the real reason why. Corrosion! Watch the tank over haul shows, and you’ll see cases rusted thru all over the place.
gary