The cartridge used in the 10.5 cm l.F.H. 18 (gun.howitzer) is of the seaparte loading type, and consists of a short case containing 5 charges. The case is closed at the mouth by a cardboard cup and is fitted with the percussion primer C/12 n.A. A special charge, section 6, is also provided for use in the case in place of sections 1 to 5 as a super charge.

Two types of these cases have been met with, both of which are 6.1 inches in length and increase in taper near the mouth. The model numbers of the cases are 6342/65 and 6342. The 6342/65 model is of steel coated with brass.

Model 6342/65 is of the built-up type, the wall being turned in at its base end to seat in a concave seating formed in the front face of the base, where it is secured by a steel disc which is held by a steel circular nut screwed to the primer boss. Both the disc and the nut are brass plated. Four circular recesses are formed in the base near the flange. These are apparmently used in assembling the case.

The propellant charge is made up to five sections. The section are contained in flat cir-cular bags of silk or artifical silk which are marked in black to indicate the charge nume-ral, the details of the propellant, and the place and date of filling. An igniter of nitrocel-lulose powder is sewn to the base of the section No. 1.

1 lb. 5 oz. Ngl.Bl.P. – 12.5 (double base nitroglycerine/nitrocellulose).

1 lb. 8 oz. Digl.Bl.P. – 10.5 (double base diethylene-glycol-dinitrate/nitrocellulose).

The latter charge weight ?????????? charge temperature normal of 25° C, where-as the former is for ????? C normal. The greater weight of the Digl.Bl.P. –10.5 charge, ???? when reduced for use in hot climates, indicates the superiority of the Ngl.Bl.P. – 12.5 propel-lant.

The weight and size of the propellant in the sections for the two natures are:

The special charge, Section 6, is issued packed in a rolled paper cylindrical container and is inserted in the case when required for use in place of the normal contents.

The charge is contained in a white artifical silk bag which is choked at the neck and has an igniter stitched to the base. The propellant is in flake form, 0.16 x 0.16 x 0.047 in-ches. The charge weight, adjusted for a standard charge temperature of 25° C, with the double base propellant consisting basically of diethylene-glycoldinitrate and nitrocellu-lose, is 1 lb. 11 oz. 10 dr. The bag is marked with the charge numeral "6D", the designa-tion of the equipment "l.F.H. 18", and the weight, nature, shape and size of the propel-lant "784 g Digl.Bl.P. 10.5 (4 x 4 x 1,2)".

The igniter contains 7 oz. 13 dr. of propellant flake of the same composition as the pro-pellant charge, but of a smaller size.

The package containing the charge is stencilled "Sonderkart. 6 der l.F.H. 18" and carries as instructional label to the effect that before inserting the special charge in the cartrid-ge case, the other sectional charges including the section carrying the igniter should be removed.