(Fig. 25)

The shell consists of an 8.8 cm streamlined body fitted with a hollow steel centering ring of 10.4 cm diameter forming a shoulder and a corresponding base ring carrying the driving band both of which become detached during flight. The exterior is painted yellow and stencilled in black. The stencilling includes the H.E. numeral "14" near the nose, indicating a T.N.T. bursting charge, and the marking "R8" at the approximate centre of the body. This marking indicates the inclusion of a No. 8 smoke box (Rauchentwickler Nr. 8). With the optional delay fuze A.Z. 23 (v. 0.15), with which it is fuzed, the overall length is 17.5 inches and the total weight, 24 lb. 1 oz. 8 drs. Without the rings the weight is 20 lb. 10 oz. 8 drs.

The streamlined body of the shell has a comparatively thin wall and a head of large ra-dius. Three equally spaced circular recesses are formed in the lower part of the head for the attachment of the centering ring. Just above the base of the shell, three correspon-ding circular recesses are formed to receive the inner ends of the steel cylinders keying the segments forming the base ring. This portion of the shell is grooved to engage a cor-responding face inside the base ring and thus prevents longitudinal movement of the ring.

The steel centring ring consisting of a short cylinder with an internal flange at the base and a coned top is cut radially at three equidistant points so that it is almost in three segments. On the interior of the cylindrical portion of the ring, midway between the cuts, three sockets are welded. The sockets are shaped at their inner ends to fit over a steel ball protruding from each of the recesses in the head of the shell and are screwthreaded internally to receive a grub screw. The band is assembled by placing it over the head of the shell and tightening the screws to engage the balls. The centering ring and fittings weighs 11 oz. 13 drs.

The base ring consists of three segments with a coned fairing, also in three parts, wel-ded to its upper periphery. The segments are each keyed to the shell by a steel cylinder which passes through a hole in the centre of the segments and is held between a recess near the base of the shell and the inner side of the dirving band. The junction between the adjoining ends of the segments is sealed against the pressure of the propellant gases by a steel sealing pin which is inserted into a channel formed by coincident semi-circular grooves in the adjoining ends. The segments are retained in position by the steel driving band which is carried in a groove formed in the segments. The number "783" was stam-ped in the base of each of the segments on the shell examined. This stamping was pro-bably used to guide assembly. The base ring and fittings weighs 2 lb. 11 oz. 3 drs.

The bursting charge consists of 1 lb. 3 oz. of cast T.N.T. with a central cavity for the exploder container and the No. 8 smoke box beneath the container. The gaine held in the container is the larger size of the C/98 model with P.E.T.N. magazine filling. This gaine, the "gr.Zdlg. C/98 Np", is described in Pamphlet No. 6.

The smoke box, "Rauchentwickler Nr. 8", is described under a separate heading in this pamphlet.

Fig. 25