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| GERMAN EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE - BOMBS, BOMB FUZES, ROCKET, LAND MINES, GRENADES AND IGNITER |
| Chapter 3 |
| GERMAN ROCKETS |
| 28-cm H.E. ROCKET, SPIN STABILIZED |
| DATA: |
| Nature of projectile: Multiple baseventing, spin-stabilized rocket. |
| Caliber: 280 mm. |
| Filled weigth (complete round): 83 kilograms (183 lbs.). |
| Over-all lenght (complete round): 1,190 mm (46.41 inches). |
| Nature of fuze: Nose percussion delay action. |
| Nature of filling: H.E. |
| Maximum range: 2,339 yards. |
| WARHEAD: |
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General shape: Cylindrical canister with rounded ends, one of which receives the fuze and the other the tail unit. |
| Material: Sheet steel. |
| Over-all length: 720 mm. |
| Diameter: 280 mm. |
| Wall thickness: 1 mm. |
| Weight of filling: 36 kilograms. |
| Filling: Amatol or TNT. |
| MARKING: |
| On nose: 28 cm Wk.Spr. |
| On body: 13 Mr. 5.6.42.G. |
| METHOD OF IGNITION |
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INITIATOR. A separate electrical initiator enclosed in an aluminum tube and bakelite container, and which may be fired from a 4-volt battery, is screwed into the central dril-ling in the base. For firing single rounds, initiators are provided, connected by 15 inches of two-strand insulated wire to a plug, and action is instantaneous on application of voltage. For firing from the Wurfgerät (four-frame stand), four initiators, externally similar in appearance, are provided, wired in series. One only (tagged "0") is instantaneous and the remaining three (tagged "2", "4", and "6") include powder pellets so as to fire after intervals of 2, 4, and 6 seconds respectively. |
| IGNITION CHARGE: |
| Nature: |
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Head: Compressed gunpowder. |
| Weight: |
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Head: |
| Container: |
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Head: Flat, circular aluminum with open end
towards propellant. |
| Positioning: |
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Head: In a pressed-steel housing supported by a
flanged split ring. |
| Markings: |
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Head: None. |
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DESCRIPTION-GENERAL. This is a spin-stabilized projectile consisting of a large war-head with a rocket motor of smaller diameter attached at the rear. The projectile is elec-trically fired from the wooden crate in which it is carried or from a multiple launcher con-sisting of a number of frames of similar dimensions. The layout of the complete projectile is shown in figure 216. |
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Warhead. The warhead is a thin steel shell sealed at the rear, where it has a flange threaded to take the rocket motor. Two raised bearing surfaces on the body locate the projectile in the firing frame and also reduce lateral friction. An adaptor in the nose of the warhead is threaded to take a nose percussion fuze and a gaine holder. |
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Rocket Motor. The rocket motor is in the form of a cylinder screwed into the rear of the warhead and closed at the rear by a plug in which are a number of offset venturi dril-lings. |
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The propellant, which consists of a single stick, is located at the forward end by a flan-ged metal spacing ring which also contains the ignition charge, and at the rear by a me-tal grid holding the rear ignition charge. The base plug screws over the motor body and has a central drilling tapped to receive an adaptor for the electrical igniter. |
| REMARKS. 1. This rocket is designated the "28 cm Wfk.Spr." |
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2. The round is painted grey over-all, with stencillings in black and white letters. |
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Figure 216 – 28-cm H.E. Rocket |
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