SHELL, H.E. 3", No. 2 Mk I

OVERALL LENGTH

DIAMETER

TOTAL WEIGHT

FILLING

FILLING WEIGHT

FUZING

MOTOR, ROCKET, A/C 3", "SUNFLOWER SEED",

MKS I & II

OVERALL LENGTH

DIAMETER

WIDTH OF FINS

TOTAL WEIGHT

PORPELLANT

WEIGTH OF PROPELLANT

BURNING TIME

0.3 seconds at 40° F.

GENERAL:

This rocket was designed for upward vertical firing from heavy bomb aircraft to dis-rupt attacking formations of enemy fighters. The rocket head is fitted with a self-des-troying fuze so that misses will not on friendly aircraft aircraft or territory after expira-tion of burning of the rocket motor. The round consists of a No. 2 Mk I 3" light ogival shell fitted with a No. 720 Mk IV fuze, and a Motor, Rocket, A/C 3", "Sunflower Seed", Mks I & II.

DESCRIPTION:

Shell, H.E., 3", No. 2 Mk I: This shell was originally designed for use with the 3" Anti-aircraft rocket and the No. 701 fuze, but has been slightly modified for use with this rocket weapon. The shell consists of a light steel ogive struck with a 30 inch radius. The after part of the shell body is reduced in diameter and is threaded externally to screw into the shell ring of the rocket motor. An internally threaded fuze adapter is welded into the foreward end of the shell body. A cardboard exploder container is inser-ted into the main exploder filling beneath the fuze adapter and contains two 12 dram C.E. (tetryl) booster pellet.

The shell is painted buff overall and carries a stencilled ring of red crosses 1/2" wide and one inch below the foreward end of the shell body. A green band, upon which are stencilled the black letters "T.N.T.", is located 4.5" below the foreward end of the shell. Complete identification, filling, and manufacturing information is stencilled in black on the shell body between these two rings.

Motor, Rocket, A/C 3", "Sunflower Seed", Mks I & II: The rocket motor is a standard 3" proof motor reduced in length to 31" by elimination of a cardboard spacer-sleeve. The motor consists of a cylindrical steel body, fitted at the head end with a shell ring, which is held in place by eight spring-locked pins. A head obturator is located behind the shell ring. The propellant consists of seven tubular grains of flashless cordite, each grain measuring 1" in diameter by 18" in length. The igniter leads pass from the igniter along the outside of the grains and end in a two-pronged Niphon plug. A tail obturator is located aft of the propellant grains, and a venturi is located in the base of the motor. A small bag of silica gel is placed in the venturi as a moisture-proofing measure.

Note: Drawings of this rocket motor are not available but will be included in this pub-lication when received.