.50 cal, detector finds

[Millsman]

I was recently out metal detecting to the South West of Ashford, Kent with a friend and we found a number of .50 Cal bullets in the ground. The temporary WW2 US airfield at
Chilmington Green was nearby (P47 base) but these were scattered all over a 10 acre field. Our best guess was that these were air fired at V1 flying bombs and just fell into the field. In the same field there are items from Anglo Saxon, Medieval and Tudor eras. Amazing what's still out there.

 

[BMG50]

Looks like they still have the paint on them.

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

Looks like you have AP, tracer and incendiary there. The incendiary is still likely to be viable. I suggest you don't use a disc cutter on it!

 

[Millsman]

Looks like you have AP, tracer and incendiary there. The incendiary is still likely to be viable. I suggest you don't use a disc cutter on it!

I think the tracers are all burnt out.

 

[Eggburt1969]

I can see rifling marks on quite a few, so they were fired. Most seem to be undamaged, and as mentioned, some still have paint on them. As such, and at a guess, they were fired at quite high elevation, and hence had low terminal velocity when they impacted with the ground.

 

[Millsman]

I can see rifling marks on quite a few, so they were fired. Most seem to be undamaged, and as mentioned, some still have paint on them. As such, and at a guess, they were fired at quite high elevation, and hence had low terminal velocity when they impacted with the ground.

I agree. I remember digging some .50 cals out of the sand in the butts at an old RAF airfield many years ago and many were distorted and damaged. These are all straight with clean tips.

 

[Eggburt1969]

I agree. I remember digging some .50 cals out of the sand in the butts at an old RAF airfield many years ago and many were distorted and damaged. These are all straight with clean tips.

I did a double check by putting the 50-cal M33 FMJ bullet into an external ballistics program (QuickTARGET) and setting the muzzle velocity to 3,050 ft/s. The details are pasted in below.


Maximum vertical range details.


Maximum horizontal range details.

 

[Weasel Pilot]

Since the airfield was temporary, perhaps they didn't have firing butts and dug a trench to put the tail of the aircraft in...

 

[Millsman]

Since the airfield was temporary, perhaps they didn't have firing butts and dug a trench to put the tail of the aircraft in...

Possible, but many of the bullets were found within 50-100 metres of some houses, that were there in 1944.

 

[Taber10]

While this theory is interesting, I would find it HIGHLY UNLIKELY that any firing would be done to reach a potential range of 7,045 yards. Generating a "safety hazard zone" with or without houses in the area would be unconscionable and would serve NO valid wartime (or peacetime) purpose. I have excavated lots of various calibers of small arms projectiles from ranges, butts, etc. and nearly always there is a percentage of slugs that show no real damage. Maybe "luck of the draw" that these were recovered.
IF anyone has any evidence of this "digging a trench" to lower the tail of an aircraft, I would be interested in hearing it. While I was NOT anywhere near WWII vintage, my experience has been that the fighter needed to be "jacked" at least the tail to simulate "straight and level flight" when the firing in process occurs.
Just my thoughts.