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French projectile shipping container

Slick

Well-Known Member
Am curious as to what the contents of this container might have been. And if there is an example available for completing the "set".

Rick


Projectile, France, container.jpgProjectile, France, container.jpg 1.jpg
 
It is the container for the shaped charge warhead of the french made SS-11 guided missile.
Regards Blu
 

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Here is what was in the container ; The AC 140 shaped charge warhead, able to penetrate 600mm of steel at 30 degrees.
Regards, DJH
 

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  • R-SS 11-France-02-sec.jpg
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There is also a practice warhead, which uses a potmetal body for the straight part, and a blue plastic shroud for the ogive. There is a floresecent orange dye pack in the middle to signal the gunner where his missile impacted. Unfortunately the weak link in the system is the plastic ogive which seems to break during any firing.

FYI these missiles were used extensively by national guard units here in the states, and fired from Hueys. A typical load was 5 practice missiles, and 1 HEAT warhead missile per helicopter. They were used around the 1970's timeframe.
 
Interesting details. Were the U.S. versions made here or in France? And is there a comparable U.S. shipping cover?
 
Rick,

All of the U.S. ones that I have seen here that were fired and used by the Army National Guard had all nomenclature in French stenciled on the missile bodies and warheads, and containers. I'm pretty sure they were all French made. The next container you need to find, is the fiberglass one that the entire missile was shipped in. There used to be lots of them at the surplus stores. It is about 2 ft X 2 ft by 30 inches or so, with a rounded lump protruding from the top where the warhead container fit. The warhead/practice warhead screws onto the front of the missile body, so it was shipped in the container you have, inside the larger container with the missile body and 4 fins. The fins are balsa wood with a thin aluminum skin. The warheads are not interchangeable HEAT or practice, because the HEAT warhead requires a fuze and booster, which the practice warheaded rockets don't have.
 
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Finally got this container in hand. It's HUGE! Those are 20 X 110 Hispano rounds below it and a 37mm projectile beside it in the last pic. Made of some sort of plastic. Here are the rest of the markings.

Rick

Ordhut Ratworx 8 26 11 001 (Small).jpg Ordhut Ratworx 8 26 11 006 (Small).jpg Ordhut Ratworx 8 26 11 008 (Small).jpg Ordhut Ratworx 8 26 11 002 (Small).jpg Ordhut Ratworx 8 26 11 007 (Small).jpg
 
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