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Japanese 75mm cartridge ID

G

glenn.husted

Member
Good morning all!

My museum just received an inert Japanese 75mm round which was recovered by a Tarawa veteran The donation included the shell casing and the projectile. They came with their shipping plugs too. While the warhead appears to be a standard HE round having a brown body and a green ring at the top, the gun which fired this round is not certain. The shell casing is 385mm long and the base of the case is marked "K15D," and "S 6/16." Thank you all for any help you can give in identifying which Japanese 75mm gun fired this round.

Kind regards, Glenn
 
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With that case length, it may be a Navy 8CM semi fixed round. Fired from a British copy naval gun. Type 8cm/40 gun. Pedestal mounted.
 
Dear Slick,

You may be correct. The mouth of the shell measures approximately 8cm. this shell has as a part of its mouth design, a shallow brass cup with three capture grooves. These align with three corresponding staking dents in the shell itself to allow removal and replacement (probably for altering charges). The projectile itself is 75mm at the base. Does this sound right to you or do I have components from two different weapons?

Thanks,

Glenn
 
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I will try to send these images...If it does not work I will have to get tech help in the morning...the base is 2.97 inches ... thanks for all your help,

Glenn...
 
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That pretty much confirms it. Even the primer/igniter base matches up. Nice shipping plug, BTW. The projectile has the correct profile. Navy 8CM used in the previously noted gun.
 
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Thank you very much! I hope to work these items and some others into a new display case in our PTO area of the museum. I work at the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum located at Camp Shelby MS.

Glenn
 
The case could have even been made in the UK. "K" could be a maker's mark of the King's Norton Metal Company, who I believe did make other cases for Japan.

The other stamps could have been added in Japan.

This is not necessarily correct, just a thought.
 
Case was made/or modified in June, 1941 (Showa 16) at the Kure arsenal.

Cheers

Drew
 
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The cart. case is a copy of English 12pdr 12cwt (separate loaded, brass cap for sealing propellant against contamination & moisture), I suspect the projectile is a miss-match to the cart. case, being for the 8cm gun if it has a crimp groove below the copper drive band. (can't quite see from pic).
Bouganville has a pic of a complete 8cm rnd in his pics.
Yes US Subs has pic of cart. case in his pics.

Regards Ozzi.
 
As mentioned the case is certainly for the Armstrong type 8cm/40 low angle naval gun.

Here is the links for my IJN 76.2mm (designated 8cm by IJN) round. This round is a fixed round used in the Type 88 8cm/40 dual-purpose gun and the 8cm/40 Type 3 year dual-purpose gun. My round is in the AA configuration with an IJA Type 89 Powder time Fuze. For use against shipping it is fuzed with a Type 5th Year Point Detonating (instantaneous) Fuze with adaptor. I' have yet to find an adaptor, but it is high on my wish list.

http://www.bocn.co.uk/gallery/showimage.php?i=7041&c=736

http://www.bocn.co.uk/gallery/showimage.php?i=7042&c=736

http://www.bocn.co.uk/gallery/showimage.php?i=8026&c=736

If glenn.husted could give the length of his projectile without the fuze then it might help in IDing it positively. Would like to see a photo of fuze removed from projectile if that is possible.
 
Per my handy-dandy U.S.N.B.D. JAPANESE AMMUNITION handbook ca. July 1945, here's where I surmised my guess. Mr. B'ville's shell may be a little longer than the original posted, by about 1". Anyway, here's what the book shows:

Shell, Jap. 8CM 001 (477x800).jpgShell, Jap. 8CM 002 (511x800).jpgShell, Jap. 8CM 003 (496x800).jpgShell, Jap. 8CM 004 (503x800).jpg
 
Yes, Fired from a 76.2mm (aka 8cm) naval gun. There were quite a few of these at Betio in '43' I'd suspect.

The markings at the head of the cartridge case indicate the following:

a) The place of manufacture, as indicated by the anchor and the squiggly lines - In this instance, I think Kure in Japan.
b) The date of manufacture, as indicated by S 6/16 - Showa period, Jun 1941.
c) The place of filling or the propellant type (symbol under the DOM) - I think place of filling, unsure where though.
d) The Lot/Batch Identification (the remaining markings).
 
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