Latest Find - 3"/50 Naval Shell?? Plus a bit extra!!!

[MikeS0000]

Hi Folks -

(Also in member's collections as not sure which is most correct.)

Latest find and hopefully someone may help with it!

I believe it is (well, the middle section) a US Naval 3"/50 Shell...., with a Naval Masthead lamp attached to the top! No idea from where it originated. The case length is ~23-24"s and the diameter of the shell is 3"s or ~75ms. Friend standing next to it for comparison.

It actually lights up. I haven't been able to get the base of as yet to check the headstamp, but am working on it.

My questions..., am I correct on the id? Any idea on time-frame? I'm thinking WW2 Period, but that's a guess. Is the projectile original? It does have a driving band. Also, any thoughts on cleaning or preservation..., polishing, removing rust on the shell, etc.

Thanks for any input, it really lights up my life!! :tinysmile_kiss_t4:

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

What a nice item to restore to its original condition !
Looks like it would be an easy job to convert it back and if that is what you choose to do good luck with the project.

Thanks for showing us !

 

[raymeketa]

Mike

The case appears to be a 3"/50. Examining the headstamp would confirm this.

The projectile appears to be a 3" Common, MK 3, for the 3"/23. It is all steel and has an opening in the base to add the explosive filler and for a base fuze. The original color would have been a slate gray.

Ray

 

[Slick]

A great piece of trench art! The lamp is awesome. A good cleanup is about all I'd do, but restoring to original might make it more presentable to the Mrs., allowing for a spot in the living room.

Rick

P.S. Your buddy there may have a future on the PRICE IS RIGHT!

 

[MikeS0000]

Many thanks to all!

Ray - I know it's a guess without a look at the headstamp, but would you think it may be WW2 Era, earlier, or later?

Chris, Rick - Verdict is still out on how to handle it, but I'm leaning toward keeping as a piece of Trench Art. She really throws a nice horizontal beam through the fresnel lens. I think it may go in the doorway to the soon to be established 'Collection Room."

:idea:

Best regards!
- Mike

 

[raymeketa]

Mike

I think trying to date the case without seeing the headstamp would be, just as you said, a guess. Brass 3"/50 cases were still in general use into the mid-1950s and ships that did only a little firing would have had them in stores even later. Both 3" and 5" steel cases started showing up during the same period.

If the projectile is original to the case I'd date it as WWII or earlier.

Ray

 

[Dronic69]

Hi Mike,

If I had that superb piece of "trench art" to clean, this is how I would approach it:

1) Carefully dismantled the item and separate all brass, glass, shell case and electrical wiring.
2) For all Brass items, clean them with an acid solution (PM me if you want the exact acids and ratios) by brushing over, leaving for 5 - 10 mins and rincsing off with water.
Then use the normal Brass polishing methods - clean using Brasso & a rag & a little elbow grease. Use cotton gloves and wipe over with metho to remove finger prints etc - final polish with a clean rag and then use a clear metal lacquer (Intralac) to provide an long lasting non-tarnishing finish /protection coat.
3) For the steel projectile, use Electrolysis to re-rust - normally takes about a day - there's plenty of utube videos on this, but it is quick and effective. Go over with a fine wire brush, wipe over with Turps and also apply a coat or two of a metal lacquer. (Humm, may be a "challenge" to remove the projectile from the shell case - search on BOCN about how to remove stubborn projectiles using the two pieces of metal and rolling technique)
4) Use Windex for the glass cleaning.
5) Lightly sand the wooden base if required and repaint etc.
6) rewire the electrical wiring if required?
7) Plug it in and enjoy!

Cheers
Drew

 

[raymeketa]

Mike

Take a jeweler's loupe or a strong magnifying glass and examine the rotating band, and especially the projectile body above the band. You may find markings that will ID the projectile. They are usually stamped circularly around the body, small letters and often very faint, so you need to look carefully.

Ray

 

[hicky1300]

Interesting item - although the hound doesn`t look so inmpressed.
Must have needed a long flex when fired to keep the lamp lit!!! LOL
I`m with Dronic.
Clean it up & keep it with the lamp on & working.

 

[Western]

Mike

I'm with Ray on the projectile. The 3" /50 has a different rotatingband with grooves.

 

[MikeS0000]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions! Hope to be at it before too long, In the meantime here is a not-so-good photo of it lit up.