My First day detecting and wow , some amazing finds, help needed on I.D

**Gouldy** · 05-07-2013, 12:08 PM

Any other information lads??

Many Thanks

Jim

**hangarman** · 05-09-2013, 10:17 PM

Hi Gouldy,
Here's a very excited 100th post!!! The round thing with the holes in and the cap are from a 3" aircraft rocket(P4 pic 1). The first is the collar that fits in the top of the rocket motor to screw the warhead in to, the cup is a protective cover from the threaded end of 3" warhead.. Page 2 pic 1 is a Fin from a 3" rocket and the plugs in picture 3 are the plugs that dangle out of the back end of the rocket. These are sometimes called pigtails.
Cheers
Hangarman

**big ned** · 05-09-2013, 10:52 PM

A similar thread a short while back regarding these plugs or "pigtails".

https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/battl...-parts-275090/

Regards, Ned.

**Paul D** · 05-09-2013, 11:22 PM

by ww2relichunter

i wouldnt ditch it nobody will come looking for it !! and it is a neat item just dont sell it and put it away nobody will bother you !

I take it you will be along to the Nick to give this opinion and helpout when he's sitting in the cells !! We do not condone in anyway illegal activity or the possesion of illegal items on this forum as has been pointed out by Steve , this type of advice is just ridiculous !!

**Gouldy** · 05-09-2013, 11:24 PM

it's already ditched so is no longer an issue!

Thanks to Ned I now know what these parts are for. I must have found approx. 4-6 fin's so will bring them back next time. also found a lot of other short lengths of steel which I was unsure of.

Anyone have any idea on the small electrical box??

Thanks again lads !

Jim

**Gouldy** · 05-12-2013, 05:53 PM

Right then lads, another few hours on the detector and some more interesting finds.

We found this , which I believe is the body of a 3" rocket,

I didnt bring it home and put it in a safe place until I KNOW it is safe as it still has this inside...

I also found this Bakelite threaded piece, which threaded into a Bakelite cap I found on the previous dig

Here is another 3" rocket Fin that we found.

Also found this riveted piece of metal bar

a Fired .303 round

A Brass/Copper washer type thing

Unsure on this one...

Any help would be great lads! ESPECIALLY ON THE SAFETY OF THE TUBE, its hollow bar this "thing" with the cross on it

Thanks

**edelweiss123** · 05-12-2013, 06:00 PM

Nice Finds, you may already have it, or heard of it, but we have some books in this series for our local area which we find very interesting:
Somerset Airfields in the Second World War: Amazon.co.uk: David Berryman: Books
Might provide some information about where you are detecting

Vicky

**hangarman** · 05-12-2013, 06:49 PM

Hi Gouldy,
Great finds , esp the rocket motor!! Certainly doesn't look fired but there is no pigtail lead. The propellant is a solid stick of cordite that rests on a cross piece on top of the venture. The strap looks like a strap from a saddle crate, are you sure it is riveted or is it just rust? Does it have a hole in each end? The blank looks like 7.62 Have a look on the head, it should be stamped L10A2 with a date and a nato mark. The disc looks like a butt disc from a smle. If it is it should be stamped with regimental details.
Cheers for now ,dinner calls
Hangarman

**Gouldy** · 05-12-2013, 06:55 PM

Cool !! Will look and get back to you. I may buy that book as I am struggling for history on this site I'm looking on.

Do You think the rocket is safe to clean and keep as I would love to have it in my collection it literally has nothing in bar this "X" piece at the top

I will pm you my number hangerman if you ever fancy a chat!!

**Steve T** · 05-12-2013, 07:17 PM

The bakelite pieces are parts of a No 247 Allways fuze, used with No 69 and 77 grenades and lots of other stuff as well

A quick lesson for you. 303 cartridges are rimmed. In other words, the cartridge base, ('head'), has a bigger diameter than the body of the cartridge, and there is no rebated gap between the head and the cartridge body. Your cartridge is rimless. In other words, the diameter of the head of the cartridge is the same as the body of the cartridge, (you can also get rebated rimless, semi-rimmed and belted but we won't go into them for now.....

). This being the case, you can tell at a glance that this isn't a 303. Cleaning of the head will reveal the headstamp which will normally tell you all you need to know about the cartridge. Look at the below thread for a quick run through of headstamps.

https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/ordin...adstamps-5718/

Nice finds