Hello from Downunder!

[Dronic]

Hi,

I'm new to this great site and I'm an inert ordnance Collector.

Over the past 40 odd years I have collected the typical inert ordnance items such as bombs, grenades, artillery rounds, aerial bombs etc etc.

I have also "downsized" over the years as well and although most of the collection is long gone, I currently now just focus on artillery and bomb fuzes, which is really the "smarts" of the device, besides I also love clock /mechanical mechanisms..............

In addition my current focus also includes, await for it -> Torpedo Pistols (fuzes), especially pre-1900 ones (HaHa - if they stilll exist!)

I'm currently researching the Development of the Whitehead Torpedo Pistol Design from 1866-1918, so if any members have any close-up photos of early vintage torpedo pistols/fuzes I would be very interested from hearing from them.

(Would be even more interested if there are any torpedo fuzes for sale! )

Cheers
Drew

[Woolgar]

Welcome aboard mate !

Looking forward to seeing pics of your collection

Nick

[Gunny Hartmann]

Welcome aboard mate !

Looking forward to seeing pics of your collection

Nick

Same here!.....

[harryamb2]

me too.

[Dronic]

As I mentioned during my introduction, most of the collection is long gone - as a result of continuously "downsizing" over the years..............

I'll dig up some old ex-collection photos.
Cheers

[tailor marc]

Hey mate,
love your field of collecting . Its getting hard to collect this stuff here in little old Perth W.A. Lots of grey area's and red tape but i have some nice pieces too
Marc

[AZPhil]

Hello Dronic,
I'm also on board with a welcome's and looking forward to see some pic's

Semper Fi
Phil

[Dronic]

As usual, when you go to look for something - you can never find it.....................

Anyway here's a couple of pics.

The first shows a set of common mortar rounds:
4.2" smoke / HE,
3" smoke /HE,
WW2 81mm German,
WW1 German Granatenwerfer,
post-war Oz 81mm practice
2" HE mortar rounds

(BTW - The 3" smoke was my favorite! - and not a common round downunder)

The second shows 2 x 15 pdr Sharpnel projectiles complete with the matching No IV Percussion /time fuses
LNS is a rarer Mk II Projectile (1896) with traces of the original red painted band.
RHS is the more common Mk V Projectile (1900)
Base markings are shown for each

The third pic shows a very interesting device, which took me a number of years to eventually ID
OK, lets see if some of the members can identify it before I'll provide the details on what it is...............

Here are some questions to ask:

1) It is a fuze?
2) If "yes", then what type - land, air or water?
3) What period?

Enjoy!

Cheers
Drew

[Dronic]

Hey mate,
love your field of collecting . Its getting hard to collect this stuff here in little old Perth W.A. Lots of grey area's and red tape but i have some nice pieces too
Marc

Hi Marc,

Great to hear from you!

Well, they are making it harder to collect this stuff in NSW - I recently re-applied for my "Prohibitive Weapons Permit" - yes folks that's right! just to collect inert bits of metal!!! and this time round I had to have level 3 security - which is basically the same as a Firearm dealer.

Stamp collecting looking good........................

Cheers
Drew

[Dronic]

The third pic shows a very interesting device, which took me a number of years to eventually ID
OK, lets see if some of the members can identify it before I'll provide the details on what it is...............

Here are some questions to ask:

1) It is a fuze?
2) If "yes", then what type - land, air or water?
3) What period


So no one game to have a stab at what this ?

OK, I won't keep you wondering any more.........................

It is the fuse from a WW1 US Clarke Naval aerial bomb - invented by Louis Clark of the Auto Company fame - where he and his brother invented and patent the first porcelain-insulated spark plug (later sold to Champion).

BTW - it took me over 5 years to identify it.