My little old 8.8

[Rob L]

Far out I never knew about the driving bands stamped like that, thank you for sharing. Wow I would have loved to have been around when they were parting ways with them for scrap, seriously I'm having a hard time trying to track one that ain't in France or Germany. Absolutely I'd love to see a picture of your one. Corrosion that's been taken care of on my one and the age look about it make me sure it's original paint. A Kwk43 now that would be my dream come true. =)

[Rob L]

Hi guys. Just had this fuze land in an AZ/23 to help build up a third 88, just have to locate a projectile now. It was dug up in Poland and basicly has not been touched in it's finish other than a clean. Does anyone know what the white paint stencil is on it? Looks like an eagle but I'm not sure. On the right of it it almost looks like SS but I'd have to say very unlikely they'd mark them with that so I doubt it. Any thoughts on this?

[Rob L]

Sorry I can't get a better photo, tryed as hard as I could to get close.

[Matt L]

Hi guys. Here is my little old flak18 88 I picked up a month ago. She's running an Az 23/28 fuze etc. Not sure the history of this one other than no Finnish markings and it's original paint remaining. It has no primer but I'm trying to track down a C/22st for it. The projectile cannot be taken off it, she's well stuck in there. I have another one of these in the same configuration on it's way in from off shore as well as another shell case.

I had one of these once too- they're usually in very nice condition, like this, but the paint is not original; proper German shells never had the driving bands painted, and they have a lot of stamped ink markings indicating the shell manufacture type, driving band type, and code for the bursting charge explosive type. That's post-war repaint I'm afraid. And it's a Flak shell- the lines are to attempt to control the splintering and create large, long pieces to take down bombers- so the proper fuze would be the usual ZtZ S/30, and a C/12 primer.

And yeah, there can be a white eagle stamp on the fuze- I have one of these later AZ23/28 fuzes with one on; I'll see if I can get a decent picture of it... it's not SS though

[Rob L]

Hi Matt. This was a thought you've cleared up that was starting burn in my mind the more I search for a projectile. There dose not seem to be very much info them I can find but I kept coming across the Sixth Army group and all their stuff seemed to run the stenciled stuff like an original they've copied so it did have me thinking as to how genuine the paint is to ww2 era. I was lucky enough to come across a C/12st to fill the hole in the end. I did land a brass one too but as it turns out the thread is slightly off. Great stuff, I thought it was an eagle, very strange they mark parts that are going to be destroyed so well. =)

[Rob L]

Here she is the latest 88. I've now tracked three C/12 st primers for them. I'm only short of an HE projectile to complete the case. One shell case was thought lost in the post so a replacement was tracked, funny now I have a forth and a Kwk36 projectile is on it's way to shove on top, with only a C/22 st to track for that.

Has any one had a dealing with Nifelshop for this stuff? I sent an email in German since it's a german site, he didn't understand me and asked to use english and I've not heard back in a week now??? I'm just a little dodged out by this and wonder is the site for real?

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Here she is the latest 88. I've now tracked three C/12 st primers for them. I'm only short of an HE projectile to complete the case. One shell case was thought lost in the post so a replacement was tracked, funny now I have a forth and a Kwk36 projectile is on it's way to shove on top, with only a C/22 st to track for that.

Has any one had a dealing with Nifelshop for this stuff? I sent an email in German since it's a german site, he didn't understand me and asked to use english and I've not heard back in a week now??? I'm just a little dodged out by this and wonder is the site for real?

[Rob L]

My big plan is to strip these down and restore them to their war time look, paint, ink markings etc. The primers on these are not Finish, they all come out of Poland from the one person. The question I have is are the cases during war time strait bare steel like I've heard some people say or were they in the gun blue like the primers seem to be? The way I look at it I read often in the case of the C22st that it should match the case to know for sure it really come from a Tiger, I'm sure it would be the same for a C12st matching the case like it was never removed. I don't intend to fool anyone with these as I'll never sell them I just want to get them as good and close as I can and that is learning along the way. The box is one that I have made with the help of images from Nouvelle page 0 to get as close as I could with my measurements, I don't work with wood and never really have so it drove me nuts dovetailing the ends and using dowls, metal fabrication is easy with my own hand made latches so my hat goes off to wood workers.

[Matt L]

funny now I have a forth and a Kwk36 projectile is on it's way to shove on top, with only a C/22 st to track for that.

I don't think there's any such thing as a KwK36 projectile- it was only cases that were ever specifically marked to be for the tank gun, and then only because of the propellent filling; the shell is just a usual form Sprgr. Patr. L/4,5- it's only the type you originally showed that's more clearly Flak, not that any other is clearly KwK. In truth, given how much, much more HE ammunition the Flak used vs. the tanks, pretty much any projectile would likely have been intended for the Flak and only if one is UNBELIEVABLY lucky to find a complete round with a case marked to the KwK36 could it be certain to be tank ammunition.

[Matt L]

My big plan is to strip these down and restore them to their war time look, paint, ink markings etc. The primers on these are not Finish, they all come out of Poland from the one person. The question I have is are the cases during war time strait bare steel like I've heard some people say or were they in the gun blue like the primers seem to be?

I've had a number of loose C/12St. and C/22St. primers and they're just plain steel; I've never seen anything blued. I do have a 7,5c, KwK40 Pzgr. round with a steel case that's copper plated, and my 7,5cm KwK42 Pzgr. and 8,8cm KwK43 Pzgr. rounds' cases are brass plated- again no bluing. I have seen plain steel cases, but couldn't say if they were originally like that or were cleaned by someone. I'd think probably they were cleaned since the plain carbon steel would be subject to corrosion, which could be pretty bad for such a powerful round. And if the Germans laquered their small arms ammunition, I'd doubt the big stuff wasn't treated at all sometimes.

The way I look at it I read often in the case of the C22st that it should match the case to know for sure it really come from a Tiger, I'm sure it would be the same for a C12st matching the case like it was never removed.

Right- a cartridge case without a primer can't be attributed unless it retains its ink markings, which dictate what weapon it was for. That's how I know I do actually have one from an 8,8cm KwK36- it's clearly marked on the side, and it's fired and the C/22St. primer is in place (with enough surface corrosion to be certain it's all legitimate). That's the tricky bit though: a case in nice condition with a C/22 primer could just have had the primer installed by someone at some point- there no guarantee it's really a KwK36 case.

[AZPhil]

That is Bad Ass!!!!!!
I would love to have one of those sitting in the corner of my war room!!!!
Thanks for sharing those pic!!!!!!
Semper Fi
Phil