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Leuchtpistole 34
The Leuchtpistole 34 or flare gun in English was introduced into German service before World War II and served throughout World War II. Design The Leuchtpistole 34 was a single shot, break action, smoothbore, flare gun designed and produced by Walther that was a successor to the earlier Leuchtpistole 26. The Leuchtpistole 26 was of steel construction, was blued to stop corrosion, and had dyed oak pistol grips. While the Leuchtpistole 34's frame was machined from duralumin, the barrel was machined from steel, was blued to stop corrosion, and had bakelite pistol grips. Due to the use of light alloys, the Leuchtpistole 34 was lighter than its predecessor and the trigger guard was enlarged so the user could fire the gun in cold weather while wearing gloves. Successors * Kampfpistole - The Kampfpistole was a rifled variant of the Leuchtpistole 34 which could fire both lethal and non-lethal rounds. * Leuchtpistole 42 - The Leuchtpistole 34 was succeeded by the Leuchtpistole 42 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
German Submarine U-505
''U-505'' is a German Type IXC submarine built for Germany's ''Kriegsmarine'' during World War II. She was captured by the U.S. Navy on 4 June 1944. In her uniquely unlucky career with the ''Kriegsmarine'', she had the distinction of being the "most heavily damaged U-boat to successfully return to port" in World War II on her fourth patrol, and the only submarine in which a commanding officer took his own life in combat conditions on her tenth patrol, following six botched patrols. She was captured on 4 June 1944 by United States Navy Task Group 22.3 (TG 22.3), one of six U-boats that were captured by Allied forces during World War II. All but one of ''U-505''s crew were rescued by the Navy task group. The submarine was towed to Bermuda in secret and her crew were interned at a US prisoner of war camp, where they were denied access to International Red Cross visits. The Navy classified the capture as top secret and prevented the Germans from discovering it. In 1954, ''U-505'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Smoothbore
A smoothbore weapon is one that has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars. History Early firearms had smoothly bored barrels that fired projectiles without significant spin. To minimize inaccuracy-inducing tumbling during flight, their projectiles required an aerodynamically uniform shape, such as a sphere. However, surface imperfections on the projectile and/or the barrel will cause even a sphere to rotate randomly during flight, and the Magnus effect will curve it off the intended trajectory when spinning on any axis not parallel to the direction of travel. Rifling the bore surface with spiral grooves or polygonal valleys imparts a stabilizing gyroscopic spin to a projectile that prevents tumbling in flight. Not only does this more than counter Magnus-induced drift, but it allows a longer, more streamlined round with greater sectional density to be fired from the same caliber barrel, improvin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Model 39 Grenade
The Model 39 "''Eihandgranate",'' M39 or ''Eierhandgranate 39'' ("egg hand grenade") was a German fragmentation hand grenade introduced in 1939 and produced until the end of World War II. Description The ''Eihandgranate'' were issued to the ''Fallschirmjäger'' from early till the end of the war. The grenade used the same fuse assembly (the BZE 39) as the Model 43 ''Stielhandgranate'' ("Stick Grenade"), which was screwed into the top of the sheet-metal body. To activate, the dome-shaped cap was unscrewed and pulled with a coiled pull-cord that is pulled before throwing. The color of the cap indicated the burning time of the type of fuze fitted. Typically, a delay of around four seconds was used. It could also be used in place of the bottom side screw cap on the "Stielhandgranate" stick grenades. If it was to be used as a fixed booby-trap then an instantaneous or one-second fuse would be fitted. Sometimes, this style of grenade would be discarded in plain view for the enemy to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Direct Fire
Direct fire or line-of-sight fire refers to firing of a ranged weapon whose projectile is launched directly at a target within the line-of-sight of the user. The firing weapon must have a sighting device and an unobstructed view to the target, which means no obstacles or friendly units can be between it and the target. A weapon engaged in direct fire conversely exposes itself to direct return fire from the target.p.49, Bailey This is in contrast to indirect fire, which refers to firing a projectile on a curved ballistic trajectory or delivering self-accelerated munitions capable of long range and various degrees of homing abilities to alter the flight path. Indirect fire does not need a direct line-of-sight to the target because the shots are normally directed by a forward observer. As such, indirect-fire weapons can shoot over obstacles or friendly units and the weapons can be concealed from counter-battery fire. Description Examples of direct-fire weapons include most anci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Artillery Fuze
An artillery fuze or fuse is the type of munition fuze used with artillery munitions, typically projectiles fired by guns (field, anti-aircraft, coast and naval), howitzers and mortars. A fuze is a device that initiates an explosive function in a munition, most commonly causing it to detonate or release its contents, when its activation conditions are met. This action typically occurs a preset time after firing ( time fuze), or on physical contact with (contact fuze) or detected proximity to the ground, a structure or other target ( proximity fuze). Fuze, a variant of fuse, is the official NATO spelling. Terminology Munitions fuzes are also used with rockets, aircraft bombs, guided missiles, grenades and mines, and some direct fire cannon munitions (small calibre and tank guns). Broadly, fuzes function on impact (percussion fuzes) or at a pre-determined time period after firing (time fuzes). However, by the 18th century time fuzes were aimed to function in the air and in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rolled Homogeneous Armour
Rolled homogeneous armour (RHA) is a type of vehicle armour made of a single steel composition hot-rolled to improve its material characteristics, as opposed to layered or cemented armour. Its first common application was in tanks. After World War II, it began to fall out of use on main battle tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles intended to see front-line combat as new anti-tank weapon technologies were developed which were capable of relatively easily penetrating rolled homogeneous armour plating even of significant thickness. Today, the term is primarily used as a unit of measurement of the protection offered by armour on a vehicle (often composed of materials that may not actually contain steel, or even contain any metals) in equivalent ''millimetres of RHA'', referring to the thickness of RHA that would provide the same protection. Typically, modern composite armour can provide the same amount of protection with much thinner and lighter construction than its protectiv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
High-explosive Anti-tank Warhead
High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity explosively formed penetrator (EFP) jet; this is capable of penetrating armor steel to a depth of seven or more times the diameter of the charge (charge diameters, CD). The EFPs jet effect is purely kinetic in nature; the round has no explosive or incendiary effect on the target. Because they rely on the kinetic energy of the EFP jet for their penetration performance, HEAT warheads do not have to be delivered with high velocity, as an armor-piercing round does. Thus they generate less recoil. The performance of HEAT weapons has nothing to do with thermal effects, with HEAT being simply an acronym. History HEAT warheads were developed during World War II, from extensive research and development into shaped charge warheads. Shaped char ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Multi-Star Signal Cartridge
The Multi-Star Signal Cartridge was a non-lethal signal flare that was developed by Germany and used by the Wehrmacht during World War II. The Multi-Star Signal Cartridge was designed to be fired from a ''Leuchtpistole'' or flare gun in English. Design The Multi-Star Signal Cartridge was a signal flare that could be fired from the Leuchtpistole 34, Leuchtpistole 42, or Sturmpistole. The Leuchtpistole and Sturmpistole were single-shot break action smoothbore guns and the cartridge was breech loaded. The cartridge consisted of an inner light alloy projectile which contained a total of three red stars and three green stars inside of a light alloy cartridge case with propellant charge. The exterior of the cartridge was engraved with numbers and the projectile could be twisted to create six different number combinations. Each number combination corresponded to a combination of red and green stars. By twisting the projectile a series of ignition holes were either opened or clos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Smoke Grenade
Smoke grenades used at demonstrations in Paris, 2008 upBritish L83A1 Smoke Grenade manufactured in May 2008. This grenade has already been used. A smoke grenade is a canister-type grenade used as a signaling device, target or landing zone marking device, or as a screening device for unit movements. Smoke grenades generally emit a far larger amount of smoke than smoke bombs, which are a type of fireworks typically started with an external fuse rather than a pin and are more complex. Smoke grenades often cost around compared to smoke bombs, which can often cost just a few cents. The phrase "to smoke", meaning to fake, bluff, or beat around the bush, comes from the military usage of smoke grenades to obscure and conceal movement; similarly, "pop smoke", derived from a common way of ordering the use of smoke grenades, is used as a slang term for quickly leaving a place. __TOC__ Design left, Diagram and cross section of an AN M18 smoke grenade A typical design consists of a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stock (firearms)
A gunstock or often simply stock, the back portion of which is also known as a shoulder stock, a buttstock or simply a butt, is a part of a long gun that provides structural support, to which the barrel, action, and firing mechanism are attached. The stock also provides a means for the shooter to firmly brace the gun and easily aim with stability by being held against the user's shoulder when shooting the gun, and helps to counter muzzle rise by transmitting recoil straight into the shooter's body. The tiller of a crossbow is functionally the equivalent of the stock on a gun. History and etymology The term stock in reference to firearms dates to 1571 is derived from the Germanic word ''Stock'', meaning tree trunk, referring to the wooden nature of the gunstock. Early hand cannons used a simple stick fitted into a socket in the breech end to provide a handle. The modern gunstock shape began to evolve with the introduction of the arquebus, a matchlock with a longer barrel a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sturmpistole
The ''Sturmpistole'' ("assault-pistol") was an attempt by Germany during World War II to create a multi-purpose weapon which could be used by any infantryman. It consisted of a modified flare gun (''Leuchtpistole'') which could fire a variety of grenades, including a shaped charge Panzerwurfkörper 42 which could penetrate of rolled homogeneous armor. The idea was not pursued wholeheartedly, and took second stage to the then current anti-tank rifles and later weapon developments, such as the ''Panzerfaust'' recoilless and ''Panzerschreck'' rocket. Service use The ''Sturmpistole'' was a multi-purpose weapon for signaling, illumination, target marking, or concealment with a smoke grenade. Later during World War II, explosive rounds were developed to give German troops a small and lightweight grenade launcher for engaging targets from close range which could not be engaged satisfactorily by infantry weapons or artillery without endangering friendly troops. Conversions of both t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leuchtpistole 42
The Leuchtpistole 42 or flare gun in English was introduced into German service in 1943 and served throughout World War II. Design The Leuchtpistole 42 was a single shot, break action, smoothbore, flare gun that was a successor to the earlier Leuchtpistole 34. The Leuchtpistole 42 which was made from stamped mild steel components, was galvanized to stop corrosion and used bakelite for the pistol grips. The focus of the Leuchtpistole 42 was to reduce the consumption of light alloys, reduce reliance on machined components, reduce production time, and reduce production costs. Despite being made from mild steel and stamped components it was considered rugged and its rough appearance didn't hinder its functionality. However, the Leuchtpistole 42 was nearly heavier than its predecessor. Variants * Sturmpistole - The Sturmpistole was a conversion of either Leuchtpistole 34's or Leuchtpistole 42's that added a padded buttstock and sights for firing both lethal and non-lethal roun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
