German WW2 Artillery 15cm Howitzer Brass Shell Case

Dated 1936-39, used by the Hummel the German self-propelled howitzers, and in artillery in the Afrika Korps. With full waffenamt markings and maker codes. The full designation of this self-propelled artillery gun was Panzerfeldhaubitze 18M auf Geschtzwagen III/IV (Sf) Hummel, Sd.Kfz. 165.The German word Hummel means bumblebee. This armoured fighting vehicle had a nasty sting. There were two main types of self-propelled guns in the German Army during WW2. One was fitted with an anti-tank gun and the other with an artillery howitzer, like the Hummel. A vehicle fitted with an artillery field howitzer was called a Geschetzwagen, which is literally translated as a gun vehicle. The letters Sf stand for Selbstfahrlafette self-propelled carriage. Panzerfeldhaubitze means armoured field howitzer.

Self-propelled artillery guns were developed to enable fast moving attacks to have artillery support that could keep up with the speed of advancing Panzer Divisions. They could use direct fire mode at targets they could see or, more commonly, use indirect fire at targets plotted on a map.

They were not designed to be in the front line or engage in combat with tanks. They were motorized artillery guns that could fire high explosive HE shells over the heads of friendly troops. Most targets would have been given to the crew as map grid references by forward observation officers or infantry units under attack.

Quite often, the gun crews could not see where their shells landed, as the target was so far away. They would have to rely on the forward observer to tell them if adjustments had to be made. Generic photos of our howitzer shell cases, only four remaining, brass and steel. Not suitable for export.

Code: 20956