Shell projectile - History

A shell is a projectile, which, as opposed to a bullet, is not solid but contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage includes large projectiles without a filling which are properly termed shot. These objects of weaponry are generally large rounds fired by artillery, armored fighting vehicles (including tanks), and warships, such as battleships. Most shells are aerodynamic and hence, tend to have similar shapes to bullets—that is, a cylinder topped by an ogive shaped nose, possibly with a tapering ...

Including:

• Shell projectile - History
• Shell projectile - Calibre
• Shell projectile - Old-style British classification by weight
• Shell projectile - Types
• Shell projectile - High Explosive HE
• Shell projectile - Armour-Piercing AP
• Shell projectile - Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot APDS
• Shell projectile - Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid APCR
• Shell projectile - Armour-Piercing Composite Non-Rigid APCNR
• Shell projectile - High Explosive Anti-Tank HEAT
• Shell projectile - Discarding Sabot Shell DSS
• Shell projectile - High Explosive Squash Head HESH or High Explosive Plastic HEP
• Shell projectile - Proof shot
• Shell projectile - Cluster shells
• Shell projectile - Chemical
• Shell projectile - Non-lethal shells
• Shell projectile - Unexploded shells

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For the most part explosive shells do not appear to have been in general use before the middle of the 16th century. About that time hollow balls of stone or cast iron were fired from mortars. The balls were nearly filled with gunpowder and the remaining space with a slow-burning composition. This method was fairly ineffective as the charge was not always ignited by the flash from the discharge of the gun, and moreover the amount of composition to burn a ...

See also:

Shell projectile, Shell projectile - History, Shell projectile - Calibre, Shell projectile - Old-style British classification by weight, Shell projectile - Types, Shell projectile - High explosive HE, Shell projectile - Armour-piercing AP, Shell projectile - Armour-piercing discarding sabot APDS, Shell projectile - Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid APCR APCRBC, Shell projectile - High explosive anti-tank HEAT, Shell projectile - High explosive squash head HESH or high explosive plastic HEP, Shell projectile - Cluster shells, Shell projectile - Chemical, Shell projectile - Non-lethal shells, Shell projectile - Unexploded shells

Read more here: » Shell projectile: Encyclopedia II - Shell projectile - History

There are many different types of shells. The principal ones include: Shell projectile - High explosive HE. The most common shell type is high explosive, commonly referred to simply as HE. HE shells have a strong steel case, a bursting charge, and a fuze. When the fuze initiates the shell, the bursting charge shatters the case and scatters hot, sharp fragments of steel at high speed. Most of the damage is caused by being struck by these fragments, rather than directly by the blast. Depending on the type of ...

See also:

Shell projectile, Shell projectile - History, Shell projectile - Calibre, Shell projectile - Old-style British classification by weight, Shell projectile - Types, Shell projectile - High explosive HE, Shell projectile - Armour-piercing AP, Shell projectile - Armour-piercing discarding sabot APDS, Shell projectile - Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid APCR APCRBC, Shell projectile - High explosive anti-tank HEAT, Shell projectile - High explosive squash head HESH or high explosive plastic HEP, Shell projectile - Cluster shells, Shell projectile - Chemical, Shell projectile - Non-lethal shells, Shell projectile - Unexploded shells

Read more here: » Shell projectile: Encyclopedia II - Shell projectile - Types

The calibre of a shell is its diameter. Depending on the historical period and national preferences, this may be specified in millimetres, centimetres, or inches. Care should be taken as the length of gun barrels is frequently quoted in terms of calibre. Due to problems of manufacture, the lower size limit for shells is a calibre around 20 mm, used in aircraft cannon and on armoured vehicles. Smaller explosive projectiles exist, but they are rare. The largest shells ever fired were those from the German super-railway guns, Gustav and ...

See also:

Shell projectile, Shell projectile - History, Shell projectile - Calibre, Shell projectile - Old-style British classification by weight, Shell projectile - Types, Shell projectile - High explosive HE, Shell projectile - Armour-piercing AP, Shell projectile - Armour-piercing discarding sabot APDS, Shell projectile - Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid APCR APCRBC, Shell projectile - High explosive anti-tank HEAT, Shell projectile - High explosive squash head HESH or high explosive plastic HEP, Shell projectile - Cluster shells, Shell projectile - Chemical, Shell projectile - Non-lethal shells, Shell projectile - Unexploded shells

Read more here: » Shell projectile: Encyclopedia II - Shell projectile - Calibre