San Shiki (anti-aircraft shell): Difference between revisions

[[File:San-shiki dan explosion.jpg|right|thumb|The explosion of a 46cm{{cvt|46|cm|in}} San Shikidan incendiary anti-aircraft shell]]

{{nihongo|'''San-shiki-dan'''|三式弾||"Type 3 shell"}} was a form of ammunition: a [[World War II]]-era combined [[shrapnel shell|shrapnel]] and [[Incendiary device|incendiary]] [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] round used by the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]]. The type of layered construction of the warheadsThey were generically referred to as '''Beehive''' rounds. The shells were intended to put upcreate a [[barragelarge (artillery)|barrage]]volume of flame through which anyattacking aircraft attempting to attack would have to navigatefly through. However, U.S. pilots considered these shells to be more of a pyrotechnics display than an effective anti-aircraft weapon.<ref group=A>These shells may have been nicknamed "The Beehive" while in service. See: {{cite web| last = DiGiulian| first = Tony| title = Japanese 40 cm/45 (18.1") Type 94, 46&nbsp;cm/45 (18.1") Type 94 | url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNJAP_18-45_t94.htm| publisher = Navweaps.com| date = 23 April 2007| accessdate =23 March 2009}}</ref>

These shells were composed of a set of:

*Incendiary tubes :

**The tubes were madea ofhollow asteel cylinder, {{convert|90|mm|in|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|25|mm|in|abbr=on}} in diameter ({{convert|50|mm|in|abbrsigfig=on1}} and {{convert|20|mm|in|abbr=on}} respectively for those of {{convert|12.7|cm|in|abbr=on}} caliber), hollow steel cylinderdiameter, filled with "[[rubber thermite]]" ([[phosphorus]], [[vulcanized rubber]], [[natural rubber]], [[stearic acid]], [[sulphur]] and [[barium nitrate]]) and ignited through holes on both sides.

**Once the shell explodesexploded, the incendiary tubes igniteignited about a half-second later and burned for 5 seconds with {{convert|5|m|ft|abbradj=on}} long flames,

*Steel stays, servingwhich to holdheld the shell structurally during its deployment and forming part of the shrapnel fragment,

*A [[Artillery fuze|delay fuze ]] (Type 91), allowingwhich was adjusted for each shot to adjustchange the triggering altitude of the explosive charge, and being adjusted for each shot,

|[[46 cm/45 Type 94 naval gun|{{convert|46|cm|in|abbr=on}}/45]]||{{convert|1360|kg|lb|abbr=on}}<br>{{convert|1600|mm|in|abbr=on}}||996 tubes<br>1500 stays<br>1500&nbsp;fragments<br>? explosive charge|| 15 ° of dispersion<br>{{convert|242|m|ft|abbr=on}} diameter

|[[41 cm/45 3rd Year Type naval gun|{{convert|41|cm|in|abbr=on}}/45]]|| {{convert|940|kg|lb|abbr=on}}<br>{{convert|1400|mm|in|abbr=on}}||940 tubes<br>375 stays<br>1110 fragments<br>? explosive charge|| 15 ° of dispersion<br>{{convert|213|m|ft|abbr=on}} diameter

|[[Vickers 14-inch/45 naval gun|{{convert|35.6|cm|in|abbr=on}}/45]]|| {{convert|622|kg|lb|abbr=on}}<br>{{convert|1200|mm|in|abbr=on}}||480 tubes<br>199 stays<br>679 fragments<br>? explosive charge|| 15 ° of dispersion<br>{{convert|152|m|ft|abbr=on}} diameter

|[[20 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun|{{convert|20.3|cm|in|abbr=on}}/50]]|| {{convert|126|kg|lb|abbr=on}}<br>{{convert|860|mm|in|abbr=on}}||198 tubes<br>57 stays<br>255 fragments<br>{{convert|2|kg|lb|abbr=on}} explosive charge||13 ° of dispersion<br>{{convert|100|m|ft|abbr=on}} diameter

|[[12.7 cm/40 Type 89 naval gun|{{convert|12.7|cm|in|abbr=on}}/40]]<br>[[12.7 cm/50 Type 3 naval gun|{{convert|12.7|cm|in|abbr=on}}/50]]|| {{convert|23|kg|lb|abbr=on}}<br>{{convert|437|mm|in|abbr=on}}||43 tubes<br>23 stays<br>66 fragments<br>? explosive charge|| 10 ° of dispersion<br>{{convert|54|m|ft|abbr=on}} diameter