BACKGROUND: The 8.8cm was the standard deck gun used by the U-Boat arm of the Kriegsmarine during WW2. Especially in the early days of the war it was the prefer method of sinking loan merchant ships rather than wasting valuable torpedoes. U-Boat carried a variety of 8.8cm ammunition including HE (high explosive) and armoured piercing. Of course it was absolutely critical to keep this ammunition dry and away from the harmful effects of salt water. A special air-tight canister was developed for this purpose. The 8.8 cm ammunition was stowed in inclined canisters in the casing at rear of the gun. Seventeen rounds are stowed to port and eleven to the starboard side. These canisters where stowed in wooden racks and either the whole canister can be removed or the round removed and the canister left behind in the rack after use.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 39" long, 5 1/2" diameter, blue/grey, over-painted, tooled magnetic sheet metal construction 8.8cm shell storage canister with a brazed, vertical, side seam. The canister features three set of double impressed ring used to give extra strength. Also to the inside, stowage rings are attached at these areas. On the open end are two brazed on 3 ½" x 1 ½" pieces of steel that serve as the locking mechanism for the rotating end cap. The end cap itself measures approximately 5" in diameter x 2.5" in height. It has a separate rotating locking mechanism and folding carrying handle made from cast 7& tooled steel. The canister is very well marked "cdy 43" for the firm of Ochs & Bonn in Hanau, 1943. Canister is in excellent condition, with a couple of minor dings. Retains about 95% of its original finish. Scarce piece of U-Boat kit.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $595.00