Translation 'Leuchtmine'

[RT]

Starshell is more reco than illumination, upon me, but only upon me

Rémi

[Laurent Rizzotti]

As the German reports specifies that they were fired to illuminate RAF bombers, it seems to me that star shells is a correct translation, as both the goal and the way of firing are the same.

3000 shells is still a high number and should have been noticed by RAF crews if it was an unusual (or new) tactic. I don't remember reading anything on it, just reports of the use of searchlights and of sky markers dropped by the Luftwaffe to mark the path of the bomber stream, but I have of course far less knowledge than you on the subject.

[Snautzer]

I cant find it in Geschossringbuch

[jschreiber]

Hi

The more usual name for such shells is "Leuchtgranate", translated, according to the TM 30-506 dictionnary as "star shell". The Leuchtmine was, in WW I, a trench mortar shell with the same purpose. So the autor of the report could be a WW I veteran who used his known terminology...

A description of such shells can be found here : www.eeoda.de/2007/0706_FB1_8,8cmLGr_Zerl.pdf

I have not looked in the german ordnance manuals, but something can probably found on such shells inside.

Kind regards

J Schreiber

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by jschreiber

Hi


A description of such shells can be found here : www.eeoda.de/2007/0706_FB1_8,8cmLGr_Zerl.pdf


Kind regards
J Schreiber

Thanks

Mostly technical, but at least it is clear the shells were fired by the regular 88mm AA-guns.

It does not answer how it was done though. Were there dedicated cannons used only to fire these flares or did each gun crew fire let's say one flare, ten shells, one flare, 10 shells etc etc?

Cheers
Stig

[schwarze-man]

Thanks JSchreiber,
Interesting comment on the "self destruct" charge, to avoid shell case falling on populated areas. Presumably, the destruction charge was sufficient to fragment the steel case and therefore, I can imagine that the case fragmentation was viewed as a contribution to the Flak barrage, as well as the illumination effect. Cheers

SM

[Theo Boiten]

Dear all -thanks for your additional comments & info, much appreciated. I've now gone through additional 1. Flak Division reports for early 1944 but found no other mentions of the use of Leuchtminen, nor on the technical side of its use. It appears that the vast use of Leuchtminen during the 24-25 March 1944 raid was a one-off.

Cheers, Theo