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K5/Leopold 28cm Gr 35 Shell - this shell is for sale, click here
This shell is intended to fit the Leopold (also Known as Anzio Annie), recently released. It is a 28cm shell Gr 35. The dimensions of this shell are 28cm (280mm or 11") diameter, and about 1m25 (1250mm or 49") long.
Here is a museum view of this shell:
Machining the shell
Machining the shell was easy, but finding a way to make the splines was the tricky part. I experimented a lot before I was able to find a solution. In fact, 8 shells where made, but only the ultimate result worth a photograph ;-)
Here's a descrition of the solution I finally choose:
First, some grooves are slotted in a plain bar of brass, at a 5° angle. There is two slots actually, one is just flush to the surface and a little larger than the deep thin slot. The purpose is to increase a little the width around the splines tip.
Here's a detail of the splines, you can see the spline is wider than the width of the tip itself. The little larger groove I added should make the paint work easier, simulating this real width and shape of the spline made of a different material as precisely as possible.
After the slots are cut, a cylinder is drilled and separated from the rod.
Then, a piece that will be the future cone nose is drilled and treaded
Using the same rod, a piece for the base is prepared.
The previous slotted cylinder and the nose are screwed on that piece still on the lathe...
And the shape of the nose is cut, first with as a rough staircase...
... then sanded ad polished to final shape. A few details are added using the mill.
After disassembling the nose and the central cylinder, The base is finally cut to shape and separated from the rod.
Lastly, the bottom of the base is finalized with a few details.
And here is a comparison. You can note that the ribs on the photograph are slightly too protruding. That was fixed when the shell was molded, using smaller styrene strips.
Here's a disassembled view
Casting the shell
And the casting result ! The shell cast is monobloc, and there is no seam that need to be sanded, only that disk that you can see on the base of the shell, and that just need to be tear out and slighly scrap with a razor blade.
My friend Richard Craig that also did a Karl did this nice paint job for me, to let me be able to show you the final result. Thanks again Richard !
Shells for sale
Retailers
You can also find this shell for sale through those fine retailers. Please contact them first.
Reviews
If you are fortunate enought to read Japanese, there is an online review here (bottom page)
Thanks for your interest !