Identify this

[rtrapasso]

OK - they look about 2.125" in diameter (or about 7" circumference) - about 5 feet long. They are somewhat shiny.

So, if our subject were about 3' tall, that would be about right[:D] - except this thing doesn't seem quite round.

Argh - you edited as i was entering this! [:-] So i am counter-editing[:'(]

[rogueusmc]

I was an Ammo Tech in the Corps...I know more about ordnance than I do ships...[:D]

[DeepSix]

Is the guy on the left holding an IV line?

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: rogueusmc

I was an Ammo Tech in the Corps...I know more about ordnance than I do ships...[:D]

Are those REAL bangalores, or is this from a movie (i.e. Big Red One)?

[rogueusmc]

Actually, that image is a screen shot from Saving Private Ryan, but I have used bangalores before and can attest to their size and such.

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: DeepSix

Is the guy on the left holding an IV line?

About to resusitate this thing?

I dunno - at first i thought it was the hose part on a stethoscope, then a parachute line, then a fuze, then a snare. Maybe an IV line (i think they were rubber in WW2 - hadn't gotten nice plastic ones yet).

[Cap Mandrake]

Hint: This is Pacific theater...and it is a projectile [X(]

[tonyingesson]

I've worked with studying bombs and seen probably a hundred WWII designs from various countries. I'm 99% sure that that thing is not a bomb. I think it's a torpedo. Probably a torpedo bomber emergency released it due to flak damage or something like that. The design looks about right and the size should match (roughly 17.7"/44 cm in diameter).

[Knavey]

Rabbit trap?

[Stavka_lite]

Its a thingymabobwhachamacallit hollowed widget type gadget mk3

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Hint: This is Pacific theater...and it is a projectile [X(]

OK - why would a projectile be sitting here on the forest floor?

Well, maybe it fell out of the sky - a la bomber, artillery shell. But I would think then it would have either been largely buried, or skidded along the surface, either laying a large skid mark or heaping up leaves/dirt/etc. in front. Don't see that. Don't think they dug it up and THEN tried to defuse it.

It looks like it is just sitting there.

It could be that it was parachuted down (return to possible parachute cord theory). Possibly this is a large flare - parachute type? I don't know if star flares fired from a ships guns had a parachute attached.

It size assessment by tonyingesson is correct - then either this is a battleship-sized shell (18" Yamato shell, maybe one of her special AA shells?)

Or maybe this is some sort of bomb (or torpedo, though that seems like a waste) rigged as a booby trap and left for someone (or some tank) to stumble over. This still looks like a bomb disposal squad type op to me. Maybe it is a Yamato special used as a boobytrap.

My guess(es) after all this is: Aircraft Parachute Flare that didn't go off vs. Yamato-type special AA shell used as a booby trap.

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

What is this dangerous looking thing?

So - any more hints?

[Cap Mandrake]

Japanese indirect fire weapon projectile WWII [:)]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Japanese indirect fire weapon projectile WWII [:)]

Well - it doesn't look quite as big to me as to others. I am guessing this is around 10-12" across although perspective can make things deceiving. Possibly a large howitzer round. I am unaware of any relatively large rockets the Japanese had (although since they had the Okha, they probably had some sort of rocket artillery. I know they had some kind of unguided AA rockets on their ships).

Anyone know about IJA/IJN rockets?[&:]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Japanese indirect fire weapon projectile WWII [:)]

Well - it doesn't look quite as big to me as to others. I am guessing this is around 10-12" across although perspective can make things deceiving. Possibly a large howitzer round. I am unaware of any relatively large rockets the Japanese had (although since they had the Okha, they probably had some sort of rocket artillery. I know they had some kind of unguided AA rockets on their ships).

Anyone know about IJA/IJN rockets?[&:]

OK - not seeing any help, i tried the web. It seems on Iwo Jima, the Japanese used a 20-cm Rocket, as well as a 44.7-cm Rocket. The 20-cm type seems too small. I'll guess it is a 44.7 cm rocket round, since that is about the size another person guessed.

[KittyHawk]

Just a wild guess. Is it a Fugo (Japanese Balloon Bombs of WWII).

KHawk

[timtom]

It's a dud mortar shell, 380mm or so, on Okinawa, methinks.

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Japanese indirect fire weapon projectile WWII [:)]

Argh.
Well i think in this category we've guessed:
Column A:
Artillery round (included i think would be mortar round, howitzer round, gun round),
Flare round
Fugo bomb
Rocket round

In case you are throwing us a curve, we also guessed at:
Column B:
torpedo
aircraft bomb
Naval rifled gun (Yamato)
Poison gas round
Germ warfare round
Animal trap
Supply cannister
Booby trap
Spock's coffin
Bangalore torpedo (or improvised version thereof)
Flamethrower tank
R2D2

So, is it any of these? Or should we continue to scratch our collective heads. If it IS one of these, which column is it from?

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: timtom

It's a dud mortar shell, 380mm or so, on Okinawa, methinks.

Hmm - largest mortar i could find for Japanese is a 32 cm spigot mortar.

[timtom]

well, close enough [:'(]