Fallschirm Leuchtpatrone

The Fallschirm Leuchtpatrone or "parachute light cartridge" in English was a non-lethal star shell that was developed by Germany and used by the Wehrmacht during World War II. The Fallschirm Leuchtpatrone was designed to be fired from a Kampfpistole flare gun.

Fallschirm Leuchtpatrone
A schematic of components.
Type	Star shell
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
Used by	Wehrmacht
Wars	World War II[1]
Specifications
Diameter	25 mm (1 in)[1]
Warhead	Parachute retarded illumination flare
Detonation mechanism	Delay fuze[1]

Design

The Fallschirm Leuchtpatrone was a rifle grenade that could be fired from the Kampfpistole. The Kampfpistole was a rifled single-shot break action gun and the cartridge was breech loaded. The Kampfpistole was a rifled variant of the earlier Leuchtpistole 34. The purpose of the Fallschirm Leuchtpatrone was for battlefield illumination with a secondary signal flare role. The projectile had a light alloy shell case, with a threaded insert in the base for a percussion cap, inside the case was a propelling charge, delay fuze, parachute, illumination star, and bakelite nose cone. When fired the percussion cap ignited the propellant, which in turn ignited the delay fuze, that ignited the illumination star, blew off the bakelite nose cone, and ejected the star. The star is then suspended by a chain from a parachute, illuminating the area below. The projectile can be identified by the stenciling "F. Leucht. Z." on the base of the cartridge case.[1]

Gallery

• 
  Leuchtpistole 34.

References

1. unknown (1 August 1945). Catalog Of Enemy Ordnance Material. www.paperlessarchives.com/FreeTitles/CatalogOfEnemyOrdnanceMateriel.pdf: Office of the chief of ordnance. p. 326.