| 3,7cm C97/98 Cartridge Casing |
 |
| 3,7cm C97/98 cartridge casing for the 3,7 cm Masch. K. (3,7 mm Maxim Automatic cannon). To illustrate the size, the casing is photographed with an original Model 1910 Preußen Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Schirmmütze for Artillerie, Pioniere and Verkehrstruppen (Verkehrstruppen - Transportation Troops. These included all Eisenbahn (Railway), Telegraphen (Telegraph), Flieger (Flying), Luftschiffer (Balloon and Zeppelin).
37cm C97/98 Cartridge Casing Data:
|
 |
| A close-up of the head stamping on the base. Marked: KARLSRUHE (Patronenfabrik Karlsruhe) manufactured "I 1903" with the standard twin flaming bombs for this manufacturer. Marine cartridge casings used Roman numerals for the month, while the Army used an abbreviation of the month. The "I" in this case stands for January. The crowned M is the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy) arsenal's acceptance stamp. "60" is the lot number of that batch of cases which were made during 1903. |
| 3,7cm C97/98 |
 |
| The 3,7cm Maxim was the standard close-in defence weapon for Kaiserliche-Marine (Imperial German Navy) heavy cruisers and battleships prior to the Great War. In d War. In Kaiserliche-Marine service it was called the 3,7 cm Masch. K. (3,7cm Machine Cannon). |
| 3,7cm M. FLAK |
 Photo courtesy Brett Butterworth Photo Archives |
| With the introduction of aircraft into the war, both sides of the conflict quickly realized they had no effective anti-aircraft weapons. As a result, almost all 3,7 cm Masch. K. were transfered to the German Army and then called the 3,7cm M. FLAK (3,7cm Maxim Flak). The 3,7 cm Masch. K. was very effective when positioned directly behind the front lines where British & French aircraft were trench straffing. One field reports state that Allied aircraft losses were excessive and speaks of firing platforms with piles of fired 3,7cm cases 8 feet tall. When used by the army as Flak it was mounted on a revolving pedestle with seats and a large box or drum magazine holding a 100 round cloth belt. It fired the standard 3,7cm Hotchkiss round using a special tracer shell. |
 Photo courtesy Brett Butterworth Photo Archives |
| 3,7cm Rev. K. |
 Photo courtesy Brett Butterworth Photo Archives |
| 3,7cm Rev. K. (Revolverkanone = Revolving cannon) were transferred to the German Army by the Kaiserliche-Marine (Imperial German Navy) in WW I. The Revolverkanone used both a 5 and a 10 round feed tray. The rate of fire was completely dependant on the strength of the Kanonier turning the crack, so these were soon replaced by the 3,7cm M. FLAK. |
 |