Our Anti-aircraft shell nose-cone represents the part played world-wide by defences attempting to protect ciivilians against merciless bombing from the air. It was the fuse for a shell fired into the air from the outskirts of Coventry in 1941 during World War II. The chance of hitting a plane with the shell was very small, so the fuse was set to explode the shell at a height of 26 000 feet, which might damage bombers or force them to avoid the area.
This nose-cone weighs nearly a kilogram: it landed on Parliament Piece, Kenilworth and was found in 1988 by Cyril Hobbins, using a metal detector. Civilians needed to take shelter against shrapnel of this kind: the tin hats of Air Raid Wardens would hardly have protected them!
Anti-aircraft shell nose-cone
Contributed by Kenilworth History and Archaeology Society
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- Location
- Culture
- Period
-
1941
- Theme
- Size
-
- H:
- 12cm
- W:
- 7cm
- D:
- 7cm
- Colour
- Material
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Comments
This object was contributed by Geoff Hilton, Secretary of the Kenilworth History and Archaeology Society ( KHAS ) for the Kenilworth Abbey Barn Museum ( www.midwarks.info/kenmuseum )
The fuse detonated after 26 seconds, which would be at a height in the region of 26000 feet, according to angle and other factors. Geoff Hilton.