Shell (projectile) Facts for Kids

Shells used on the HMS Belfast

A shell is a type of projectile used in weapons. It is filled with explosive or other things such as an incendiary device. It is similar to a bomb but is made to be shot out of a gun. Shells are usually large caliber projectiles fired by artillery, armored vehicles (including tanks), and warships. A fuze detonates the explosive or releases whatever else the shell may be carrying.

Anti-tank guns fire thick shells without much explosive inside. Shells usually have the shape of a cylinder but taper towards the front end to form a point. However, special shells may use other shapes.

Images for kids

Some sectioned shells from the First World War. From left to right: 90 mm shrapnel shell, 120 mm pig iron incendiary shell, 77/14 model – 75 mm high-explosive shell, model 16–75 mm shrapnel shell.
US scientists with a full-scale cut-away model of the W48 155 millimeter nuclear artillery shell, a very small tactical nuclear weapon with an explosive yield equivalent to 72 tons of TNT (0.072 kiloton). It could be fired from any standard 155 mm (6.1 inch) howitzer (e.g., the M114 or M198).
155 mm M107 projectiles. All have fuzes fitted.
The 'flying-cloud thunderclap-eruptor' cannon from the Huolongjing
A mortar with a hollowed shell from the Boshin war
The Armstrong gun was a pivotal development for modern artillery as the first practical rifled breech loader. Pictured, deployed by Japan during the Boshin war (1868–69).
Early British "direct action" nose impact fuze of 1900 with no safety or arming mechanism, relying on heavy direct physical impact to detonate
Poudre B was the first practical smokeless powder
Sir James Dewar developed the cordite explosive in 1889
Drawing of a carcass shell
XM1113 extended range artillery round, shown here at a range demonstration, uses a rocket-assist motor
British gun crew preparing 155 mm shells at Vergato, Italy on 22 February 1945
155 mm American artillery shells, March 1945
Picric acid was used in the first high-explosive shells. Cut out section of a high-explosive shell belonging to a Canon de 75 modèle 1897.
15 inch high-explosive howitzer shells, circa 1917
BL 9.2 in common shell Mk V
QF 12-pounder common pointed shell
Common lyddite six-inch naval shell
Typical World War I shrapnel round: 1 shell bursting charge 2 bullets 3 nose fuze 4 central ignition tube 5 resin matrix 6 thin steel shell wall 7 cartridge case 8 propellant
155 mm artillery shells containing HD (nitrogen mustard) agent at Pueblo chemical weapons storage facility – Note the colour-coding scheme on each shell.
British World War II 4-inch naval illuminating shell, showing time fuze (orange, top), illuminating compound (green) and parachute (white, bottom)
Illumination rounds fired from a M777 howitzer
Corroded but live Iraqi artillery shell dating from the Gulf War (1990–1991)
M982 Excalibur, a GPS guided artillery shell
M712 Copperhead, a laser guided artillery shell, approaches a target tank
SMArt 155, an anti-armor shell containing two autonomous, sensor-guided, fire-and-forget submunitions

Shell (projectile) facts for kids

Images for kids

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