Just found an 88mm shell, detonator slightly damaged but base is missing and interior empty.
could the shell have blown the bottom out on impact without damaging the rest of the shell?
I'm a little puzzled by this one.
any help would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by BANDIT14

Just found an 88mm shell, detonator slightly damaged but base is missing and interior empty.
could the shell have blown the bottom out on impact without damaging the rest of the shell?
I'm a little puzzled by this one.
any help would be appreciated.

I'm no expert, but I'd strongly and seriously suggest that you get hold of someone who knows what they are looking at.

Thats why I'm asking, I've seen many shells in my time but never with the bottom missing, there is no explosive damage to the base, damage is purely oxidation.

I meant, get hold of someone physically and let him/her/them examine it in detail, such as your local Bomb Disposal team.

A young boy in UK years ago found an 81mm Mortar bomb on a gunnery range buried almost to its fins, he assumed it was a dud and kicked it. He ended up as a red mist.

UXB's are still being found all over the UK, even after all this time. Its reckoned that there are still plenty of live munitions on the bottom of the River Thames, just waiting for someone to come along and dredge them up.

I'm in France, I started this link hoping that someone could shed some light on the matter, why the bottom would be off an 88mm German WW2 shell with no apparent blast damage or marks to show it was removed physically.
If anybody has seen a similar shell or can tell me why it is in this condition, that would be super. I dont think they where using it as a dice shaker or large mug, but who knows...............??

Trust BritinAfrica on this one. The best (and only) thing any of us here is going to tell you about that shell is get it checked by a professional.

Originally Posted by BANDIT14

Just found an 88mm shell, detonator slightly damaged but base is missing and interior empty.

Are you sure it's a German WW2 88mm shell??
As far as I know all of those where HE rounds so it's really strange that it's completely empty inside.
If the base had been knocked off on one of those (traces of) the explosive would still be inside, even if some of it could have been knocked out.

could the shell have blown the bottom out on impact without damaging the rest of the shell?

Yes, and if that's the case then the shell and especially the fuze may be highly unstable so stay far away from it and notify the local police or an EOD team.
There can also be other nasty stuff inside the shell that is just waiting for oxygen to ignite it...

There was a news article recently about a school somewhere in Africa using a mortar shell in simular condition as a school bell & had been using it for a few years, but the fuze was still live when examined.

the 88mm was produced in both AP and HE, this one is an HE
I appreciate all the safety concerns, but its not necessary.
To the original question;
unless it was constructed badly and not filled?
anybody else seen something similar with other ordnance?

What every one is trying to tell you it is better to be safe than sorry, and you are dealing with stuff that you don't understand but just don't want to part with it. If we don't hear from you for while we will know why.