Cloverleaf Bundles

The Army began bundling ammunition in fiber packing tubes in 1935, with three rounds to a bundle that was secured by metal "cloverleafs" on the ends, held together with a metal rod that extended through the center of the tubes. The bundles were overpacked and shipped in wooden crates. The drawings show the assembled bundle of three rounds held together by black "cloverleaf" end caps, a central threaded rod, and wing nuts (all metallic in color). Each end cap was made from formed metal with a lifting bail attached to the end cap by welded-on loops. At assembly a sheet metal shipping tag was placed over the stud at each end followed by a washer and wing nut. The assembly was sealed with a wire and lead disk seal through a cross-drilled hole in the end of the stud. The cloverleafs were black with metallic tie rods, tags, washers, and wing nuts. The wooden crates were originally unpainted with black stenciling. At the start of 1943 they were painted or stained brown with yellow stenciling (regardless of ammunition type) but the requirement to color the boxes for artillery ammunition was dropped in the summer of 1944.

The cloverleaf bundles measured 33-5/8 x 10-5/8 x 9-7/8 inches bare and 37-1/8 x 13-1/4 x 11-1/2 inches when crated for overseas shipment.

Overview
Ammunition
Fiber Containers
Cloverleaf Bundles
Boxes and Markings
Metal Container
Common Rounds for Modelers
References
105mm Howitzer Ordnance: Comparison Review of 1/35 Scale Sets
105mm Howitzer Kits, Accessories, and Conversions