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2" Mortar brass fuse
- Thread starter BMG50
- Start date
The 151 Mks 1,2 and 3 had an aluminium striker retaining ball, the Mk 2 being made of brass , for no reason that I know.
The Mks 151A Mks 1 and 2 both had a steel striker retaining ball, the Mk 2 was also brass.
The modifications made to Fuzes 151 of Australian manufacturer to render them safe for air dropping, closely resembled the British design of Fuze No 161.
The modified Australian fuze was originally known as 'Fuze No 151 Mk 1 A.D. (AUST)'.
This nomenclature was changed to 'Fuze No 161 Mk 1 (AUST)'.
The Mks 151A Mks 1 and 2 both had a steel striker retaining ball, the Mk 2 was also brass.
The modifications made to Fuzes 151 of Australian manufacturer to render them safe for air dropping, closely resembled the British design of Fuze No 161.
The modified Australian fuze was originally known as 'Fuze No 151 Mk 1 A.D. (AUST)'.
This nomenclature was changed to 'Fuze No 161 Mk 1 (AUST)'.
I must have miss read, I thought the fuze body was of brass, which I thought was an extravagance for war time use. So it's the detent ball which is brass. What Mark had a steel striker, as I have a shrapnel piece that has a steel striker where as normal strikers are mazak.
I did not put that very well. My terminology was incorrect.
The bodies of both Mk 2s were brass, it was the balls that were different.
The 151 balls were aluminium and the 151A balls were steel.
DWS Notes show the ball trapped in the striker recess, by the detent, locking the striker in a safe position.
As you know, violent base impact permitted the detent to overcome its spring and set down allowing the ball to roll into the recess on the other side of the detent.
This freed the striker to move by means of its own spring, into the area beneath the windshield, allowing the simple spring loaded shutter containing the detonator, to move into position below the striker.
On firing it was very likely that the striker would set down into the detonator causing a muzzle premature.
All this was stopped by the introduction of a pin which locked the ball in position. This was removed before firing.
The bodies of both Mk 2s were brass, it was the balls that were different.
The 151 balls were aluminium and the 151A balls were steel.
DWS Notes show the ball trapped in the striker recess, by the detent, locking the striker in a safe position.
As you know, violent base impact permitted the detent to overcome its spring and set down allowing the ball to roll into the recess on the other side of the detent.
This freed the striker to move by means of its own spring, into the area beneath the windshield, allowing the simple spring loaded shutter containing the detonator, to move into position below the striker.
On firing it was very likely that the striker would set down into the detonator causing a muzzle premature.
All this was stopped by the introduction of a pin which locked the ball in position. This was removed before firing.
