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British fuze or pistol working 18 feet above the ground

Antoon

Antoon

Well-Known Member
Ordnance approved
In a report of HQ Fighter Command RAF is mentioned that the bombs carried by Spitfires Mk IX and XVI of 12 Group on 20th February 1945 were calculated to explode eighteen feet above the ground. The bombs that they used were 250 lb. high explosive bombs. (GP or MC).

What kind of fuze or pistol is that, that will work 18 feet above the ground? Normally they used on dive bombing missions nose pistols No. 27, 42 or 44 or tail pistols No. 28 or 30. Incidentally some No. 37 or 53 pistols (with a 1/2 hours long delay).

I can not believe that a No. 44 diaphragm pistol works 18 feet above the ground if there is not sufficient blast from another detonating bomb. Special because the two bombs that were carried under the wings of a Spitfire were dropped simultaneously.
 
The No 860 Fuze would not have been fitted to GP or MC HE bombs: it was used on TI bombs, Clusters and 4.5 and 5.5 inch Flares functioning between 1,000 and 10,000 feet (300-3,000 metres approximately). I don't know the answer to the original query about airburst fuzing on bombs dropped by Spitfires. It would have been a risky business dropping bombs fuzed to explode that high about the ground if you were flying a low level attack profile!!

eodda
 
Antoon,

The No. 36 pistol was aerial burst pistol usable in any bomb that would take a No. 27 pistol and therefore could be fitted to the Mk IV GP and Mk 1 & II MC 250lb bombs.

Cheers.
 
The only fuze who can work on a given altitude is the fuze No 860 or serial.
The only problem is that it was not previous for HE bombs.

N 860 : flare 4,5" et 5,5", 4,5" photoflash, cluster N1 - 3, TI 250 Lbs
N 896 : TI 1000 Lbs
N 867 : cluster N4, TI 250 et 1000 Lbs
N 885 : cluster N4, 6, 7, 17, 23, 24, bombe SMK 500 Lbs
N 886 : bombe SMK 500 Lbs

Yoda
 
I found some doc (7 lines!) about the Pist No 36 who was functionning during the fall of the bomb (after 16 rotation of the vanes !!). So EODDA say, it must be very dangerous for the pilot !

Yoda
 
Thanks for the answers.
I mentioned in the beginning that they also used No. 37 pistols with a 1/2 hour delay. That is not correct. Only No. 53 pistols could have a delay of 30 minutes.
 
Last edited:
Hey Antoon,

Check out the No.17 and No. 47 pistol, both had a 30 min capability. Cheers.
 
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