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Fuze P.D.T for 90mm AA gun

T

timefuze

Well-Known Member
Hi,

I found 8 empty US WWII containers for fuzes for the 90mm AA gun. They're pretty rusted, but adding all visible text on these containers led to the following complete label: fuze shell P.D.T / 5' for 90mm AA gun LOT 5004, loaded 12-44. Some containers had the obsolete transportation lug(s) inside them.

I have two questions:
1. What does P.D.T. stand for? What type of fuze is this? Anyone a picture or drawing?
2. The containers seem very long for a fuze. Was there anything else inside these containers (silica gel?)

Txs for helping me out!

Grtz,

timefuze
 
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I'm thinking Point Detonating/Time. It would be a Mechanical time fuze with impact element.
 
Hello timefuze,

From the 12-44 date on the container and your location in Belgium, I'm thinking they were for the super secret VT fuzes that were first used in December of 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. The fuzes were used with the 90MM guns with tremendous effect against the onslaught of advancing German infantry. I remember seeing a photograph of an early VT fuze container that was oddly labeled to help screen the highly classified fuzes.

Best regards,

Randall
 
Thanks Randall and Hazord.

The containers were found to the North of Antwerp, where US 90mm batteries shot at the V1's coming from the Netherlands. (Operation Antwerp X). Puzzeling fragments of fuzes together I could determine that mechanical time fuzes M43A3 were used. I've never come across reports telling that VT's were used in that operation, but who knows. Batlle of the Bulge, yes. I wonder why it doesn't say fuze M43A3 on the containers , which is a MT fuze.

Anybody an idea of a point detonating / time fuze, like Hazord suggests, for a 90mm gun?

Grtz,

timefuze
 
There were at least 2 time/superquick fuzes at use in 1944, the M54 and M55 fuzes. They were powdertrain time fuzes with impact element, and could have been substituted for the M43 Mechanical time fuze.

The M520 fuze is a mechanical time/superquick fuze that was used with 90mm Guns, but I don't know when it was first used. The M548 is also a MechTime/Superquick fuze that could have worked if it was in use in the 40's.
 
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It is starting to make a lot of sense now Randall. If the number behind the T is missing, it would read just like Timefuze has described. Good eye!
 
Waaw Randall! Thanks for sharing the thread with the picture. The container is in much better shape than mine. My has exactly the same shape, outside color and lid. The text on mine is written 90 turned compared to the one in the picture. Below a picture of two containers I found...

Grtz,

timefuzeDSCN5426.jpg
 
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