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Is this a No. 80 Mk IV fuze?

Darkman

Darkman

Well-Known Member
I picked up this aluminium No. 80 fuze recently, and it was missing the bottom screw on time ring. Unusually it has no markings on either the base or the nose cap, other than "51" stamped on the base. So the complete nomenclature must have been stamped on the base plug only. (On some early No. 80s I see the details on both the nose cap and the base.)

I've screwed a brass time ring on from a relic all brass Mk VI fuze. As far as I know the only screw on time rings were brass. Looking at my fuze details, the only fuse with an alloy body, alloy time rings and a screw on time ring was a Mk IV. Is this correct? Could somebody please confirm?

Thanks, Graeme
 

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It looks very strange with the aluminium powder rings and a brass time ring. Were there ever removable ally time rings on a No. 80 fuze? I can’t find any documentation on that. I thought that maybe someone had incorrectly fitted ally powder rings to it, but they do look original to the fuze and have been on it for a very long time (currently not removable without heat).
 
Is anyone able to provide any information on this fuze?

It has matching impact damage marks on the cap and powder rings, so was definitely fired in this configuration. Unless someone was mucking around with bits from other fuzes to assemble it before firing?
 
The Treatise on Ammunition 1905 showes one which is made entirely of aluminium.
 

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Thanks greif, but that would be a mark 1 fuze with the body and time ring all one piece. My fuze has an aluminium body but a screw on time ring.

Cheers, Graeme
 
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Darkman said:
Thanks greif, but that would be a mark 1 fuze with the body and time ring all one piece. My fuze has an aluminium body but a screw on time ring.

Cheers, Graeme
Click to expand...

Yes, I was aware of that but may be this drawing could be a little piece of the puzzle.
 
Thanks Tim. Bonnex posted a summary of the No. 80 fuze changes some time ago and what you posted was my understanding also. It's just that I've never seen an all aluminium fuze with a brass time ring before - strange looking thing.
 
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