Magnetic mine firing unit.

**Alan1** · 15th November 2019, 11:50 AM

Latest acquisition at auction. Retains old label ""brain" unit of German Type G Mine" and reference Gos, so probably originated from HMS Vernon. Electrical components variously dated 9/43, 10/43 and 9/44, all with manufacturers code bpf, and aluminium frame stamped M1 ded M 15065. Late dates and high serial number make it unlikely to be a UK render safe item, so may have been retrieved from continental waters, or, perhaps, from a factory and never actually installed in a mine at all. Presumably from 1000kg Monika or similar if fitted. Technical description (Dr. E C Wadlow) is "Magnetic Needle Firing Unit" and illustrated in Mechanical Engineering Aspects of Mine Warfare.
Paid more than I wanted, but wartime technical equipment in terms of ordnance items are very hard to find now. I am gently collecting V1 and V2 parts, mainly from downed examples in the UK, have most of the V! fuzes etc, but impact nose fuze from V2 is proving to be very elusive. Even the glass cone, let alone the casing and connecting cable etc.
Alan1.DSCN0501[1].jpg DSCN0502.jpg DSCN0503.jpg

**apfsds** · 15th November 2019, 04:51 PM

Beautiful Score! Incredible Engineering!

Jason

**Alpini** · 15th November 2019, 10:25 PM

are you sure it is made by bpf and not bpt?

**glevum** · 16th November 2019, 06:48 AM

What did you pay for it? If you don't mind me asking.

**millsbomber** · 16th November 2019, 10:15 AM

I'm off shore at the moment but I think it's from an LMB magnetic mine

**Alan1** · 19th November 2019, 04:53 PM

In reply to Alpini, who is, of course, right, the components were made by bpt and not bpf as I had mistakenly posted. Obviously need a stronger light bulb in the hall where I first looked at it! And to glevum, 260 hammer. Did you bid for it as well? And to Millsbomber, any help re positive id of original mine would be appreciated. I, too. thought it might be from a landmine rather than sea version, but I'm a bit out of my depth - no pun intended - with this bit of kit.
To all three of you many thanks, grateful to you.
Alan1

**Alpini** · 19th November 2019, 07:31 PM

Thank you, I was wondering because "bpt" is the "Telefon- u. Telegraphenfabriks-AG, Kapsch & Söhne" which fits very well for making such a device. "bpf" would be the Pauker AG (Paukerwerke) which was famous for making very heavy machinery like friction presses or punching machines.

**glevum** · 20th November 2019, 11:44 AM

No I didn't bid on it. It went for more than I was willing to pay for it.

I think it came, along with a lot of other items from the Explosion Museum in Gosport

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/thread...ight=firepower

**Alan1** · 21st November 2019, 11:15 AM

Morn Alpini, mny thnks for info, grateful to you. I tend to accumulate data and provenance on the more unusual items that come along.
Morn glevum, and it went for more than I wanted to pay as well. But not common, hence my squandering of the housekeeping (again). Looking at what some dealers want to charge for, eg, a relatively common 5, 23 or 36 from the Great War, it didn't seem to be hugely out of reason. Rest of items were all post war, 4.5 practice and the like, except for a number of 12" roundshot that were so heavy that I didn't bother to bid. Having had one rupture repaired I didn't want a repetition. Certainly the old label indicates Gosport, and they had a lot of duplicates and the like in their sheds when Chris was there.
Alan1.