Mk iv semple tracer fuze

[bacarnal]

Forgot to post this a while back. This is a MK VI SEMPLE TRACER FUZE, a base igniting fuze used in the U.S. 4", 5", and 6" Common that had the Black Powder or Black Powder/TNT Filler. The last picture shows it in comparison with the MK II Mod 9 and the Neptune BIF.

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Cheers, Bruce.

[pzjgr]

Nice stuff...gotta be hard to find! This would be the time period correct type for my 1918 dated 4" projectile then...interesting.

[shelldude]

Hello Bruce,

Very nice Tracer Fuze! One quick question, is it a base detonating fuze with separate tracer cavity?

Best regards,

Randall

[bacarnal]

Randall, It is a Base Igniting Fuze practically identical to the U.S. Naval MK 10-4 other than the fact that it is of brass construction and WW I era. If you look in the OP 1664 at the MK 10 BIF, they give a cut-a-way view that shows the tracer cavity and internals in greater detail, but you can see up the tracer well in the first picture. It is normally sealed off by a copper closure disk and a igniter plug. Upon firing the disk hits the primer on the plug and it flashes through a hole in the plug to ignite the tracer element. The Neptune BIF (middle) in the last picture has pretty much the same internals of the MK IV minus the tracer. Cheers, Bruce.

[shelldude]

Hello Bruce,

Thanks for the detailed description of your BIF. Now everything makes perfect sense. I managed to fine a nice drawing of the MK 10.

Best regards,

Randall


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