Explosive Coupling

[exat808]

Given its possible air related background could it be part of the quick release and rapid deflation apparatus used on WW2 barrage baloons? I am struggling to find a diagram but I believe that there was an explosive link in the anchor rope assembly which when deployed also aided in rapid deflation of the balloon by pulling open a pre-weakened panel.
Just a thought!

 

[beihan62]

Hi exat808,just done a bit of searching re Barrage Baloons,some baloons carried a device called Double Parachute Release,as far as I can make out there were two such explosive release devices attached to the baloon cable,when a plane collided with the cable the snatch on the cable triggered the explosive devices and a length of baloon cable was released with a parachute at each end,as the plane flew on the parachutes deployed and the resulting drag stalled the plane causing it to crash,at the same time a ripout panel in the baloon was activated allowing the deflating baloon to fall to earth,if the device could be activated by pulling on each end it would be interesting to see if it could be(dry)fired,hope this gets us nearer to identifying the device,
Regards,
Don,

 

[Peter Garwood]

Hello Siegfried, Here is a coipy of a series of Marks of inertia links. The Navy was also involved in the use of bararge balloons andthe fact yours has RNAS on it does suggest some age. A most interestiung find. I have spent years trying to find one and failed. They got more advanced with time.

 

[khanmak]

Bit more info here...http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/researc...ms/dpr-and-dpl-functioning-single-arming.aspx

 

[AE501]

I know I have seen these before but I have been wracking my brain to try and remember where.
It came to me that when we rigged Landrovers and trailers for heavy drop on exercises, the heavy drop chute(s) was attached to the aircraft by a 44 ft wire and this went at the platform end on top of the trailer so that when the platform reached the right distance from the plane, the jerk on the wire broke a tie holding the chutes down, then the stronger pull fired the Explosive coupling. I would suggest that there would have been a small high explosive charge initiated by the cap, unless the housing is very thin.
Many thing to do with parachutes require the the use of sequential ties, usually of nylon cord of specified strengths to RAF specifications. If anyone knows anyone in air despatch you may find out more.

 

[Peter Garwood]

Anyone know what this is for ? It's made of bronze & is stamped AM1859-1 & RN MARK 1 . I'm assuming that an AM code is Air Ministry & the RN is Navy ? It has a paper label stating "British Naval Explosive Coupling Mk 1" . Thanks !This is the Naval version of an inertia link for a MK VI barrage balloon. here are the USA versions.

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