M123A1 Identification Issue

[Tempestshade]

Hello everyone,

I would just like to say I am glad to be a member of the forum (finally). Its been about 3 years that I have known about the site but never got around to signing up.

I currently have an Fuze, Bomb, Tail, M123A1. First of all was there any sense into how they made their lot numbers? PA-452-8? Directly beside the lot is 9-54 which I assume to be the month and year of manufacture.

I also have 36 HR stamped onto the body which I am having trouble finding information on.

I would greatly appreciate the help with the lot number and 36 HR markings.

Cheers,
David

 

[HAZORD]

The PA stands for Picatinney Arsenal. The fuze you have is a chemical long delay boobytrap fuze. When armed a glass vial of acetone is broken which takes a specific time to eat away at a disk. When it has eaten through the bomb detonates. If anyone tries to unscrew the fuze from the bomb, it breaks apart in the middle and detonates. The 36H stands for 36 hours of delay. This time varied according to the temperature, faster if warmer, slower if colder. Many didn't detonate, requiring special render safe procedures and extreme care in handling.

You are most likely correct on your date estimate. If someone had access to records they could probably tell you more about the lot code of 452-8, but that would just say how many were in that segregated manufacturing quantity.

 

[Tempestshade]

Thank you HAZORD,

You actually answered another question I had running around in my head about the delay. I assumed it was to be set by the user but was wondering how this was done as there are no notable fixings on the fuze that would allow this to happen.

Ref the lot number, I have been looking for a better part of a day to see if they were lotted to any standards without success. If anyone knows anything I do not I would love the info.

Thanks,
David

 

[beihan62]

Hi David,Welcome to the forum,as you can see already,this is a great site for information and a great site to be part of,
Regards,
Don,

 

[HAZORD]

David,

There are a number of Long delay tail fuzes for U.S. bombs, of the same design as yours. The different delay times correspond to different model numbers for the fuzes. They all work the same way, but the strength of the acetone is varied to produce the proper delay times, stronger acetone equals shorter delay time to eat through the disk.

 

[Fusse2004]

Hello! Since it is a long time bomb detonators and the term is to detonate with = 36 hours (HR36) angegeben.Zur LOS No. I can not give any info. Did you get an impression of a cut made​​. Harry