German Y fuze

[MINENAZ16]

Hello,

I only knew the anti-disturbance EL AZ 50 B "Y" but in the fiction "DANGER UXB" they found a dangerous fuze EL AZ 25 B "Y".

Does it work like a 50B Y (anti-disturbance with three mercury switch) ?

Cheers



From DANGER UXB

 

[butterfly]

Here is an old thread that may help you out...

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/69960-Is-it-a-ELAZ-25B-or-a-ELAZ-50B

The Y fuze was marked up either 25B Y or 50B Y , but in effect it is the same fuze......the numbers were for deception.

regards Kev

 

[MINENAZ16]

Thank you, very interesting thread.

 

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Two distinct different fuzes, both anti-disturbance.
Cheers,
John

 

[butterfly]

This is from a pamphlet I have on German fuzes issued to Bomb Disposal, (its shown also in the other thread I placed a link to) I have pasted it here as having re-read it its quite interesting...



In the reference to the Y fuze marked 50B, it states that none have been recovered so far. I think this may indicate that the ones marked 25B were earlier?? But also it says that the one described (in the box above) marked as a 25B was overstamped on a 50 marking. I notice also that the 25B in this case doesnt have the screw switch on the head....could it be that the photo shown from Danger UXB shows an alternative to the two fuzes shown by John above.......there certainly is no switch on the head (possibly a 50 overstamped 25??)

regards Kev

 

[MINENAZ16]

Nice,
Thanks.

 

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

I am curiouis how one overstamps a 25N Y to make it read 50B Y??
If none have been found where did the one I posted come from???
John Hudson, RE devoted an entire chapter to the 25B Y as he found the first one.
There had to be a 50 on John Howard's bomb but we will never know for sure without deduction.
Howard's bomb was immunized by the team who brought it to Erith Marsh, at least the 50 was.
so it was the 17 that killed him.
We were always taught that the '0' was a anti-disturbance/boob trapped fuze
If you were in the field during WWII how would you treat them both, knowing what you know?
The Germans were known for NOT mis marking their fuze heads.
So I guess I missed the question.

Below is the 25BY fuze, three mercury and one trembler switches to fire detonator
Best Regards,
John

 

[butterfly]

I am curiouis how one overstamps a 25N Y to make it read 50B Y??
If none have been found where did the one I posted come from???
John Hudson, RE devoted an entire chapter to the 25B Y as he found the first one.
There had to be a 50 on John Howard's bomb but we will never know for sure without deduction.
Howard's bomb was immunized by the team who brought it to Erith Marsh, at least the 50 was.
so it was the 17 that killed him.
We were always taught that the '0' was a anti-disturbance/boob trapped fuze
If you were in the field during WWII how would you treat them both, knowing what you know?
The Germans were known for NOT mis marking their fuze heads.
So I guess I missed the question.

Below is the 25BY fuze, three mercury and one trembler switches to fire detonator
Best Regards,
John

Hi John, the info I posted was from a wartime publication, which lists the fuzes and markings found SO FAR. The info clearly states that no 50B Y fuze had been discovered to date, but there was serious evidence to suggest it was in existance. The document obviously pre-dates its use, thats all. Hence my suggestion that the 25B Y fuze existed first. The overstamp is mentioned in the document and I only really noticed it when I looked at it in more detail. I wonder if anyone else has any ideas on this?
I also hesitate on the fuze in the photos used in Danger UXB, as I know the butterfly bombs in the same series appear to be props. Could the Y have been etched into the fuze head for the drama? or is it an original Y fuze? (The Y looks to be quite prominant when you look at the other fuzes which we know are original - the Y mark was of course an identification mark for the Germans, but it was meant to appear as a batch or code letter to the allies. The main mark being the deceptive 25B, which of course it wasnt.)
Would be interested to hear others views on this.
regards Kev

I ought to add that the pamphlet I have deals only with markings on the fuze heads.....as this would be the only visible mark on the fuze when the unexploded bomb was to be dealt with.

 

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Thank you for the added info Kev.
My scan came from a u.s. Intelligence Bullitin of WWII and promulgated by the U.s. Navy Bomb Disposal School located, at that time, at the American University in NW Washington, D.C.
Weren't the props for the movie "Danger U.X.B." provided by the 33rd RE EODat Chattenden, kent?

 

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Dear Kev,
If you can zoom in on my fuze document look at the area entitled 'subsiderary markings,
Fuze Body - 50 Cpp.
Of course the EOD tech would have never seen this. I wonder if their is a relationship of the 25BY also being referred to as a 50??
Regards,
John