Gauge, Cavity, Detonator, A/C Bomb No2 Mk1 (1944)

[butterfly]

I got this one today, wasnt sure where to post, but thought it more closely linked with fuzes than the bombs themselves.......so here it is.

The box is marked up

CASE GAUGE, CAVITY, DETONATOR, A/C BOMB NO. 2 OR 7
LEP PART No DDL8806 JUN 1944
REF No 12G/9630857 (12G/1001)



The tool itself is marked up


GAUGE CAVITY DETR A/C BOMB No2 Mk1

F.E.Co 100LB MAY 44

250 & 500 LB


40 & 20LB



The photos below will give you more details on these.

Now I presume that this tool was used for checking the correct space required to insert the detonator into the bomb. What I would like to know is this of American or British origin (I think the former because there are no Air Ministry marks) however I would like to know for sure?
The other thing, would this have been used by armourers, or at a factory when filling the exploder pocket?

I am also curious about the information on the box.......it says No.2 or 7 : does this relate to different detonators IE no 2 and 7 or something else?

I havent seen anything like this before (bomb related) and would be interested to know if any members have anything similar.

One more thing, I noticed a name on the end of the box with a number ; 8545 ROY ROBINSON

Comments welcomed on this one.

kind regards
Kev

 

[jayteepee_1999]

For the British

 

[Fjordhouse]

Kev, this is a very rare piece, i know only one guy who had one, and that was Madbomber, i got a copy from him, and i was very pleased with it, you have a realy rare and nice item, well done, regards Ben

 

[butterfly]

Kev, this is a very rare piece, i know only one guy who had one, and that was Madbomber, i got a copy from him, and i was very pleased with it, you have a realy rare and nice item, well done, regards Ben

Looks like my instincts were right with this one then!!

Were they used by the armourers?

regards Kev

 

[kahu1]

The gauge was used in the arming sheds prior to fitting fuzes and detonators.
If you can get hold of a copy (on DVD) of the WW2 vintage British film 'Rearming a bomber' , it demonstrates how they were used.
Basically to ensure the detonator cavity in a bomb was able to fit a detonator.Could be disasterous otherwise!

Cheers
Bob

 

[Nismosonic]

Nice item Kev.

 

[Fusse2004]

Hey Kiv!!! Super part of super rare!!! Thanks for show. Are not it meins is sad.:tinysmile_cry_t4: Greeting Harry

 

[butterfly]

Thankyou to all the replies on this one. I managed to dig out a book that I have with a little more information on the use of this tool. I thought it may be of interest to post a couple of extracts.

kind regards
Kev

 

[Rafail]

Very helpfull thread!! I just got one from a friend who had 2. He asked me about 140e which i thought a fair price..

 

[Slick]

Just finished watching that "Rearming a Bomber" that kahu1 mentioned earlier.
Both segments are on Youtube, so no need to get a DVD.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrMb65fY2no

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpes0gW-ypI

 

[eodda]

Hello Kev

The Gauge is indeed for checking for obstructions in the detonator cavities of British bombs. The No. 2 Gauge was the standard tool for that job and was used during weapon preparation in the station bomb dump. I'm not sure what the No. 7 refers to; I think that at the time that it was manufactured, this particular item was a dual-purpose tool also used for checking the det cavities on other types of bombs, but I don't know which ones. The use of the tool which gave it the dual title of No. 7 was declared obsolete in 1945. The 12G/1001 is the original RAF stores reference number which was superceded by 12G/9630837 when the RAF went over to NATO Stock Numbers in the early 1970s. The tool was still in use then, until the use of bomb Pistols and separate detonators was ended and the RAF went over to only using Fuzes in the mid-/late-1970s. To use the tool the Armourer would have inserted it into the detonator cavity until the engraved line was flush with the end of the detonator pocket of the type of bomb being fuzed; that indicated that the cavity had no obstruction - if it did and a detonator was inserted then there would be 'interesting consequences'!

I hope that this helps.

Regards

eodda