German Bomb Fuze : a circle for life...

[MINENAZ16]

Hello,

We often find unexploded german bombs SC50 or SD50 with remains of fuze without any markings (pictures 1 and 2).

Only on detail : one of the plungers has a circle.

I think every time it's a El. AZ C50 N15 but I need to be sure of my theory.

In fact, I only know three fuzes with a circle on one plunger : N5, N15 and N28 (El. AZC50).

Does anyone have seen other fuze with this type of circle ?

Could it be an anti-disturbance or anti-withdrawal fuze ?

So It might be important to be sure when we move these UXB !!

Cheers.

 

[butterfly]

The three fuzes you show are all early type impact fuzes, the 5 is very early and the 28 is modified from an earlier fuze.
None of these fuzes were ever anti-withdrawal fuzes by themselves and I believe that the 50kg fuze pocket couldnt fit a fuze and a Zus40 mechansim at the same time.
However it would be wise to seek others opinions too before you take my input as conclusive.

I have seen this circle on the early fuzes too and not sure what its for, unless it has something to do with how the fuze is wired inside?

regards Kev

 

[butterfly]

Ok, I just looked in a book 'German Explosive Ordnance' OP 1666 and for the early impact fuzes type 'A', '5' and '15' also '28*' (modified type 5) the fuze is discharged by depressing the plain plunger. There is a reference also which states that the fuze could be reversed, ie turned 180 degrees in the fuze pocket and this would validate the fact that one plunger was marked and one plain in order to tell the difference.
The type 5 was already obsolete by the onset of ww2.

anyone confirm this information is correct?
regards Kev

 

[MINENAZ16]

Thanks Kev,

I know that the three fuzes shown are not anti-disturbance or anti-withdrawal but I just want to be sure that there is no other (dangerous) fuze with this circle on a plunger.



Regards.

 

[Bellifortis]

The No. in the circle is the Fuze Model No. As you don't have this option on a typewriter, in typewritten documents (brackets) are used instead of the circle. But, the circle is the standardised german designation for the model No. of the electrical bomb fuze. And, yes, in the No.15 the fuze could be reversed (left to right), to cut off a short delay circuit. There is a small screw opposite the pin, which could be exchanged and the screw was then inserted in the bottom to close the short delay fire channel. May be the circle on the plunger in the early models was just a designation to differentiate A and B plunger. Later models could not be reversed.

The three fuzes you show are all early type impact fuzes, the 5 is very early and the 28 is modified from an earlier fuze.
None of these fuzes were ever anti-withdrawal fuzes by themselves and I believe that the 50kg fuze pocket couldnt fit a fuze and a Zus40 mechansim at the same time.
However it would be wise to seek others opinions too before you take my input as conclusive.

I have seen this circle on the early fuzes too and not sure what its for, unless it has something to do with how the fuze is wired inside?

regards Kev

 

[MINENAZ16]

Thank you.

 

[strakv]

These electrical fuzes are safe to transport as capacitors loose their charge in some days. As long as you don't try to pull the fuze out the Zus40 is also safe to transport. IMHO German bombs with these fuzes can be transported to the demolition area.

Vince