Glass delay ampoules for No.37 pistols and AN-M123/-124/-125 fuzes

[cornman]

I have two questions about the glass ampoules filled with acetone which are, for example, used in the British No.37 pistol and the US AN-M123, -124, -125 tail fuzes.
They come in different colors to identify the different delay times.

Question 1: Does anyone know, or (most preferred) has a manual or writing in which is explained, what color stands for which delay time?
A few years ago I found a still intact ampoule with light orange fluid in a No.37 after removal by EOD personnell. The pistol is stamped with a “6” denoting 6 hours delay.

Question 2: As (in appearance) the ampoules used by the RAF and the USAAF in their fuzes/pistols are the same. Are these interchangeable or are there differences between them?

The ampoules shown in the picture comes from a set used for the SOE/ OSS used limpet mines, but are the same as used in de bomb pistols/ fuzes I guess.

Kind regards, Cornman

 

[pzgr40]

Bomb fuze times were factory set, the time delay was stamped in the fuze body, and the number and thickness of the celluloid solvable discs and aceton solution were also factory set, and they were under no circumstances to be field modified. So different colours had no added value in closed bomb fuzes. For the limpet mines they did have usage as the glass veil was placed just prior to usage, so they do denote a percentage of the aceton/alcohol mixture, alcohol being the filler material in the glass veil.

 

[chispa]

I'm sorry for intruding on the topic, since the only thing they have in common is that they're both glass ampoules... I couldn't resist posting a picture of the two glass ampoules I have from the German E.S. Mi.Z. 40 fuses.
Pero por curiosidad...



If any admin decides to delete the post because it's off-topic... I have no problem!
Best regards!

 

[pzgr40]

I'm sorry for intruding on the topic, since the only thing they have in common is that they're both glass ampoules... I couldn't resist posting a picture of the two glass ampoules I have from the German E.S. Mi.Z. 40 fuses.
Pero por curiosidad...

View attachment 203839View attachment 203840

If any admin decides to delete the post because it's off-topic... I have no problem!
Best regards!

Interesting, I never saw the German ones

 

[Anders]

Question 1: Does anyone know, or (most preferred) has a manual or writing in which is explained, what color stands for which delay time?
A few years ago I found a still intact ampoule with light orange fluid in a No.37 after removal by EOD personnell. The pistol is stamped with a “6” denoting 6 hours delay.

Question 2: As (in appearance) the ampoules used by the RAF and the USAAF in their fuzes/pistols are the same. Are these interchangeable or are there differences between them?

Delay Time Chart for the SOE A.C ampoules. But according to pzgr40 they are not the same as the ones used in bomb pistols.
Note that the delay is very temperature sensitive.

 

[pzgr40]

They are the same in shape , size and type of filling, but as far as I know the ones used in the bomb fuzes are not coloured as the bomb fuzes are not meant to be dismounted or adjusted. Maybe some of our members who do EOD work can tell me different?

 

[talon09]

To my (particularly ancient) knowledge, the 37 Pistol came, as said above, with set delays prepared at the factory - A,B,C etc. ranging up to 144 (?) hours. I was in the Rhodesian Air Force and its successors between 1967 and 1983 and worked as an armourer and in the bomb dump at various times. We only used the delay pistols once and that was on an attack on the area of Mapai in Mocambique in 1977 when the military wished to deny use of the area to the Frelimo troops. If you can get hold of the RAF AP1664C (Bomb Components) that will have all the details. I suspect that the RAF museum in Handon will have a copy. As an aside, the SPM Soviet limpet mine used a series of calibrated lead strips which were cut through by a wire tensioned by a spring. Each mine came with a table of times and a set of lead strips. Not helpful I know but there you are..

 

[cornman]

Hereby the pictures of the No.37 with ampoule. This exact ampoule came out of this pistol. 6 hours delay and orange fluid. It does correspond with the delay time as described with the limpet mine. Exception is that there is no paint on the rounded end of the ampoule.