"Kurz" version of the Flak fuze Zt.Z.S/30 ???

[Kilroy]

I bought this fuze several years ago, and then a while later I got a Zt.Z.S/30 fuse that did not have the "kurz" specification on it , which in translation from the German means "short".

The non-kurz stamped fuse was made of aluminum, and the version stamped "Kurz" was heavy, and was definitely steel and weighed 1.5 pounds. It also has faint remains of a dip of green translucent laquer on the nose about 3/4 inch in depth.

Does anyone know the difference between these two fuses, and anything else that might be interesting?

BTW, I just read recently that aerial fuses had a maximum time limitation on them once they were in flight. If the internal
machine did not function at the cut altitude for the fuze, they would self destruct finally by design so they fell back to earth as
fragments rather than solid heavy bombs. I never thought of it before, but it's just another one of the hundreds of design considerations that make fuzes so fascinating as machines.

Here are some pics.
Walt

 

[Nabob]

Hallo Walt,
this fuze was used fot the 8,8cm Brandschrapnell Granate, there should be another markings like "fut" a small lion, that mean that this fuze was in the stocks of post war czechoslovak army.
The difference is that the function time is half a second shorter than the time set on the fuze setter (key or machine). The round functions early to achieve propper distribution of schrapnell in the target area. The green tip marks the "kurz" fuze.

The clock mechanism doesn't have any secondary self destruct system, so if the fuze doesn't work the shell comes back down in one piece. Smaller calibers can have SD from the tracer or there is a special SD (pyrotechnic or mechanical) fuze that functions when the target is not hit directly. The time limitation you speak of on Time fuze was the time set to function.

The modern fuzes have self destruction or they can dearm and fall back to earth without exploding on impact (missiles).

Regards, Bob