ID Mechanical time fuze

[MINENAZ16]

Hello,

I found on an italian website pictures of a strange mechanical time fuze with a base looks like a french detonator. Is someone knows more about this fuze ?

Thanks.

 

[Dronic69]

Hi,
It is a mechanical timer, used by the Italian navy during WW2. This type of timer is believed to have been used in warheads which were carried by SLC torpedos. They were inserted into a circular cavity on the starboard side of the warhead.
The countdown scale (delay mechanism) is adjustable to max. 10 hours. The case is made of brass. As the adjustable scale is not luminous, it had to be set before the mission (usually in total darkness underwater / night mission) started.
Once the explosive was placed under the target, the timer had just to be activated.

Cheers
Drew

 

[Yodamaster]

Hi Dronic,

should it be a fuze used by the "Maiali" of the "X[SUP]e[/SUP] Flottiglia MAS", the human torpedos" ?


Yoda

 

[Dronic69]

Hi Yoda,

Yes, it was used by the Italian Commando frogmen on the manned torpedos of the Italian 10th Assault vehicle Flotilla ( "X[SUP]e[/SUP] Flottiglia MAS )

These manned torpedos were referred to as The "SLC" (Siluro a Lenta Corsa) - the "Italian Human torpedo", although it wasn't a suicide device.

Check out this video which actually has footage of the fuse being set:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyPy-5R61_c

Cheers
Drew

 

[MINENAZ16]

Hi Dronic69,

Thank you.

I found the website again and I did not pay attention because it is written "Una spoletta a tempo per siluro a lenta corsa "Maiale" costruita nel 1940 presso le officine Panerai di Firenze"

Best Regards.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maiale_SLC.jpg