BOUGAINVILLE
Well-Known Member
Here are a two very intereting Japanese fuzes from my collection.
The first one is for the Imperial Japanese Army Type 3a Antivehicular Antipersonnel Ceramic Mine.
The 2nd one is the earlier version of the Japanese Navy Type 3 Time and Percussion Mortar Fuze for the Imperial Japanese Navy 81mm Mortar. The safety clip is interesting in that someone has made a makeshift bamboo one.
IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY TYPE 3(a) ANTIVEHICULAR AND ANTIPERSONNEL LAND MINE FUZE.
Operation:
The mine is placed in the desired location and the safety pin is withdrawn. The fuze may then be rigged to fire either by pull or pressure.
The percussion hammer located within the fuze is held in place by a release fork to which a trip wire may be attached. When the wire is pulled (22-pound pull required), the fork releases the hammer which is forced downward by the hammer spring. The hammer hits the striker forcing it through its bakelite holder into the percussion cap.
When pressure of 20-25 pounds is applied directly on the head of the fuze the plunger spring and hammer spring are compressed causing the hammer head to exert pressure on the hammer release fork. When the plunger is further depressed a groove in its inner surface comes down to the level of the hammer release fork. The pressure of the hammer head cams out the fork. The hammer is released and hits the striker which in turn pierces the detonator.
IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY TYPE 3 H.E. 81mm MORTAR FUZE.
The fuze is a combination air burst and a percussion fuze with a pyrotechnic arming device. The time ring in this fuze fits between the upper and lower fuze bodies and is filled with 55 grains of a composition of lead chromate, barium peroxide, barium carbonate, etc.
Safety:
(a) Safety Clip - This prevents the percussion striker from moving on to the detonator during handling and transport. In later types of fuzes this clip is replaced by a safety strip secured to the body by a grub screw, which may also pass through the time striker.
(b) Pyrotechnic Armin Collar - This keeps the striker off the detonator after the safety clip has been removed. It burns for 2 seconds, thus allowing the projectile to travel 200-450 yards before arming and therefore preventing early bursts on obstructions close to the mortar position.
Action:
After setting, the safety clip is removed on firing, the time striker sets back on to the time detonator, overcoming its spring; this ignites the T shaped delay composition which in turn, after a short delay, ignites the combustible arming collar. This burns away igniting the time ring composition and arming the percussion striker.
Cheers,
BOUGAINVILLE
The first one is for the Imperial Japanese Army Type 3a Antivehicular Antipersonnel Ceramic Mine.
The 2nd one is the earlier version of the Japanese Navy Type 3 Time and Percussion Mortar Fuze for the Imperial Japanese Navy 81mm Mortar. The safety clip is interesting in that someone has made a makeshift bamboo one.
IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY TYPE 3(a) ANTIVEHICULAR AND ANTIPERSONNEL LAND MINE FUZE.
Operation:
The mine is placed in the desired location and the safety pin is withdrawn. The fuze may then be rigged to fire either by pull or pressure.
The percussion hammer located within the fuze is held in place by a release fork to which a trip wire may be attached. When the wire is pulled (22-pound pull required), the fork releases the hammer which is forced downward by the hammer spring. The hammer hits the striker forcing it through its bakelite holder into the percussion cap.
When pressure of 20-25 pounds is applied directly on the head of the fuze the plunger spring and hammer spring are compressed causing the hammer head to exert pressure on the hammer release fork. When the plunger is further depressed a groove in its inner surface comes down to the level of the hammer release fork. The pressure of the hammer head cams out the fork. The hammer is released and hits the striker which in turn pierces the detonator.
IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY TYPE 3 H.E. 81mm MORTAR FUZE.
The fuze is a combination air burst and a percussion fuze with a pyrotechnic arming device. The time ring in this fuze fits between the upper and lower fuze bodies and is filled with 55 grains of a composition of lead chromate, barium peroxide, barium carbonate, etc.
Safety:
(a) Safety Clip - This prevents the percussion striker from moving on to the detonator during handling and transport. In later types of fuzes this clip is replaced by a safety strip secured to the body by a grub screw, which may also pass through the time striker.
(b) Pyrotechnic Armin Collar - This keeps the striker off the detonator after the safety clip has been removed. It burns for 2 seconds, thus allowing the projectile to travel 200-450 yards before arming and therefore preventing early bursts on obstructions close to the mortar position.
Action:
After setting, the safety clip is removed on firing, the time striker sets back on to the time detonator, overcoming its spring; this ignites the T shaped delay composition which in turn, after a short delay, ignites the combustible arming collar. This burns away igniting the time ring composition and arming the percussion striker.
Cheers,
BOUGAINVILLE
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