BOUGAINVILLE
Well-Known Member
Here is a US M66A1 base fuze from a mates collection in Asia.
The M66AI is a delay-action base-detonating fuze which is provided for use with the M61 and M61A1 (75mm) and M62 and M62A1 (3 inch) Armour-piercing-capped Projectiles. It is a simple inertia type fuze, without bore safety provision, in which the firing pin is held at rest by a soft steel washer prior to impact at the target. Upon impact, the weight of the firing pin forces it past the washer.
Description:
Overall length 3.458 inches, weight 1 pound, thread LH.
The fuze is made up of 3 parts:
Functioning:
The tracer composition is ignited by the flash of the propelling charge, and burns thereafter for a prescribed time (about 3 seconds), providing a visible trace. The firing pin remains at rest upon firing and during flight of the projectile. Upon impact, the forward force of the firing pin breaks the soft brass washer, and the point of the pin strikes the primer. Action of the primer ignites the delay pellet. After burning the prescribed time (0.01 seconds), the black powder pellet initiates detonation of the detonating elements in the explosive train. The final charge (the booster pellet) in turn causes the filler of the projectile to explode.
The M66AI is a delay-action base-detonating fuze which is provided for use with the M61 and M61A1 (75mm) and M62 and M62A1 (3 inch) Armour-piercing-capped Projectiles. It is a simple inertia type fuze, without bore safety provision, in which the firing pin is held at rest by a soft steel washer prior to impact at the target. Upon impact, the weight of the firing pin forces it past the washer.
Description:
Overall length 3.458 inches, weight 1 pound, thread LH.
The fuze is made up of 3 parts:
- The body assembly (I) contains the firing pin and, in a cavity in the boat-tail rear portion, a red tracer composition (J) which operates independently of the fuze mechanism.
- The detonator booster assembly (B) holds a tetryl booster pellet (A) and the intermediate detonating charges of lead azide and tetryl (C).
- The primer holder assembly (D) contains the primer, PRIMER No.26 (F), and a black powder delay pellet (E).
Functioning:
The tracer composition is ignited by the flash of the propelling charge, and burns thereafter for a prescribed time (about 3 seconds), providing a visible trace. The firing pin remains at rest upon firing and during flight of the projectile. Upon impact, the forward force of the firing pin breaks the soft brass washer, and the point of the pin strikes the primer. Action of the primer ignites the delay pellet. After burning the prescribed time (0.01 seconds), the black powder pellet initiates detonation of the detonating elements in the explosive train. The final charge (the booster pellet) in turn causes the filler of the projectile to explode.
