Unknown piece

[Burney Davis]

Anyone any ideas on what this is? It is 170mm long, solid and a thread diameter of 33mm. From the white paint i assume practice. TIA.

 

[doppz92]

Hi, could it be a French inert fuze and gaine for a 81mm mortar shell?

 

[Darkman]

Transit plug for filled French HE shell? With former inside to maintain the cavity for the gaine and exploder?

 

[Burney Davis]

Thanks for the thoughts guys. I think the problem here is the thread size. The fuze for the HE shell is 24mm diameter. Not sure about the mortar, but I would have thought the same. This piece is 33mm and I can't find any French fuze with that diameter thread.

 

[MINENAZ16]

I've never seen such a device in France.

 

[Draoich]

Anyone any ideas on what this is? It is 170mm long, solid and a thread diameter of 33mm. From the white paint i assume practice. TIA.

View attachment 165714

Hi,

I think this is very like the dummy fuze for the Brandt FA 31 Drill bomb. This fuze fits into the standard fuze thread for the V18 fuze (24mm). See attached excerpts from the Irish 1940 manual and a photo from the internet.
Draoich

 

[Draoich]

Hi,

I think this is very like the dummy fuze for the Brandt FA 31 Drill bomb. This fuze fits into the standard fuze thread for the V18 fuze (24mm). See attached excerpts from the Irish 1940 manual and a photo from the internet.
DraoichView attachment 200600View attachment 200601View attachment 200602View attachment 200603

Hi,

Sorry, meant to add that your fuze may be from a 120mm Practice bomb for the Brandt Mle. 1950 mortar. The thread for the 120mm fuze is around 33mm diameter and is 13 TPI.

Regards,

Draoich.

 

[Burney Davis]

Hi,

Sorry, meant to add that your fuze may be from a 120mm Practice bomb for the Brandt Mle. 1950 mortar. The thread for the 120mm fuze is around 33mm diameter and is 13 TPI.

Regards,

Draoich.View attachment 200612View attachment 200613View attachment 200616

Thanks for your thoughts and information. It does look like it would be a match for that projectile. Does anyone have the projectile. TIA

 

[MINENAZ16]

I don't understand this thinking.
Yes French (Brandt) design but this device could not be compatible with common french combinations
From 81mm, mortar fuzes should have a 24mm thread (not 33mm) because of the standard adapter.
For practice rounds modified fuzes without detonator are used to ingnitiate spotting charge (so no sense for a solid device).
For drill rounds inert fuzes or plug rep fuzes are used with same 24mm thread.
So I assume this solid long device could not be screwed in a standard french adapter and not directly in the shell without the adapter (thread 36mm).
As far as I know, practice brand 81mm (export) rounds with big holes used a spotting charge, so a fuze.
French 120mm practice uses a live 24mm fuze (for spotting charge).
I don't know a fuze with 33mm thread in France or in Brandt catalog (I don't know for export).
White paint could indicates a drill device. The shape make me think to a gauging system.

 

[Draoich]

I don't understand this thinking.
Yes French (Brandt) design but this device could not be compatible with common french combinations
From 81mm, mortar fuzes should have a 24mm thread (not 33mm) because of the standard adapter.
For practice rounds modified fuzes without detonator are used to ingnitiate spotting charge (so no sense for a solid device).
For drill rounds inert fuzes or plug rep fuzes are used with same 24mm thread.
So I assume this solid long device could not be screwed in a standard french adapter and not directly in the shell without the adapter (thread 36mm).
As far as I know, practice brand 81mm (export) rounds with big holes used a spotting charge, so a fuze.
French 120mm practice uses a live 24mm fuze (for spotting charge).
I don't know a fuze with 33mm thread in France or in Brandt catalog (I don't know for export).
White paint could indicates a drill device. The shape make me think to gauging system.

Hi Minenaz16,

I did not state that this fuze from a practice bomb would fit an 81mm bomb, which I know has a 24mm thread. This is not a modified fuze but rather a dummy fuze. The point I was making is that the dummy fuze is exactly the same other than thread diameter and size to the Brandt 81mm practice bomb which I am familiar with. This practice bomb has holes in it and does not travel very far (see page from manual shown). The fuze in it is not a spotter fuze.
Draoich

 

[Burney Davis]

To those who have answered my original post I have to apologise as there is a typo in my post. The thread size is exactly 30mm, not 33mm. However, my initial comments, and those following, still stand as I can't find a fuze with that diameter thread. I do hope I haven't wasted anyone's time on this.

 

[MINENAZ16]

To those who have answered my original post I have to apologise as there is a typo in my post. The thread size is exactly 30mm, not 33mm. However, my initial comments, and those following, still stand as I can't find a fuze with that diameter thread. I do hope I haven't wasted anyone's time on this.

Ok, ok.
So I was sure I recently saw this device somewhere. 60mm (practice inert) found in Africa with Brandt 35 design. Makes sense as there is no adapter.

 

[Burney Davis]

Ok, ok.
So I was sure I recently saw this device somewhere. 60mm (practice inert) found in Africa with Brandt 35 design. Makes sense as there is no adapter.

That's great Minen, that is definitely it. Many thanks and sorry about the confusion. If anyone needs this piece let me know.

 

[MINENAZ16]

That's great Minen, that is definitely it. Many thanks and sorry about the confusion. If anyone needs this piece let me know.

Draoich showed me the way so my brain could start working !