Bombfuse.net -Fuze Types

From the bomb Disposal officers view the ringed number on the shoulder of the fuze gave an indication as to its type i.e
(0) Was a protective fuze
(1) Mechanical Impact
(2) Mechanical Impact
(3) Mechanical Impact
(4) Special Fuzes
(5) Electrical Impact
(6) Special Impact
(7) Long delay
(8) Electrical Impact with delay
(9) Aerial burst

Protective Fuzes (0)
Zus 40 fitted under the type!17) Long delay fuze in 250/500 Kg bombs
Zus 40 Patt 2 As above but redesigned in plastic,incorporating three knife edges to make extraction difficult.
Zus 40 Patt 3 As above but made in Mazak
(50) Anti disturbance fuze used in conjunction with the (17) only became armed when landed
(50) B Y Designed solely to kill the bomb disposal officer, bottom section contained dry cell batteries and mercury tilt switches
(60) Clockwork air burst fuze used in drop containers
(70) B Anti disturbance used in SD2 butterfly bombs
(70) A. Used in the SD2 Chemical delay and self destruct
(70) B/1 As above used in the SD2B butterfly bombs
(70) B/2 As above bayonet fitting
(80) Used in the HS232 glider bombs and the V1 flying bombs
(80) A Similar to above but bottom portion not threaded

Mechanical Impact fuzes (1)
(41) Fuze used in the SD2 butterfly bomb
(41)A As above but bayonet fitting
(41) B As above but the arming vanes are Vee shaped

Mechanical impact fuzes (2)
(12) A Used in the 1 kg electron bomb (Ali igniter)
(12)* As above but has a brass igniter

Mechanical Impact fuzes (3)
(13)A Used in the steel nosed Incendiary bombs
(13)* As above
(63) Fitted inside the Exploding nosed incendiary bombs contains bickford cord
(73) A2 Used on the SD1 made of brass
(73) A2 As above but made of mazak
(73) A3 As above
(73) A4 As above but unthreaded
(73) B2 Slightly different design for the SD1

Number (17) long delay fuze with ZUS40 anti withdrawal fuze fitted

Number (17) Long Delay fuze 0-72 hours

Special impact fuzes (6)
(26) Used on the oil bombs
(46) Electrically armed mechanical impact tail fuze used on the KC50 gas bombs
(56) believed to be for the BM1000
(66) A very unusual fuze , that when entering the airstreama 6 vane impeller , would rotat and create a voltage,when the bomb landed,the voltage created would short out and explode the bomb, only fitted in the SD10 bombs
(66)A As above but had 8 vanes

Long delay Fuzes (7)
(17) long delay fuze , could be set for anytime from 0 to 72 hours, the clock portion screwed into the base, could be distiguished by the fact it had 2 charging pins.
(17) A Pattern 1 had one charging pin and the clock was fitted inside a ali sleeve

Special fuzes (4)
(24) A anti-break up designed to function if the bomb case was ruptured or broken , mainly used in the larger bombs 1,000 + 2,500 Kg bombs
(34) A Mine fuze used in Parachute mines
(34) B As above but design changes , incorporating mechanical bellows and anti withdrawal device.

Electrical impact Fuzes (5)
(5) Pattern 1 was originally made of brass
(5) Pattern 2 made of Aluminium
(15) Simple electrical fuze that could if found be simply discharged using the Crabtree dis-charger
(25) Produced in 10 variations
(25) A As above
(25) A* As above
(25) B As above
(25) B From 1942 a more sensitive igniter was incorporated

(25) C As Above
(25) D As above 2 piece construction but selector switch blanked off
(25) D As above but in rolled steel case similar to the (55) series
(25) D similar to above but much cruder construction with seam
(35) Used in the PC500 and PC1400 bombs
(45) Not used in the UK but could be used in any bomb 50 kg Up
(45) A As above but in a rolled steel case
(55) Replaced the (25) series fuze
(55) A As above but had an external nose switch fitted to a stabo which exploded about 2 feet above ground
(55) TP Used in concrete bombs and believed to be a tropicalised fuze

Airburst Fuze (9)

The various patterns of (17) long delay fuzes

(17)A Pattern 2 also known as the Emergency pattern as the bottom section was made from steel, and often looked pitted
(17)A Pattern 3 Known as the 1941 pattern , the clock is housed in a plastic sleeve
(17)B Similar to above but the clock ran for 5 to 120 mins
(17) BZ used in Fz1400 bombs
(17) BM Clockwork fuze that could be set for 5 to 32 mins used on the V1 flying bombs
(57) Chemical long delay fuze , incorperating anti withdrawl device, not found in UK
(67) Used in the SD2 butterfly bombs

Electrical Impact fuzes with delay (8)
(28) Brass were originally stamped (5) but delay was too long for ground targets re-stamped for Hardened targets.
(28) As above in aluminium
(28) for sea targets
(28) A As above
((28) B As above
(28) B2 As above
(28) B6 As Above
(28 ) B07 As above
(38) Similar to above for sea targets
(38) B As above
(38) SL Used in anti submarine bombs

Aerial Burst fuzes (9) Usually painted Red
(9) pattern 1 Has test pin , used on parachute flares, those produced in 1938 were constructed the same as the (15) fuze those dated 1939 used the (25) type construction having 3 screws
(9) Pattern 2 As above but had a screw head covering the test pin
(29)A Mechanical air-burst fuze used on the LC10 parachute flares
(49)A Used on the PC500 and PC1000 rocket bombs
(49)C Used on the rocket bombs PC1800
(59)A A short bodied fuze for the AB250/500 containers
(59)b As above but had a time setting screw 41 or 58 seconds delay
(69)C11 Electric aerial burst fuze used in the AB250/500 and 1,000 containers
69)b Delay element of above fuze 1.3 to 3.5 sec delay
(69)C As above but 0.3 to 1.0 second delay
(69)D As above but 0.7 to 1.2 second delay
(69)E As above 4.0 to 5.5 second delay
(79) Air-burst fuze used in photo-flash bombs delay was from 5 to 25 seconds
(79) A As above but 3 to 10 seconds
(89) Clockwork air burst fuze used in photo-flash bombs maximum delay being 80 seconds , this fuze is smaller in size.
(89) B normal length has one charging plate settings were 1 to 80 seconds
(89) C As above but was settable from 2 to 160 seconds
(89) D No details are known to exist, other than the setting time was 85 seconds

TO LISTEN TO A RECORDING OF A GERMAN 17 FUZE, SEE OUR GERMAN ECR PAGE

Updated 24th December 2013

Airburst Fuze (9)

The various patterns of (17) long delay fuzes

ZUS40 anti withdrawal fuze. From left 1st pattern middle 2nd pattern end 3rd pattern