T32E1 and T33E1 (Nose Mechanical Impact)

Bombs

Functioning

Armed condition

Fuzes used with

M113, M113A1, M116

General: A nose fuze for minimum-altitude bombing, this design changes the Nose Mechanical Impact Fuze AN-M103 to give the necessary long delay. The T32 and T33 differ only in the amount of pyrotechnic delay. The delay feature is accomplished by dril-ling axially through the fuze body - two tubes for the powder train and a third for an ex-pansion chamber. A larger axial hole houses the rotor containing the detonator, and pro-vides detonator safety for this fuze. There is no instantaneous firing train.

Operation: Rotation of the vanes makes the arming spindle and the striker block mo-ves upward with the assistance of the spring, until the safety discs are flung out by the leaf spring which is located inboard of them. As the arming spindle rises, it allows the rotor stem, which is spring-loaded downward, to turn the rotor, bringing the detonator in line with the lower end of the delay train. The fuze is now fully armed. On impact, the striker block is forced down, mashing the firing pin into the primer and setting off the de-lay powder train. The powder is in the two lower small tubes, and burns from the primer down to the detonator, in the rotor, thento the booster lead-in, and finally at the boos-ter. The uppermost small tube is an expansion chamber, to prevent pressure from the burning delay powder from causing a malfunction.

Figure 328. Nose Fuzes T32E1 and T33E1