Tail Pistol No. 23 and No. 23 Mk I (Service)

Description: The pistol consists of an aluminum body threaded at the bottom to screw into the float, and a steel striker which rests on a creep spring and is prevented from rotating by a longitudinal guide key moving in a groove in the striker body. A safety pin passes through the pistol and striker bodies. On the upper end of the striker are threads for the vane collar and the vanes, and to these is attached a vane cap to pro-tect the threads of the striker. A transit clip fits between the vane collar and the pistol body.

Operation: The transit clip is removed when the pistol is put in the float, and the safety pin when the float is placed in the dropping gear. When dropped, the vanes and vane collar rotate up and off, leaving the striker riding on its creep spring. On impact, the spring is overcome, and the sharp firing pin hits the detonator.

Remarks: This pistol is similar to the obsolete No. 5B, except that the body is alumi-num and has no body threads. The arming vanes are secured ot the vane collar by screws, and the No. 5B has a guide screw engaging the striker groove, rather than a long key.

The Pistol No. 23 Mk I is the same as the No. 23, except that it has a black plastic body.

Figure 126 - Tail Pistol No. 23