Nose Pistols No. 34 Mk I and No. 29 Mk I (Service)

Description: The pistol consists of a brass body, a steel striker, and a safety cap. The upper part of the body has six notches to receive the stop pin of the safety clip. The lower end is of reduced diameter to fit into the detonator. There are twelve depres-sions around the pistol body to hold the tab locking device. The striker is threaded on the upper end to take the pressure plate, while the lower end carries a blunt firing pin. An aluminum shear wire passes through the striker and pistol bodies, and holds up the striker. The steel safety cap is slotted to receive the safety clip, which goes through these slots and under the pressure plate. Under the safety cap is the safety-cap spring, which serves to throw the cap free when the safety clip is removed. The safety pin pas-ses through the ends of the arms of the safety clip.

Operation: Before the bomb is put into the plane, the safety pin is removed. The safety clip is removed upon release, and the safety cap spring throws the safety cap free. The pistol is now armed, and upon impact the shear wire is sheared and the firing pin is forced down on the detonator. When the bombs fuzed with these pistols are used in the 250-lb. Small Bomb Container, the arming forks are removed before the bombs are placed in the containers.

Remarks: The Pistol No. 29 is like the No. 34 except that it has no holes in the top of the vane cap, and it has a bronze shear wire. The No. 29 is an obsolescent pistol and is being converted to the No. 34 because its spring cannot push the safety cap off under certain circumstances. Later issues of Pistol No. 29 Mk I have holes cut in the safety cap, making it identical to Pistol No. 34.

Figure 130 - Nose Pistol No. 34 Mk I