Nose Pistol No. 36 Mks I and II (Service)

Description: This pistol is externally similar to the Pistol No. 27, but is altered inter-nally to permit areal-burst functioning. The top of the pistol body is internally threaded to receive a threaded spindle. Over the top of this spindle are screwed the vanes and vane cap, the latter being firmly secured to the spindle by a pin. Fitting loosely around the spindle, immediately above the fuze body, is located a steel bushing. Around the lower part of the spindle is cut an annular groove, which is engaged by two small retain-ing balls located in holes in the striker. The spindle in the unarmed condition is thus firm-ly locked in engagement with the striker, the balls being prevented from moving out of engagement by the inner wall of the pistol body. About two-thirds of the way up, the central hole in the pistol body is enlarged sufficiently to allow the retaining balls to move outward and disengage the striker from the threaded spindle.

Opposite sides of the vane cap are cut away to receive the brass safety fork, to which a steel clip spring is attached. The latter fits around the bushing and holds the safety fork in place. Eight slots are cut in the outer perimeter of the top of the pistol body, and the locking stud of the safety fork fits into one of these slots. A safety pin passes through the arms of the safety fork. A tab locking device is located around the pistol body below the slotted flange.

Operation: The safety pin is removed before the bomb is loaded aboard the aircraft, and the safety fork is pulled free when the bomb is released. The vane cap is now free to rotate, and, as it does, withdrawn the threaded spindle and the engaged striker, putt-ing the striker spring under compression. This continues until the retaining balls reach the enlarged recess in the pistol body. The balls then move into the recess and disengage the striker from the spindle. The spindle continues to rise until it has moved all the way out of the striker. The balls are then allowed to move back into the striker, and the stri-ker is free to be forced by its spring into the detonator.

Remarks: The pistol incorporates a blunt striker, and therefore is used only with an-viltype detonators. The Pistol No. 36 Mk I is an earlier model of the No. 36 Mk II and is a conversion of stocks of Pistols No. 27. The Mk I differs from the Mk II only in that the former incorporates a threaded bus to form the enlarged recess in the pistol body, while the body of the latter is machined from a single piece of brass.

Figure 132 - Nose Pistol No. 36 Mk II