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| BRITISH EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE |
| Part 2 - Chapter 2 |
| Pistols |
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Tail Pistol No. 62 Mk I (Service) |
| Data |
| Bombs used in | G.P. 250- and 500-lb. Mks I, II, and IV, 1,000-lb., 1,900-lb. and 4,000-lb. bombs, and M.C. bombs. Theoretically it can be used in any bomb that takes the Pistol No. 30 |
| Action | Chemical long delay of 6 to 144 hours |
| Armed condition | Assume armed if dropped or if arming fork is threaded down to bottom of arming fork cavity in pistol |
| Fuzes used with | None |
| Arming time | 8 vane revolutions, or instantaneous on impact if dropped from sufficient height to break acetone ampoule |
| Body diameter | 2 in. |
| Over-all length | 4.25 in. |
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Description: This is a chemical long-delay type tail pistol and does not incorporate an anti-withdrawal device. |
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If consists of a head, which accommodates an arming fork pinned to the screwed shank of a brass ampoule, and a body which houses a piercer, delay system, and striker assembly. The head is screwed into the top of the body and is locked by a set-screw. A device to indicate leakage of acetone is located in a hole drilled through the side of the pistol body, and consists of a yellow indicator paper which is visible through a perspex covering. Leakage causes the paper to burn blue. |
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The striker sleeve and assembly are located in the lower part of the pistol body be-neath the piercer disc. The striker sleeve is secured by a retaining sleeve, which is scre-wed on and locked to the base of the pistol body. The striker assembly consists of a pointed screw and collar. The screw is held in position by the screw head, which is en-gaged by a countersunk celluloid disc. The striker collar is internally threaded to receive the striker screw, and terminates in a flange at the lower end. The striker spring is held in compression by the flange of the striker collar and the striker sleeve. |
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Functioning: On clockwise rotation of the arming fork, the ampoule is screwed into the pistol body so that the piercer cuts out the thin ampoule disc. The acetone is relea-sed, and is absorbed by the cotton wool. The cotton wool then spreads the acetone evenly over the celluloid disc. When the celluloid is dissolved, the striker is released and moves forward under action of the striker spring to fire the detonator in the bomb. |
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Remarks: This pistol is similar to Tail Pistols No. 28 and No. 30 in external appea-rance, and resembles the Long-Delay Tail Pistol Nos. 37 and 53 in the fact that a V-shaped groove is cut around the pistol at the middle of the knurled head. |
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The delay depends upon the slovent action of acetone on celluloid disc. Alternative delays are obtained by varrying the strength of the acetone, and/or the number of cellu-loid discs. In pistols giving the longer delays, the brass washers are replaced by incre-mental celluloid washers. Times of delay for specific pistols (at 60° F.) are engraved on the proper fuze body. The following list shows the delay as indicated after the letter fol-lowing the fuze number: No. 62 Mk I, 6-hour delay; No. 62A Mk I, 12-hour delay; No. 62B Mk I, 36-hour delay; No. 62D Mk I, 72-hour delay; and No. 62E Mk I, 144-hour delay. |
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Special two-bladed arming vanes, colored white and of opposite hand to the normal type, must be used on the arming mechanism of bomb tail unit fuzed with this pistol. |
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Figure 142 - Tail Pistol No. 62 Mk I |
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