Nose Fuze No. 36 Mks I and II, and No. 36 N.D. Mk II (Service)

Description: The Fuze No. 36 Mk II consists of a brass body housing an inertia pellet and a creep spring. Into the upper portion of the fuze body is threaded a striker plug, which is held in place by a set screw. The striker plug is threaded internally to receive a threaded striker, which is firmly fixed to the inside of the arming-vane hub. A creep spring separates the inertia pellet from the base of the striker plug. A detonator is loca-ted in the top of the inertia pellet, while a long firing channel extends through the pellet beneath the detonator.

Into the base of the fuze is screwed a delay holder containg two powder pellets se-parated by a distance tube and a delay pellet. Immediately below the delay holder is lo-cated an initiating charge of black powder. The fuze base is closed with a base plug.

Safety during transit is provided by a safety pin, inserted in the side of the fuze body, which engages the top of the inertia pellet and prevents it from moving upward against its spring. In addition, a safety clip fits around the vane hub, and a stud in the clip pas-ses through the vane hub into a locating hole in the striker plug to prevent the vane hub from rotating.

The fuze body is threaded externally for insertion in the bomb, and a securing ring is provided to lock the fuze in position.

Operation: The safety pin is removed from the fuze when the bomb is loaded aborad the plane, and a plug, normally located in a blind hole in the fuze body, is placed in the safety-pin hole to seal the fuze. The safety clip is pulled away when the bomb is dropp-ed, and the vanes are free to rotate the vane hub, screwing the striker down and expos-ing its sharp point. On impact the inertia pellet moves against the creep spring, bringing the detonator into contact with the striker. The explosion of the detonator initiates the powder pellet, delay pellet, and second powder pellet, located in the delay holder. The second powder pellet fires the initiating gunpowder charge, which then initiates the Ejec-tion Charge No. 2 Mk I in the bomb.

Remarks: The Fuze No. 36 Mk I is identical to the No. 36 Mk II, except that the fuze body above the external threading is greatly reduced in diameter. The Fuze No. 36 N.D. Mk II is identical to the No. 36 Mk II, except that the powder pellets and delay pellet in the delay holder are replaced by a quantity of loose gunpowder, giving the fuze an in-stantaneous action.

Figure 152 - Nose Fuze No. 36 Mk II