Position and method of fixing in bomb: Screws into tail cone. Tightened in place with spanner wrench.

Components of explosive train: Primer, delay train, standard Army gaine and booster.

Fuzes likely to be found with: A-8 (a).

Delay times: 5 seconds.

Threads: 13 threads per inch, RH, 1 5/32 inches in diameter.

Description: The fuze consists of an upper and lower fuze body. Upper fuze body hou-ses the allways action unit, arming spindle and arming vane assembly. The lower fuze body which is threaded internally to receive the upper body houses the lower part of the delay element. It is threaded externally at one point to screw into the fuze pocket and below that to accommodate the booster tube. It is threaded internally at the after end to receive a standard Army gaine.

Upper fuze body is pierced centrally by a threaded hole which houses the arming spindle. Three bladed arming vanes fit over the top of the spindle and are held there by a vane nut staked in place. Just above the dome cavity is a threaded segment of the arming spindle. The spindle extends down into the cavity.

The all-ways action unit is housed in the cavity drilled across the upper fuze body ending concavely in a dome. The open end is closed by a threaded plug with a similar dome in the inside. This cavity is filled by the striker and primer carrier assembly, the outer ends of which are domed. This assembly is similar to the allways action unit utilized in the A-7 (a). The assembly fits across the fuze and the arming spindle fits down through a hole in the striker holding the primer and striker apart. A spring also holds the two apart. A flash hole in the bottom of the cavity leads to delay train which is threaded into the base of the upper fuze body. This in turn leads through the lower fuze body to the gaine.

Operation: The safety fork is withdrawn and the vanes rotate causing the arming spind-le to rise in the central hole and withdraw from the all-ways action unit. This leaves the striker and primer carrier separated only by the spring. On impact at any angle the striker and primer are cammed together by the force of inertia. The flash from the primer passes through the flash holes, ignites the delay which in turn ignites the relay on top of the gaine.

Figure 107 – B-8 (a) Bomb Fuze.