FUZING

COLOR

CONTENTS

TAIL NO.

OVERALL LENGTH

MAX. BODY DIAMETER

TAIL LENGTH

TAIL DIAMETER

TOTAL WEIGHT

DESCRIPTION:

This cluster consists of three faggots of 4 lb. incendiary bombs, the bombs in each arranged nose to tail with their safety plungers inward so that they are all depressed. The bombs are held in place by a front end plate, a rear end plate, a top and a bottom beam, four wooden slats, tensioning straps, and a retaining bar. The retaining bar has a series of lateral pins which engage tabs on the tensioning straps. A shear wire passes through a bridge and the retaining bar at a position near the front end plate. A channel secured to rear end plate supports a fuze adapter, the outer end of which is closed by a transit plug fitted with a leather washer. Inside the adapter is a piston, through which a pin is passed arranged to engage the lower end of a pivoted lever. The fuze adapter and the piston are slotted to receive the lever. The upper end of the lever is forked and is connected to the retaining bar. A nose cover is fitted to a spring-loaded rod extending through the center of the cluster. The tail is held compressed against the spring by an arming wire arrangement.

SUSPENSION:

A British type suspension lug is fitted to the top beam, and tapped holes in the beam are provided for fitting American type lugs.

FUNCTIONING:

When a fuzed cluster projectile is released from the plane, the arming wire is with-drawn, starting the delay of the fuze and releasing the tail unit, which then springs out on its rod to its fully extended position. When the fuze functions, the fuze magazine charge is fired and the pressure of the gases force the piston in the fuze adapter against the lower end of the pivoted lever. The lever is thus rocked about on its pivot and exerts a pull on the retaining bar of the cluster. This causes the retaining bar to break its shear wire and to be moved so that the pins on the bar disengage themselves from the tabs of the tensioning straps. The straps then fly outward, and the cluster disintegrates, scattering the bombs, which falls away separately. The individual 4 lb. bombs funcition on impact.

TAIL STRUCTURE:

The No. 48 Mk. II & III tail is of the telescopic type and is supplied fitted to the cluster in the closed position. It consists of five fairing forming a shortened cone car-ried by the rear end plate of the cluster, and a drum mounted on drum supports carried by an inner tube which slides in an intermediate tube. The intermediate tube extends through the whole length of the outer tube, which is secured to the end plate of the cluster. The intermediate tube replaces the central bomb of the middle and tail end faggot of the cluster.

A spring is housed in the inner tube, with on end bearing against a stoß in the tube and the other end bearing against a cap which closes the inner end of the intermediate tube. The spring, which is under compression, tends to slide the inner tube out of the intermediate tube to extend the tail, the movement being limited by a ferrule

A spring is housed in the inner tube, with on end bearing against a stoß in the tube and the other end bearing against a cap which closes the inner end of the intermediate tube. The spring, which is under compression, tends to slide the inner tube out of the intermediate tube to extend the tail, the movement being limited by a ferrule on the in-ner tube which engages a ferrule in the intermediate tube when the tail is fully exten-ded.

The inner and intermediate tubes have holes provided in them which register when the tail is closed, and a safety wire is threaded through the holes to retain the tail in its closed position against the action of the spring. A 4ft. fuzing lanyard is attached to the eye of the safety wire by a shackle, and a similat shackle is provided at the free end of the lanyard.

REMARKS:

1. The faggot at the nose end of the cluster contains 79 bombs; the central and tail end faggot contain 78 bombs each, the central bomb of each of these faggots being removed to allow insertion of the outer tube, which accmmodates the stem of the tail and is secured to the rear end plate of the cluster.