BOMBS USED IN

Mk IV

G.P. 1000, 1900 &

4000 lb.

All M.C. bombs

S.A.P. 250 & 500 lb.

Mk. V

A.P. 2000 lb. Mk IV

A.S. 100, 250 & 500 lb.

Mk. V

FUNCTIONING

ARMED CONDITION

FUZES USED WITH

ARMING TIME

MAX. BODY DIAMETER

OVERALL LENGTH

3.6" w/o striker guide

DESCRIPTION:

This pistol has been developed to replace the No. 30 pistol for low level attacks, when the bomb may be excepted to make side or angle impact. Although resembling the No. 28 pistol externally, this pistol, however, is considerably greater in diameter than the No. 28.

The pistol consists of a brass body with a hollow cavity into which is placed the striker assembly, an inertia ring, a retaining plate, and an arming fork with a threaded spindle. The striker assemnly is composed of a tapered striker head, bored and thread-ed internally to receive the arming spindle, and a needle striker positively secured to the striker head and positioned by a striker guide threaded into the lower extension of the pistol body. A creep spring bears upwards against the striker head, and a guide pin, located in the pistol body and riding in a groove in the striker head, prevents the striker head from rotating. The body is recessed to permit downward movement of the striker head, and an internal shoulder is provided in the large hollow cavity to seat the retain-ing plate, which is held in place by three grub screws. The arming spindle is pinned to the arming fork and threads through the retaining plate into the striker head. The iner-tia ring fits lossely under the retaining plate and is beveled internally to mate with the conical shaped striker head.

A special locking washer is used with this pistol. This washer has four studs bent downward in such a manner that they engage in recesses in the exploder container. When the pistol is fully screwed home, one of the 19 external tabs of the locking washer is bent upwards to engage in one of the two grooves cut in the base of the pistol head.

OPERATION:

When the bomb is released, the arming vanes in the tail cone rotate and in so doing thread upwards the arming fork and attached spindle. After approximately 15 revolut-ions the arming spindle is completely withdrawn from the striker head and inertia ring, and the striker head is now held upwards only by the creep spring. On impact, the stri-ker head overcomes the resistance of the creep spring and drives the needle striker into the detonator.

If the bomb lands on its side, the inertia ring moves sideways, bearing against the beveled top of the striker head and driving it downward against the creep spring, firing the detonator.

REMARKS:

1. This pistol is restricted to employment in low-level bombing operations on fighter/ bomber aircraft only. Therefore only sensitive type detonators of 11 seconds delay or longer may be used.

2. Tail Pistol No. 60 Mk. I: This pistol, used with the 400 lb. Mk. I Incendiary Bomb, is identical to the No. 54 Mk. I pistol, except that the arming spindle is considerably lengthened, and the arming fork is replaced by a T-bar firmly attached to the top of the spindle.