DATA:

BOMBS USED IN

FUNCTIONING

ARMED CONDITION

FUZES USED WITH

ARMING TIME

OVERALL LENGTH

MAX. BODY DIAMETER

VANE SPAN

MATERIAL

Steel and brass.

GENERAL:

The Mark 232, Mod 1 is a bomb nose fuze of the arming vane type, required little air travel to arm. It may be initiated by an electrical impulse or impact on a hard surface, detonating instantaneously. The fuze has an electric semi-cap which, when fired by an impulse, blows through a hole leading to the detonator and sets it off. For electrical firing as well as impact, the fuze must first be armed, allowing the detonator slider to move over into a position where the detonator can be initiated by either the firing pin or explosion of the semi-cap.

OPERATION:

(1) As an Impact Fuze: A cotter pin, which is wired in place with a small fuze wire, prevents the arming vanes from rotating. The arming wire is attached to this cotter pin and withdrawal of the arming wire breaks the light fuze wire. The vanes are the rotated by action of the wind stream, and this rotation is transmitted to the striker which ad-vances on the threads in the striker housing. It advances until stopped by the striker stop coming up against the bottom of the striker housing. As the striker advances on its threads it withdrawn the firing pin from the slider, which is than forced over by its spring lining the detonator up with the firing pin and booster lead-in. A detent locks the detonator slider in the arming position. Upon impact, the brass collar threads are shear-ed by the firing pin block and the firing pin is forced into the detonator.

(2) Electrical Firing: Detonation is initiated by means of the squib being directely fired by an electric current through the igniter bridges.

REMARKS:

The fuze will not function on impact with water, but must strike a hard surface in order to strip the striker housing threads.