Description
The Fuze No. 859, which is of the all ways action type, has a bakelite body, waisted to form two chamfered flanges. It is threaded at its lower end to permit it to be screwed into the fuze adapter. The fuze body houses a hollow cylinder, at the lower end of which a detonator is located over a flash hole in the body of the fuze. The firing pin is positioned in the cylinder, and is split at its lower end to form a double striker. The striker is held away from the detonator by a light creep spring, which also is housed in the hollow cylinder.
The upper end of the striker terminates in an enlarged head having a seating for a lead ball. The ball is held in position by the concave under-surface of a bakelite closure disc which is screwed into the top of the fuze body. Just below the striker head, the stem of the striker is drilled to receive a safety pin, which extends through the fuze body and has an enlarged head housed in the waist of the body. A short length of webbing tape, which is wound around the waist of the fuze body, is secured to the head of the safety pin. A lead sleeve, curved to fit into the waist of the fuze body, is secured over the free end of the webbing tape.
A bakelite safety cap is fitted over the fuze body, and has a fabric drogue attached to it by adhesive tape.
The Fuze No. 854 Mk I is identical to the No. 859 Mk I, except that the method of arming differs slightly. In the No. 854 Mk I, both the safety cap and safety pin are spring-loaded. The safety cap holds the safety pin in place and is itself retained by an arming fork which engages the cap and the fuze body. The arming fork is withdrawn as the bomb is released from the Small Bomb Container, allowing the safety cap and safety pin to be ejected by their springs. The fuze is now armed. On impact with the target, its action is identical to that of the Fuze No. 859 Mk I.
The Fuze No. 854 Mk I has a long tubular burster screwed and cemented to its lower portion. This burster tube contains a powder pellet and about 2 oz. of gunpowder. It is approximately 5 1/2 in. long, and the tubular portion is 0.9 in. in diameter.
Functioning
No information about functioning.
See Also
Nothing else to see.
Source(s)
OP 1665, British Explosive Ordnance (1946)
