Show your WW2 VT Proximity Fuses

[Persian Gulf Command]

Like see and to start a conversation about the WW2 VT Proximity Fuses that any members may have in their collections.

[Persian Gulf Command]

OK, I'll show some photos of mine. First a schematic of the components.

 

My example. The top part with the electronics and outer green leucite shell is complete. Unfortunately, the bottom half is hollow, which would have contained the battery pack, charger and explosive detonating fuse. The hollow tube, I am not sure it is correct and just missing the components or was fixed to allow for the fuse to screw into a standard 75mm-105mm HE artillery shell.

 

 

 

 

[ordnance]

Unfortunately, the lack of response is what I expected and gives an indication of how scarce these are in collections.  Perhaps a bit surprising as more than 22 million VT fuzes were made during the war but the development and use was top secret throughout the war.

 

I also have a couple Navy types as shown in the photo from a display I did on battlefield electronics but have searched for years for my Holy Grail, a T80E6.  This was the Army version first used in late 1944 in the defense of Antwerp and the Battle of the Bulge in 75mm and 105mm howitzers.  VT fuzes had previously been used only over water to avoid capture by enemy forces.  At the Bulge they were particularly effective air bursting explosive shells over the heads of German troops where foxholes or open top vehicles provided no protection.

 

I was lucky enough to pick up a proper 105mm HE projectile a couple years ago, 1945 dated with a deep fuze pocket and marked for VT fuze. But the search for the fuze to complete it goes on.  The images of the T80E6 and can are from a couple different European museums.  Note the markings on the can describing the contents as a PD (point detonating)  fuze.  It obviously was not but was intentionally mis-marked  to confuse the enemy if stocks were observed or captured.

[Persian Gulf Command]

Ordnance, thank you so much for your additions to this thread. Great seeing information about the T80E6, shipping container, and dedicated 105mm projectile marked as such. I did not know there was a marked projectile like this. Great Stuff!

[ordnance]

Yeah, I was unaware of that projectile marking until I got that one.  Post-war markings were quite different.  The first usage of VT fuzes in field artillery required each round to be modified by reaming out enough TNT to allow the longer fuze to fit.  Later, all HE rounds were made with deep fuze cavities usable with proximity fuzes with the extra space filled with removable supplemental charges, little cylinders of additional TNT. 

 

If you can find a copy, I highly recommend the 1980 book The Deadly Fuze by Ralph Baldwin.  He was one of the group leaders in the development of the proximity fuze.  Due to the extreme secrecy of the fuze, not many people know how important it was against Japanese aircraft, German V1 buzz bombs, and personnel in the field.  More than 100 different companies and thousands of workers and soldiers were involved in development, testing, production, and use of VT fuzes, yet after 4 years of development and 2 1/2 years of field use neither the Germans or Japanese knew of the VT fuze when the war ended.

[Inertord]

[Inertord]

[gerard]

for the container photo above which is presented, I had found and detected it was also used in Alsace

[gerard]

The Proximity Fuse - Secret Weapon of World War 2

https://youtu.be/6-D592VR4RU?si=ld3ZIZgFmSpyBBHP

[gerard]

[Persian Gulf Command]

Thank you, Gentlemen! What you have posted is exactly what I had hoped for. You have educated me as well as provided wonderful information for members on this Forum.

 

Hopefully we will all see more contributions from others as time goes on!

[gerard]

to share with more fashion here is mine