VT Fuse

The wet cell batteries in AA shells were 67.5 volts (according to Baldwin). They were carbon zinc with a chromic acid electrolyte in an ampule that was broken when the shell fired. Centrifugal force distributed the electrolyte from a central channel radially into the (insulated) individual cells.

It appears that the design of the batteries was such that; without a spin, the electrolyte could settle back into the center of the battery and short out all the cells.

Non rotating warheads used dry cells (a maintenance problem) or a dynamo spun by a little prop. Larkin's schematics appear to be the latter type.

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By the way, VT stands for variable time, a fuse type with a settable at use time delay from being fires to time to explode. A very different = fuse from a proximity fuse.

?-)

"josephkk = jerkoff"

By the way, VT stands for variable time, a fuse type with a settable at use time delay from being fires to time to explode. A very different fuse from a proximity fuse.

" One of the first practical proximity fuzes was codenamed the VT fuze, an acronym of "Variable Time fuze", as deliberate camouflage for its operating principle."

... Phil

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Not always. There is FM CW Doppler radar as well. Police radar and = other vehicle detectors.

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Simple arithmetic and muzzle velocity. Grade school stuff.

?-)

"josephkk = total MORON "

Simple arithmetic and muzzle velocity. Grade school stuff.

... Phil

I'd have thought they'd at least have tried dry zinc-carbon layers for the HT, as there's no plate current till the heaters get going - that could be how they found out batteries deteriorate rapidly in hot humid climates.

Probably have to be a dry charged L-A battery with the acid in an ampule, or a turbine driven generator for the heaters.

The 'VT' terminology (suggesting variable time) was adopted during WWII to mislead the enemy as to the exact nature of the fuse's operation.

The VT fuse was such a closely guarded secret that only the Navy was allowed to use it at first. The duds would fall into the ocean and, for all practical purposes, deny the Axis powers the ability to reverse engineer one. Land use (other than over Britain, not susceptible to enemy recovery) was only authorized during the Battle of the Bulge.

Muzzle velocity? Which grade school did you go to? ;-)

-- Paul Hovnanian mailto: snipped-for-privacy@Hovnanian.com

------------------------------------------------------------------ Steinbach's Guideline for Systems Programming Never test for an error condition you don't know how to handle.