TYPES OF BOMB FUZES

The German Luftwaffe employed both mechanical and electrical types of bomb fuze,  on the head of all German bomb fuzes was stamped a letter inside a circle
denoting the type of fuze. This was followed by the method of operation.
As the war progressed the design & type of the fuze changed, some fuzes were designed to act against bomb disposal techniques such as the Zus(40 )anti-withdrawal device, also the (50)B booby trap fuze & the (50)B Y.
​All fuzes had a steel gaine pot screwed into the base of the fuze which contained a separate detonator.
This Fuze is a type 15 and was manufactured in 1939 for use in C50 bombs.
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As all German Fuzes were marked, it was essential that the bomb disposal engineer new exactly what he was dealing with.
The above type 15 Fuze was an EIAZ, so by using the charts below they knew it was an "electrical impact Fuze".
By using the charts below the abbreviation and the ringed number would help identify the type of fuze being used.
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          Abbreviations stamped on German bomb fuzes.

Z – Zünder (fuze)
AZ – Aufschlag Zünder (Impact fuze)
El.A.Z – Electrische Aufschlag Zünder (electrical impact fuze)
El.Z – Electrische Zünder (electrical fuze)
ZtZ – Zeitzünder (time fuze)
mV – Mit Verzogerungszünder (with delay action fuze)
oV – ohne Verzogerung (without delay fuze)
L.ZtZ – Langzeitzünder (long time delay fuze)

 The ringed number on the Fuze indicates the type of Fuze.

​(0) Was a protective fuze
(1) Mechanical Impact
(2) Mechanical Impact
(3) Mechanical Impact
(4)  Special Fuzes
(5)  Electrical Impact
(6) Special Impact
(7)  Long delay
(8)  Electrical Impact with delay         
(9)  Aerial burst

With the above information, a German Fuze could be identified, the thing to remember is whatever the number is the second number denotes the type. i,e a type 15 is a electrical impact Fuze, a type 59 is a aerial burst Fuze.

The adjacent Fuze is a EIZ 50, so using the charts EIZ means it is an electrical Fuze. and the number 50 defines it as a protective Fuze.
From 1942 onwards, the letter Y was found on some of the fuses.  This new bomb fuze was the cause of many deaths of BD men, the Y fuze was found to be a very sensitive anti disturbance device, designed to kill bomb disposal teams.

Fuzes with two terminals allow the bomb to charge electrically in the aircraft. On leaving the aircraft during the bombs falling the electrical charge trickles through Resistors to a firing Condenser. The impact of the bomb landing causes a sensitive switch to close the circuit and detonate the bomb, through a firing bridge (Similar to a match head) this creates a flash that detonates the sensitive penthrite wax, contained in the attached Gaine which can be either steel or Bakelite thus the bomb explodes.

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