shippingsteel Posted 9 October , 2012 Share Posted 9 October , 2012 I've come across an extremely unusual Turkish fuse that is inscribed with the Ottoman/Arabic script which I have been struggling to translate. I have managed to decipher most of it, but it would help if I could confirm exactly what type of fuse it is and also where it may have been made. It's similar to the normally seen Turkish fuse which has the manufacturers address scrawled across the very top of the cone, but also different. This is a smooth brass dome with 4 distinct layers, the 3rd of which is graduated from 3-35. It has the Ottoman scripts inscribed on the sides. It is definitely made for the Turkish guns in 75mm, most likely for their 'granate shell' (please explain?) and possibly German or Austrian made. Any help would be appreciated, especially with the different types of fuses, as it is an area of which I know very little about. Thanks in advance. Cheers, S>S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militariaone Posted 9 October , 2012 Share Posted 9 October , 2012 Greetings S>S, any chance of a picture of the fuse in question? Nowhere near an authority on these, but I enjoy the (occasional) challenge of internet searching for information on obscure stuff. Willing to look, but need something to refer too in order find specifics. Thank you and fingers crossed. Regards, Lance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shippingsteel Posted 9 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 October , 2012 Thanks for the offer Lance, but I'm afraid that I have done all the regular stuff, including all the requisite google searches etc. This one looks to be unique.! There are plenty of the common Turkish 75mm fuse (pictured below) which is similar but graduated from 2-64. The one in question only has 4 layers brass. Could someone tell me what the graduations would be for.? Is that a time delay or distance adjustment.? And would it be for a High-explosive or Shrapnel.? Cheers, S>S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 10 October , 2012 Share Posted 10 October , 2012 Hi, time delay, shrapnel Cnock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shippingsteel Posted 10 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2012 Thanks Cnock - so does that mean all the graduated time delay fuses were only used with Shrapnel shells.? To what does the German term 'granate' refer on fuses.? Cheers, S>S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shippingsteel Posted 11 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2012 Of course the study of these fuse/fuzes is something that is important, as one of the main reasons for the ineffective Turkish artillery at Gallipoli was the poor quality fuses. There are numerous reports of shells landing in all sorts of vulnerable areas that luckily failed to activate. The Turks took steps to remedy these failures with specialist help. Cheers, S>S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shippingsteel Posted 12 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2012 So I've been doing some of my own research, mainly to answer the question of why the Turks would need 2 different types of time delay fuses for the single 75mm calibre.? Surely the 'one size fits all' would be simpler and more efficient to produce. But no it seems they had the 2 separate types of guns to manufacture for, both field and mountain. Their standard field guns had longer range and higher muzzle velocities than their lower velocity mountain guns in the same calibre, thereby explaining the extra time delay. So the mountain gun fuse had time delay graduated from 3 to 35, while the regular field guns with the longer range utilised the normal fuse that was graduated from 2 to 64. All these things eventually fall into place - you just need to keep on looking.! Oh and the Turks also used what was known as Universal shells (ie. combination HE/shrapnel) Cheers, S>S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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