Table of Contents
When were proximity fuse invented?
The proximity fuze was developed through British and American cooperation in the early stages of World War II. It was first used against ground troops in the Battle of the Bulge (1944). The advantage was that the gunners could fire shells to explode over troop positions, showering them with deadly shell fragments.
How did anti aircraft shells work?
Air defenders using timed fuses had to fire a lot of rounds to bring anything down. Anti-aircraft and other artillery rounds typically consist of an outer shell packed with a large amount of high explosives. These explosives are relatively stable, and require the activation of a fuse to detonate.
How do artillery fuses work?
The fuze action is initiated by impact, elapsed time after firing or proximity to a target. In most cases the fuze action causes detonation of the main high explosive charge in a shell or a small charge to eject a carrier shell’s contents.
How did a proximity fuse work?
A proximity fuze (or fuse) is a fuze that detonates an explosive device automatically when the distance to the target becomes smaller than a predetermined value. Proximity fuzes are designed for targets such as planes, missiles, ships at sea, and ground forces.
What is meant by proximity fuse?
Definition of proximity fuze : an electronic device that detonates a projectile within effective range of the target by means of the radio waves sent out from a tiny radio set in the nose of the projectile and reflected back to the set from the target. — called also radio proximity fuze, variable time fuze, VT fuze.
How did the proximity fuse work?
How does the proximity fuse work?
How does contact fuse work?
The contact fuze is set off when a series of connected crush switches that are placed on the exterior nose of the ordnance device make contact with the ground. The contact with solid ground activates the interior firing circuits which leads to the detonation of the ordnance device.
Why do missiles explode before impact?
There are a few reasons why they detonate before hitting the target: one, an ‘air burst’ renders more damage over a larger area without actually hitting anything. You see, an explosion usually inflicts damage in two major ways: fragmentation and shock waves.
How did Ack Ack work?
In an Ack Ack unit, a spotter would work the powerful tool used to locate and identify enemy aircraft. Two women would operate the height and range finder that would gather the information to properly aim the gun.
What if a nuke went off in space?
If a nuclear weapon is exploded in a vacuum-i. e., in space-the complexion of weapon effects changes drastically: First, in the absence of an atmosphere, blast disappears completely. Second, thermal radiation, as usually defined, also disappears.
Would a nuke work in space?
If a nuke exploded in space, gamma rays and X-rays would be emitted and would expand to light up the sky. On the surface of the planet, auroras of light would be seen for thousands of miles within minutes of the blast. The explosion would also create a magnetic field, which could disrupt electronic communication.
What did the Ack Ack girls do?
‘Ack Ack Girls’ were members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) that helped operate Anti-Aircraft Guns in the defense of Britain from German bombing raids during World War 2. From 1941 onward all unmarried British women aged 20 to 30 were required to join one of the Auxiliary services, which included the ATS.