How did World War II proximity fuses 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.

How accurate was flak in ww2?

German flak guns were not very accurate. You basically put a shell up and exploded it hopefully in the path of a enemy aircraft. The Allies greatly improved their AA guns when they developed the proximity fuse for shells. That allowed them to fire the guns and if it came close to the target it exploded.

What is a radio proximity fuze?

proximity fuze, also called Vt Fuze, orInfluence Fuze, an explosive ignition device used in bombs, artillery shells, and mines. The fuze senses when a target is close enough to be damaged or destroyed by the weapon’s explosion.

What was an 88 in ww2?

German 88, versatile 88-millimetre (3.46-inch) multirole artillery piece, developed from 1917 by Germany. It was tested in the Spanish Civil War and was used extensively by the Germans in World War II as a field-artillery piece and as an antiaircraft and antitank gun.

Who developed the proximity fuse?

W. A. S. Butement
Samuel Curran
Proximity fuze/Inventors

When was the proximity fuse invented?

British scientists started work on a proximity fuze in the late 1930s and solved enough of the inherent problems to test marginally effective prototypes. Their effort was stymied by cost overruns and the twin challenges of miniaturized components and adaptability for mass production.

Why was the proximity fuse so important in WW2?

It was so important that it was a secret guarded to a similar level as the atom bomb project or D-Day invasion. “One of the most original and effective military developments in World War II was the proximity, or ‘VT’, fuze. It found use in both the Army and the Navy, and was employed in the defense of London.

When was the first proximity fuze made?

In mid-November 1939, a German neon lamp tube and a design of a prototype proximity fuze based on capacitive effects was received by British Intelligence as part of the Oslo Report. In the post-World War II era, a number of new proximity fuze systems were developed, including radio, optical, and other means.

What is a proximity fuze used for in the military?

The proximity fuze makes the problem simpler than the previous methods. Proximity fuzes are also useful for producing air bursts against ground targets. A contact fuze would explode when it hit the ground; it would not be very effective at scattering shrapnel.

How do proximity fuses work?

Proximity fuses work by having a small doppler radar set in the head of the fuse. The cap is the antennae. When the shell determines it is pre-set distance from the target (object or surface) the charge is detonated.