Description
The pistols consist of a brass body, a steel striker, and a copper safety pin. The body has two spanner flats above the threads, and the lower end is threaded. The striker rides on a creep spring, and has four longitudinal grooves in the body, three of which are air escape grooves, while the fourth engages a guide pin to prevent rotation of the striker. The upper part of the striker is threaded to receive the vanes and the vane collar, to which is attached a cap to prevent dust from accumulating in the striker threads. On the upper end of the threaded striker spindle is a neck, which is painted red. A transit spring rests between the vane collar and the pistol body. The safety pin fits through the pistol and striker bodies.
These pistols are of similar construction, except for their vane span. The Pistols Mk 1 are converted Pistols No. 5B. These pistols are obsolete, as are the bombs in which they are used.
Pistol No. 22 Mk I is being reintroduced into service use, to be employed in the tail of the GP 250lb bombs Mks I, II, and III, which also have been recalled to service status.
Functioning
No information about functioning.
See Also
Pistol, Tail, No. 21 Mk 1, No. 21 Mk 2
Source(s)
OP 1665, British Explosive Ordnance (1946)
