Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[gwsiii]

I'd have thought the fuse would shatter like the rest of the body when detonated properly. Sort of defeats the purpose of being a fragmentary device, it if doesn't fragment in to but a few pieces. But again, I don't know anything about ordnance.
Did we decide whether it was a mortar fuse? or a Bomb Fuse?
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[type-14]

First let say that Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) Kaneohe Bay is alive a well and has grown even more since the closure of NAS Barbers Point and relocation of units from there to Kaneohe Bay. Was stationed there in the early 80’s and really enjoy it each time I visit there. As for your spent rounds remember that during WWII and afterwards much of the Islands where used as training sites and what better place for a firing range with the mountains as your butts. IMHO more than likely that is what you found an old impact area. As for the fuze I have to agree with you that it looks like it was used for it’s intended purpose. Not sure why it remained intact however since this is the first one I’ve seen in a used condition that may have been the way all of them were and this just became more shrapnel once detonated but that is just my opinion. However, I think it is a great item and know that a number of collectors of Knee Mortars and Japanese ordnance would like in their collections, me included.

[Danmaz]

Bushido, do you have a pic of the very top of that fuse? Mine appears to have another piece that sat on top of the part that your top finger is covering up. It also appears to have two VERY small holes that are on the side directly across from one another but there are no other holes on it. I have no idea if this is a Type 88 or 89 fuse only that a friend of mine who has studied Japanese says that the marking is type 8 or 8-8. There are more Japanese characters around the bottom ring but they appear to be a bit smaller than the one's on your pic. I'll see if I can get my camera to focus in that close.
Type-14 thank you very much for your input. Your ideas make a lot of sense to me. Is there any way that you could tell what caliber of bullet this is if I sent you better pics? I'm guessing there's no real way to tell through pics but I'm just curious. I really feel that the fuse was actually fired and did explode as the top is really mashed perfectly down into the center of the fuse and the bottom threads appear to be mashed up into the bottom cavity of the fuse indicating a massive force from both the top of the fuse & the bottom simultaneously.
Also Type-14, I have VERY fond memories of my father driving me down to the gates of MCBH on friday nights when we lived on Lanakai beach to shake the hands of the guards manning the front gate (1974-1976). I don't recall what uniforms they were wearing but I DEFINITELY remember their white gloves and how in awe I was of them. I have always been grateful for the sacrifices our men and women of the armed forces have made for us and since then I have always had a warm spot in my heart for Marines. Thank you for your service Type-14.

[Danmaz]

A few more pics:

[type-14]

Thanks for the kind words. My first tour of duty in Hawaii was with VMFA-235 one of the F-4 squadrons that was stationed there and that was from 1977-1982. As for the markings on your fuze the smaller markings will give the arsenal that it was made at and the month and year it was produced. There is a plunger that goes down though the center and this as a small firing pin on the end. The way the fuze was initiated was for the safety to be removed and the fuze (plunger) struck against a hard object to get the firing chain sequence started. Those holes you see is where the safety pin went though it. The safety pin just a length of wire that is twisted/looped to go though both holes.

[Bushido101]

Sorry about my finger in the way but the top on this one look's just like yours.

[strangms]

Looks like to me that the 2nd picture shows the date which reads, 11 (November) 5, 10 which is 1940. What do you think Trey?

strangms
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[gwsiii]

That's what it looks like to me. Trey
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[BB]

Yep, a Type 88 Knee Mortar Fuze and it appears to have been impacted.
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[gwsiii]

It is definitely and odd piece of history regardless.
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!