[ARC5] "The Expendables" - pilot losses due to proximity fuze fail

[Hubert Miller]

'Aviation History' magazine for Feb. 2021 has this pretty interesting article, "The Expendables. When
bombs began exploding prematurely over Vietnam, killing aircrews, the cause was traced to faulty
fuzes, but more would die before a solution was found."
The "World War II era" proximity fuse M188 was never intended to be carried externally to the bomber
and not at such high airspeeds. The first fatal accident occurred 1965 and the problem was not solved
until 1968. Proximity fuzed ordnance was to "counter surface-to-air missile and antiaircraft fire that was
taking a heavy toll"; I presume by suppressing ground AA installations. In December 1968 in tests of a
subsequent improved fuze, an unconsidered wiring failure mode in the fuze killed one more pilot.
"As they departed Simler's office, [ Major Robert L. ] Chastain turned and said, 'Boss, you are wrong about
this, and I'll prove it if it kills me'....analysis of the film showed the second bomb he dropped exploded
four feet below the bomb rack. The project officers had been right, but had been ignored."

Article includes cutaway view of M166 and FMU-35 proximity fuzes.
-Hue Miller

( the young folks who built 'Spellcheck' do not know the word "fuze" actually does exist. )
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