WW1 British Artillery Fuze Type No 80 Variant.

Known variants are :

• the time and percussion fuzes N°80B only differed by a small difference in shape, one lip having been suppressed so that the fuze could be adapted to certain shell types.
• the time fuzes N°80/44 et N°80B/44, with no percussion mechanism, were dedicated to the explosive shells that had to detonate in flight (for instance for anti-aircraft), and needed the serial mounting with a direct action percussion fuze N°44/85 acting as a detonator. The 0 to 2 graduations of these fuzes were masked, and a blue ‘T’ mark was painted on the fuze body,
• the time fuzes N°180 and N°180B, with no percussion mechanism, were used with incendiary and shrapnel shells in anti-aircraft action. A blue ‘T’ was painted on their body.

The time and percussion fuze N°80 was the fuze usually used with the British shrapnel shells of the famous 18 pounders fieldguns in WW1. Designed by the German company Krupp in 1905 and manufactured under license in England before the war and during it, its peculiar story will feed the arguments of the believers of a war wanted by the weapons international industry since once the war over, the British company Vickers Armament Industries, who manufactured these fuzes between 1914 and 1918, kindly accepted to pay to Krupp 40 000 £ royalties.