Lancaster Part … Questions ?

Yes, designed and made by Martin Baker…if you search the forum you should find a photo of my one and also pictures of the ones fitted to Lanc S Sugar at Hendon. Fantastic items…there was an RAF flight in WW2 whose job was to test cable cutters (starting from reinforced leading edges) many were lost. Cable cutters (although not the MB explosive type) are fitted to many helios now. Apache WAH64 has loads…..we found several on a dump

Such knowledgeable people you are ! thank you all for this, another photo showing the small explosive charge with cutter attached.

Keith.

very interesting picure, thanks for posting.

8 per wing but only one double cutter as shown.

Does anyone know how successful this equipment was?

Interested in how it operated, it looks to be spring loaded, presumably with remote operation from the cockpit?

Completely automatic in operation; pilots wouldn’t be able to react fast enough.

When flown into, a barrage balloon cable would slide along the leading edge of the wing and drop into one of the notches, tension on the cable would move a lever firing a small explosive charge that would blast a hardened steel cutter against an anvil at the other side of the notch severing the cable before it damaged the aircraft.

This is actually two cable-cutters arranged back-to-back.

A neat piece of design, possibly by Martin-Baker (but I could be wrong about that).

MerlinPete. Yes that was the description I was given ?? I realy thought that would be less a commonly known part ??? But I underestimated the wealth of knowledge you have !
Interested in how it operated, it looks to be spring loaded, presumably with remote operation from the cockpit ?

Keith.

Hi Keith

Barrage balloon cable-cutter fitted to the wing leading edge.

Pete