Feder 504

[meclan]

Hi Guys

Here is a pic of Feder 504 that I found some weeks ago.

Is there any members that have some informations or original photos about feder 504 in use?

Thanks from meclan

[Ben Evans]

Meclan, what is this for?

[meclan]

Hi Ben!

Feder 504 is 24 days timer for explosion. Isn't easy to find its in Militaria borse, in 20 years I saw only 2 pieces.

I found informations about its only in 3th Volume of Uniforms & Tradions of Germany Army by John Angolia

By from Meclan

I don't know it use

[ewesterman]

Hi guys,

This is a Feder 504! This was a 21 day clockwork detonator.

This intricate igniter is housed in a white metal case, painted brown, and provided with a threaded, screw-on lid to provide access to the clockwork setting mechanism. The mechanism is wound by turning the winding wheel under the lid. In the side of the igniter is a round glass window displaying two metal rings with numbers. The wheel with red numbers is for the number of days, the black numbered wheel for the number of hours desired to elapse before the striker is released. The setting ring, marked "Steht" (stop) and "Geht" (go) is located just above the window. In the striker "neck" just below the clock work housing is the combined safety and arming hole. The arming screw, marked "scharf" is attached to a chain. The safety screw, marked "blind" is carried in the hole.
This igniter can be set to go off at any hour or day up to 21 days. It is accurate to within 5 minutes in 21 days. This is the igniter which set off the charge that blew up the Naples post office. on the 7th Oct, 1943. It was basement of the Post Office in Naples. It was more of a terrorist act than a tactical or strategic plan. Many were killed. Time & Life Magazine even
wrote an article on it.
Here are some links referring to the time bomb that exploded on the 7th Oct,
1943:

1943 Naples post office bombing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
napoli.com - Around Naples
A Letter From The Publisher, Feb. 14, 1944 -- Printout -- TIME
NationMaster - Encyclopedia: 1943 Naples post office bombing
Life Magazine:
LIFE - Google Books

Robert Capa, the world's most famous war photographer (he took the first
shots of US troops landing on the D-Day beaches armed only with his camera)
was in Naples at the time, and several photos were taken, and there was even
a movietone showreel made.

Capa's Naples photos ( now owned by the photography company Capa co-founded)
:
Magnumphotos

What most people don't know is what type of bomb it was. I found the answer
in an old Signal corps manual! It was a Feder-504 21-day clockwork
detonator, a very nasty but accurate weapon.