Tag: antipersonnel mine

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German

S. Mi. 35: Antipersonnel Shrapnel Mine

S. Mi. 35: German WW2 Antipersonnel Shrapnel Mine

The German shrapnel mine is an antipersonnel device which may be operated by direct pressure of about 15 pounds on a push igniter in the head, or by a pull on one or more trip-wires attached to pull-igniters. It may also be fired by electrical methods.

The mine is cylindrical in shape; its height is 5 inches, its diameter is 4 inches, and it weighs approximately 91/2 pounds. It contains an explosive charge of about 8 ounces in some models and 1 pound in others, and approximately 350 steel balls.

An inner cylinder of pressed steel is fitted into the outer jacket, resting on a metal disk which is fixed to the bottom of the outer cover. The charge is contained in a movable cylinder which is screwed to the disk in the bottom of the mine. This cylinder has a central tube and three other parallel tubes. A train of powder in the bottom of the central tube, 2 grams of powder in a recess under the movable cylinder, and the shrapnel, which is contained in the space between the inner jacket and the movable cylinder, complete the assembly.

A cover plate is attached to the mine. This plate has an opening through which the central tube passes, and three other openings in alinement with the three parallel tubes in the powder container.

For firing, an igniter is screwed to the central tube, and a detonator is inserted (sometimes two) in each one of the three other tubes. When the igniter fires, the flame produced flashes down the center tube, setting off the small powder charge which throws the inner cylinder into the air. At the same time, the detonators are ignited, and they in turn set off the main charge. The delay in detonation of this charge permits the casing to rise from 6 to 7 feet into the air before exploding. The shrapnel filling is effective up to a range of about 150 yards to 200 yards.

SPECIFICATIONS

Height (without igniter)         5 ins.
Weight of mine (approximate) 9 1/2 lb.
Weight of filling (approximate) TNT 8 oz. to 1 lb.
Type of filling TNT and PETN
Diameter of mine 4 ins.
Diameter of steel balls .372 in.
Mine wall thickness .050 in.
Weight of 350 steel balls 2 lb., 10.67 oz.
Black powder propellant 0.15 oz.
Explosive carton complete 1 lb., 0.14 oz.
Three types of igniters are used:
     Pressure type
     “Y” adapter w/2 pull igniters
     Electric squib type

German: p. 305

Categories
German

Behelfs-Schützenmine S. 150: Antipersonnel Mine

Behelfs-Schützenmine S. 150: Antipersonnel Mine

The German Behelfs-Schutzenmine S. 150, known to allied troops in the field as the “Pot Mine,” “Picric Pot,” “Mustard Pot,” or “Jerry Mine,” consists of a cylindrical body, a top plate, and a crush igniter.

The body, which is made of pressed steel, contains a 5 1/4 oz. explosive charge of powdered picric acid. A chemical crush-actuated igniter is screwed into the mine by means of a brass or plastic adapter which fits into the top of the body. A synthetic rubber washer is provided between igniter and adapter for waterproofing the mine. The igniter, known as the German Buck Igniter (Chemischer Zünder Buck) consists of a thin metal drum with circumferential grooves to reduce its resistance against vertical pressure. It contains a glass ampule half filled with acid and surrounded by a white powdered flash composition. A small brass detonator (German Nr. 8) is inserted into the detonator pocket.

A moderate pressure on the top of the igniter crushes the metal drum and the glass inside it. The acid pours into the white powder, and a flash resulting from their chemical interaction sets off the detonator which in turn sets off the mine.

SPECIFICATIONS

Height of body         2 ins.
Diameter of body 2 1/2 ins.
Diameter of top plate 3 ins.
Height of igniter 1 1/2 ins.
Diameter of igniter 3/4 in.
Depth of detonator pocket 1 1/2 ins.
Total weight 12 1/2 ozs.
Weight of igniter with adapter 1 oz.
Explosive charge Powered picric acid (5 1/4 oz. approx.)
Color Mustard brown

German: p. 304.7

Categories
German

S. Mi. 44 mit S. Mi. Z. 44: Antipersonnel Mine

German S. Mi. 44 mit S. Mi. Z. 44: Antipersonnel Mine

This anti-personnel mine is basically the same, both in construction and operation, as the S. Mi. 35 described on page 305. It consists of an outer casing and an inner cylinder which contains a T.N.T. charge surrounded by small shot. There are three threaded openings in the cover plate: one is used for pouring the charge into the mine; the second, which takes a S. Mi. Z. 44 igniter, opens into a tube containing a 4.5 second delay pellet and a propellant consisting of three grams of fast burning gun powder; the third which is closed by a wooden plug leads into a tube containing a detonator, a flash cap, and a pull igniter. The pull igniter, located at the base of the tube, contains a spring-loaded striker held in place by two steel balls which are prevented from moving by a pin in the base of the igniter. The pin is attached to the base of the outer case by approximately three feet of coiled wire.

The S. Mi. Z. 44 is a percussion igniter differing from the usual percussion type in that it has two small wings which, when forced outward by pressure from above or tension through trip wires from the side, release the spring-loaded striker to fire the cap. A pressure of 21 pounds or a tension of 14 pounds will actuate the igniter.

Operation of the igniter initiates the 4.5-second delay pellet which fires the propellant throwing the mine upwards. When the coiled wire is fully extended (about 2 1/2 feet above ground level) it pulls the pin from the igniter, enabling the retaining balls to move inward and release the striker to fire the flash cap, detonator, and bursting charge.

SPECIFICATIONS

Height        5 1/8 ins.
Height with igniter 8 7/8 ins.
Diameter 4 ins.
Weight 8.8 lb.
Color Camouflage yellow

German: p. 304.8

Categories
German

Glasmine 43 (f): Glass Mine (Antipersonnel)

Glasmine 43 (f): Glass Mine (Antipersonnel)

The mine consists of an outer glass casing, the upper portion of which is 1/4-inch thick and the lower portion 2/5-inch thick. The external diameter at the base is 4 1/2 inches and at the top, 6 inches at the widest part.

A grooved shoulder on the inside of the case, about 2 inches from the bottom, supports the igniter plate. The mine may employ either a Buck chemical igniter or a new mechanized igniter, the Schuko. When the latter is used, the igniter plate consists of a thin sheet metal plate, which has a central hole for the igniter. When the Buck igniter is used, however, an igniter plate having the same diameter and igniter hole but of stronger design is employed. Around the top of the case is a grooved ledge which supports a thin glass shear plate approximately 1/32-inch thick.

A moulded glass pressure plate of 3/4-inch extreme thickness and 4 1/2 inches in diameter rests on the shear plate. There are two parallel grooves on the underside of the pressure plate which are designed to accept a metal safety fork that will bridge the outer edge of the mine and support the pressure plate until such time as the mine is laid. The two prongs are then withdrawn through the two grooves arming the mine. This fork is not supplied with the mine but is improvised by units.

Four raised strips moulded in the bottom of the mine are spaced so as to take a standard 200 gm. charge (Sprengkorper 28). When sufficient pressure (40 lbs.) is applied to the glass pressure plate, the shear plate is broken and crushes the top of the Buck igniter or trips the actuating lever of the Schuko igniter, depending on which is employed.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight of standard charge        200 gm
External diameter at top        6 ins.
External diameter at base        4.5 ins.
Height to lip of container        4.2 ins.
Thickness of casing (upper)        .25 in.
Thickness of casing (lower)        .4 in.

German: p. 304.6 (March 1, 1945)