German Explosives
T. Mi. 29 (T-5) (A/T)
Diameter/Width: 10 inches
Depth: 2.75 inches
Total Weight: 13.25 pounds
Explosive: Cast TNT
Explosive Weight: 10 pounds
Material: Zinc
Pull or Pressure required: 100 to 275 pounds
Color: Olive Green
Description: This is a light anti-tank mine. The zinc casing is in two parts: the top, and the base. The top slides into the base and is secured by eight tabs which pass through slots in the base, and are bent over and soft soldered. The internal surfaces are painted with shellac. The base is dished for strengthening with six rectangular troughs. The top is slightly domed and has three adapters sweated into shallow recesses. The adapters have sockets to take Z.D.Z. 29 igniters.
There are three additional sockets provided fitting anti-lifting igniters. Two of these are in the side of the casing, diametrically opposite to one another and 4 inches to the right of center of each handle; the other is in the center of the base. All of these igniter sockets are sweated into the casing, and in addition, have a locating device in the form of two brass pins, which fit into slots on either side of the hole in the mine casing. Two steel carrying handles are held within loops of brass strip sweated to the casing. The handles are shaped to fit close to the casing when folded.
Operation: Sufficient pressure on one or all of the igniters, fires the igniter, booster, and main charge.
Topf Mine A (A/T)
Diameter/Width: 12.5 inches
Depth: 5.5 inches
Total Weight: 20 pounds
Explosive Weight: 12.5 pounds
Material: Plastic
Pull or Pressure required: 330 pounds
Color: Black
Description: The main parts of the Topf are the mine body, the primer plug assembly and the igniter.
Mine Body: The mine body is a hollow cylindrical disk of plastic material filled with H.E. Its top face is formed as a circular pressure plate surrounded by a shear groove. The cylindrical recess in the center of the mine body accommodates the primer plug. The carrying handle is fixed to the mine bottom by two glass screws. Another glass screw in the mine bottom acts as a filler plug.
Primer Plug Assembly: The primer plug assembly consists of a glass screw cap and the cylindrical igniter seating, made of compressed bituminous cardboard material. The top face of the igniter seating bears a deep pocket with an inside screw thread to accommodate the Topf mine igniter. The remaining space between the glass screw cap and the igniter seating is filled with the primer charge. In addition to the pocket for the Topf mine igniter, there is a subsidiary igniter socket leading into the primer charge from the bottom through a hole in the glass screw cap. This subsidiary igniter socket has a standard igniter screw thread, and a thin bakelite detonator pocket to protect it against moisture. A circular ridge, moulded on the side of the glass screw cap nearest to the mine body presses against a rubber washer when the primer plug assembly is fitted into the mine.
Igniter: The igniter is an entirely non-metallic pressure igniter without a safety device, and functions on chemical-mechanical action. It is used, together with a non-metallic detonator, as the main igniter for the Topf mine. The main parts of the igniter are a hollow cylindrical glass igniter body, and a hemispherical pressure head fitting into the igniter body.
Inside the igniter body there is a circular celluloid disk with two small spherical glass capsules, containing liquid chemicals, fixed on to it by means of an adhesive. The lower part of the igniter body has two male screw threads, the larger one fitting into the igniter seating, while a protective detonator pocket of plastic material is held by the smaller screw thread. A circular shear ridge halfway up on the pressure head rests on the top rim of the igniter body and so holds the head in position with its flat portion slightly projecting into the igniter body, just above the two glass capsules.
Operation: Under a load of at least 150 kg (330 pounds) the pressure plate of the Topf mine shears along its shear groove and thus comes to rest on the pressure head of the igniter. This in turn gives way by the severing of its shear ridge and thus smashes the two small chemical glass capsules inside the igniter body. The chemicals therein make contact with each other causing a flash which sets off the detonator, and so the mine.
R Mine 43 (A/T)
Length: 31.5 inches
Diameter/Width: 3.75 inches
Depth: 3.5 inches
Total Weight: 20.5 pounds
Explosive: TNT
Explosive Weight: 8.8 pounds
Material: Sheet Steel
Pull or Pressure required: 880 pounds at center; 440 pounds at ends.
Color: Light Khaki. "R. Mi. 43" stenciled on lid.
Description: The mine consists of three main parts: a sheet steel tray, an encased charge of TNT contained in the tray, and a lid which fits over the tray and acts as a pressure plate.
Tray: The tray is of spot-welded sheet steel construction. Shear wires are threaded through the tray 7/8-inch from the bottom, to support the charge. Reinforcing strips are welded inside the tray at the shear points. Each end of the tray is folded over on top to form slotted pressure plates to actuate Z.Z. 42 igniters fitted to each end of the charge. Reinforcing plates, welded to the sides of the tray in the corners, are bent over as supports to these pressure plates. Swivel clips are provided to protest the igniters. 1 and 1/2 inches from each end are holes through which safety bars are threaded to keep the charge clear of the shear wires in the unarmed condition. These bars are secured by safety pins attached by cord which may be wound around the mine. Spring-loaded shutters are provided to block the holes on withdrawal of safety bars. The shutters are in the form of a spring-loaded angle strip which swings on pivot pins. These shutters can be manipulated from the bottom of the tray through holes 3/8-inch from the end by means of a bar or large nail. One side of the tray is slotted in two places accommodate anti-lifting igniters which may be fitted to sockets provided in the one side of the charge. There is a thin red band painted along the sides of the tray 1/2-inch from the bottom to indicate the correct position of the lid when the mine is armed.
Charge: The charge which has a metallic casing is provided with five igniter sockets. Two are for the main igniters, type Z.Z. 42, one at each end; these are not visible from the outside when the mine is laid. The other three are for anti-lifting igniters; one is in the center of the top of the charge; and the other two in one side 5 inches from the ends. Two shear battens fixed to the bottom of the charge insure double shear action. Two channels are also fixed to the bottom of the charge; these fit over the safety bars.
Lid: The lid is of spot-welded sheet steel construction. It is fitted with a handle at one end. Holes are positioned ot correspond with the sockets provided for anti-lifting igniters in the charge. Two slots are provided for the shear wires; these may be bent over after the lid is fitted. There are also two slots into which the safety bars slide, and with paint marks are found above these slots to correspond with similar marks on the tray. Mines are transported singly in a wooden packing case with main igniters and safety bars in position. Protecting paper strips cover the igniter holes in the lid. The cords attached to the safety bars are wound round the mine.
Operation: After the mine is laid and the anti-lifting or trip wire igniters are fitted, the two safety bars are withdrawn.
The mine is fired by one of four ways:
1. Pressure on the lid sufficient to show one or both of the shear wires.
2. Functioning of the anti-lifting or trip wire igniters fitted into the sockets provided.
3. Electrically by remote control
4. Reverse of one main igniter, type Z.Z. 42, with its wings below the end pressure plate so that it will function if an attempt is made to lift the charge from the tray. Only one igniter can be reversed to operate in this manner.
The mine also lends itself to the usual booby trap devices such as a trip wire attached to the handle of the lid.
Next Time: German Mines and Grenades (Part 5)
Source: German Explosive Ordnance Vol. 1: Bombs, Rockets, Grenades, Mines, Fuzes & Igniters
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