60. General

German mines and the packing crates for them are characterized by their elaborate con-struction and intricately machined parts. Almost all standard German mine were marked somewhere on the case with the abbreviation of the name of the mine. German mines were so well constructed and proved so effective that even today the armies of many European countries retain stocks of German World War II mines for training and use in the field.

61. Tellermine 29; T-5 Mine (T.Mi. 29)

a. Description. The Tellermine 29 (T-5 mine) (fig. 64) has a plate-shaped case of sheet-zinc. It is about 10 inches in diameter and 2 3/4 inches high and weighs 13 pounds, in-cluding about 10 pounds of explosive. The mine case has three main fuze wells in the top, two activating fuze wells in the side, and one activating fuze well in the bottom. Two carrying handles are attached to the mine case. This mine uses the pressure-pull fuze 29 (par. 36), which can be set to detonate by either pressure or pull, in the main fuze wells. Any pull fuze with standard threads can be used in the activating fuze wells. Althrough the Tellermine 29 was designed for antitank use, it is actually a dualpurpose mine since the pressure-pull fuze 29 can be actuated by personnel when the indicator mark on the slotted disk is opposite the 45 KG mark or ZUG.

b. Employment. The Tellermine 29 was used in road blocks and mine fields until it was replaced by the Tellermine 35 (par. 62). It was used primarily against tanks and occasio-nally against personnel.

c. Functioning.

(1)

Pressure.

(a)

Antipersonnel. The indicator mark on the slotted disk (marked DRUCK) of the pressure-pull fuze 29 is opposite the 45 KG mark and the striker is held in a cocked position by one shear pin. A pressure of 99 pounds, ore more, on the fuze shears the shear pin. The striker, driven by the striker spring, fires the percussion cap, the detonator, and the main charge.

(b)

Antitank. The indicator mark on the slotted disk of the pressure-pull fuze 29 is opposite the 125 KG mark and the striker is now held in a cocked position by both shear pins. A pressure of 276 pounds, or more, shears the shear pin. The striker driven by the striker spring, fires the percussion cap, the detonator, and the main charge.

(2)

Pull. The indicator mark on the slotted disk of the pressure-pull fuze 29 is opposite ZUG and the striker is held in a cocked position only by the pull pin. A pull of 10 pounds pulls out the pull pin. The striker, driven by the striker spring, fires the per-cussion cap, the detonator, and the main charge.

d. Installing and Arming.

(1)

Place the mine in a hole in the ground, with it top flush with the top of the ground.

(2)

Remove the shipping caps from three pressure-pull fuze 29 and insert a detonator in the base of each fuze.

Figure 64. Tellermine 29 (T-5 mine).

(3)

Turn the slotted disk of the percussion-pull fuzes 29 to the desired setting (c abo-ve).

(4)

Screw a pressure-pull fuze 29 into each of the three main wells in the top of the main.

(5)

If activating is desired, screw any pull fuze with standard threads into an activating fuze well. Refer to chapter 5 for the correct procedure on installing and arming for the activating fuze.

(6)

Attach wires or cords to the rings on the safety bars of the pressure-pull fuzes 29 and remove the bars from a safe distance.

Note. If the indicator mark of any of the pressure-pull fuzes 29 is set at ZUG and the pull pin is withdrawn by accident before the safety bar is removed, the striker enga-ges in a slot in the safety bar and prevents removal of the bar.

e. Neutralizing. Do not lift the mine until the side and bottom activating fuze wells have been examined for activating fuzes. If any are present, neutralize them according to the instructions in chapter 5. To neutralize each of the three pressu-repull fuzes 29 in the three main fuze wells in the top of the mine, proceed as follows:

(1)

It the original safety bar is available, insert it in the slot marked SICH. Do not try to insert an improvised safety bar such as a nail or penknife into the slot marked SICH because an edge may come into contact with the percussion cap and cause it to explode.

(2)

Cut any slack trip wires attached to the pull pin.

(3)

Grasp the fuze around its base without touching the top and gently unscrew the fuze from the mine.

(4)

Remove the detonator from the fuze.

(5)

Unscrew the percussion-cap-holder set screw and unscrew the percussion-cap-holder form the base of the fuze.