Antitank Clay MineHolzkastenmine
GERMAN MINE WARFARE EQUIPMENT
PART TWO – GERMAN MINE WARFARE EQUIPMENT
CHAPTER 6 - ANTITANK MINES
Section II. IMPROVISED ANTITANK MINES

77. General

The German Army seldom used improvised antitank mines. In most cases, the supply of standard antitank mines was adequate. The occasional employment of improvised anti-tank mines was brought about by a local shortage of standard mines or by the availability of suitable material for improvising mine cases in certain areas. Even in improvisation, the Germans were meticulous in the assembly of the mines. Paragraphs 78 through 82 des-cribe the most commonly encountered improvised antitank mines.

78. Aluminum Mine

a. Description. The improvised antitank aluminum mine (fig. 90) consists of an aluminum pressure lid 12 1/2 inches in diameter, an aluminum disk, and an aluminum case 11 5/8 in-ches in diameter that contains the main charge and three booster charge. The aluminum disk fits over the main charge and has three main fuze wells, which are located over the three booster charges. The mine is fuzed with three pressure fuzes 35 (par. 24). The aluminum pressure lid fits over the aluminum case and rests on top of the fuzes. Three slots are cut in the side of the pressure lid for extracting the safety pins of the fuzes. The mine is 4 3/4 inches high with the fuzes in place and has a total weight of 12 pounds, including 7 to 9 pounds of explosive.

b. Employment. This mine is used for local security of airfields and nearby installations. It may also be used in mine fields.

c. Functioning. Pressure of 150 pounds, or more, depresses the pressure lid, actuating one, or more, of the three pressure fuzes and firing the mine.

d. Installing and Arming.

(1)

Remove the aluminum pressure lid.

(2)

Screw three pressure fuze 35, with detonators, into the main fuze wells in the alu-minum disk. The booster charges should be directly under the fuze wells. Make sure the pressure caps of the fuzes are adjusted to the same height.

(3)

Replace the pressure lid and place the mine in a hole so the pressure lid is level with the ground surface.

(4)

Remove the safety pins from the fuzes by pulling on the attached cords, through the slots in the pressure lid.

Figure 90. Improvised antitank aluminum mine.

e. Neutralizing.

(1)

Remove the pressure lid.

(2)

Insert nails or wires in the safety-pin holes of the fuzes.

(3)

Unscrew the fuzes from the fuze wells.

(4)

Remove the detonators from the fuzes.

(5)

Lift the mine.

Antitank Clay MineHolzkastenmine