Topfmines is a series of German round anti-tank mines with a minimum metal content. Used by German troops in 1944 during the second world war.
The mine’s construction used a body made of pressed wood fiber, cardboard, tar with glass inserts, which made the mine not detectable by mine detectors of the anti-Hitler coalition. Usually, the only metal part was the detonator.
In order to be able to detect and neutralize mines with their troops, the mine’s hull was covered with Tarnsand black sand (camouflage sand). The forces of the anti-Hitler coalition found that their mine detectors cannot detect a mine, while German mine detectors find a mine marked with Tarnsand sand. [1] The secret of Tarnsand sand was discovered only after the war, it turned out that the sand is a weakly radioactive substance ( monazite sand ), which was discovered by German mine detectors equipped with a Geiger counter.
Content
Topfmine A
Topfmine A had a flat dome-shaped body with an annular groove for the ability to bend and become the same target sensor. The case was made of pressed wood fiber and cardboard with tar impregnation for water resistance. Sometimes even the body was made of waste from bituminous coal. The fuse SF1 was inserted from the bottom of the mine and was closed with a glass cover. The second fuse was also installed from the bottom and made the mine unrecoverable. The design of the fuse SF1 contained only wood and glass, contained a detonator and a booster.
A pressure of about 150 kg on the pressure plate tore him from the mine body and it hit the glass pressure fuse. The tip of the fuse, moving down, broke two capsules with chemicals provoking a reaction and starting the detonator, booster and detonating the bulk of the explosive.
Two versions of the mine were produced - completely protected from moisture "To.Mi.A4531" and the usual "To.Mi.4531".
Topfmine B
Topfmine B (To.Mi.B4531) was largely similar to version "A", the main difference was in the shape of the case without a protruding push pad. This version had an internal seal against water, preventing water from entering the mine and putting it out of action.
Topfmine C
Topfmine C (To.Mi.C4531 or Pappmine ) had a different body shape in the form of a faceted octahedron with a central glass fuse. This version had thin walls and mines could detonate together if they were too close at a distance of less than 2 meters.
Features
| Topfmine a | Topfmine b | Topfmine c | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diameter | 330 mm | 320 mm | 340 mm |
| Height | 140 mm | ||
| Weight | 9.5 kg | 10 kg | 9 kg |
| Explosive Content | 6 kg | ||
| Working effort | 150 kg | ||
Notes
- ↑ Specifically the Stuttgart 43 detector (TM 5-223)
References
- TM 5-223, Foreign Mine Warfare Equipment, November 1957
- TM-E 30-451, Handbook of German Military Forces
- Catalog of Enemy Ordnance , 1945