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Lunge mine

The Shitotsubakurai (Japanese: 刺突爆雷) lunge mine was a suicidal anti-tank weapon developed and used by the Empire of Japan during the Second World War. It used a HEAT type charge. This weapon was used by the CQC units of the Imperial Japanese Army. The weapon itself was a conical hollow charge anti-tank mine, placed inside a metallic container and attached to the end of a wooden stick. The weapon was officially adopted by the Japanese Army in 1945; in that year it caused its first victims in the Pacific Theater, where it commonly saw action against American armour. Later that year, some Japanese Imperial Army manuals of the weapon were discovered by US troops.[1][2]

Lunge mine
A drawing of a lunge mine and its operation
TypeSuicidal anti-tank mine
Place of origin Empire of Japan
Service history
In service1944–1948
Used by
Wars
Production history
DesignedWorld War II
Specifications
Mass14.3 lb (6.5 kg) (overall)
Length78 in (200 cm) (overall)
Height11.6 in (29 cm) (body)
Diameter8 in (20 cm) (body)

FillingTNT
Filling weight6.6 lb (3.0 kg)
Detonation
mechanism
Blasting cap[1]

Design

The weapon itself was a conical hollow charge attached to one end of the weapon, which was a wooden stick used to hold the weapon during its transport and use. The mine had three equally spaced legs facing forward around the conical explosive base of the weapon. The detonator of the weapon was situated at the end of the conical base.[1] The handle was connected to the mine body with a length of tubing through which it could slide once the safety pin was removed and the copper shear wire broken by impact with the target, at which point the steel striker at its end would be driven into the detonator.[3]

The conical mine body was 11.6 inches (29 cm) long and 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter at its base, weighing 11 pounds (5.0 kg) including the 6.6 pounds (3.0 kg) of crude TNT filling. The three metal legs welded to it were 6 inches (15 cm) long, intended to ensure the proper stand-off distance for the shaped charge to achieve maximum penetration. The 1.25-inch (3.2 cm) diameter handle was 59 inches (150 cm) long and weighed 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg), for an overall length of 78 inches (200 cm) (including the three legs) and weight of 14.3 pounds (6.5 kg).[3]

Operation

To use the mine, the soldier would remove the security pin, then run towards the enemy armoured vehicle as if making a bayonet charge, and thrust the top of the mine against the target. The weapon needed to be held by the center with the left hand and by the bottom with the other hand. When the legs of the mine hit the objective, the handle was pushed forward, cutting a pin and making the striker move forward to the detonator. This would set off the mine, blowing up its user and, presumably, the targeted enemy armour.[1]

Armour penetration

The mine was capable of penetrating about 6 inches (150 mm) of RHA at an angle of 90º, and up to 4 inches (100 mm) at an angle of 60º. However, the mine would almost always impact at 90º should an attack be successful, thanks to the fine control of the impact angle afforded by direct, manual handling of the weapon.[4]

Combat record

The weapon was used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the later stages of the Second World War in the Pacific Theater against American armour.

The Intelligence Bulletin reported in March 1945 that United States forces met this weapon for the first time in Leyte Island, The Philippines, during the 1944 invasion. It also reported that "To date all attempts by the enemy to use the Lunge Mine against our tanks have met with failure" and rates it as "Perhaps the oddest of these antitank charges".[1]

In Vietnam, it became an icon of the First Indochina War, specifically the Battle of Hanoi, during which Battalion Commander Nguyen Van Thieng tried to use it; however, "the bombs failed to explode. In the end, he was shot and heroically sacrificed".[5]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "New Weapons for Jap Tank Hunters (U.S. WWII Intelligence Bulletin, March 1945)". Lone Sentry. from the original on 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  2. ^ "Japanese Anti-Tank Assaults - The Chieftain's Hatch - World of Tanks official forum - Page 5". 2017-09-30. from the original on 2018-07-30. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  3. ^ a b (PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office. 1953. pp. 208–209. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
  4. ^ "WWII Japanese LUNGE MINE.........building a replica??". from the original on 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  5. ^ Explanatory board for replica of lunge mine held by a soldier at Vietnam Military History Museum, Hanoi; verified in December, 2019

lunge, mine, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, january, 2019,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Lunge mine news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Shitotsubakurai Japanese 刺突爆雷 lunge mine was a suicidal anti tank weapon developed and used by the Empire of Japan during the Second World War It used a HEAT type charge This weapon was used by the CQC units of the Imperial Japanese Army The weapon itself was a conical hollow charge anti tank mine placed inside a metallic container and attached to the end of a wooden stick The weapon was officially adopted by the Japanese Army in 1945 in that year it caused its first victims in the Pacific Theater where it commonly saw action against American armour Later that year some Japanese Imperial Army manuals of the weapon were discovered by US troops 1 2 Lunge mineA drawing of a lunge mine and its operationTypeSuicidal anti tank minePlace of origin Empire of JapanService historyIn service1944 1948Used by Empire of Japan Imperial Japanese Army North Vietnam Viet MinhWarsWorld War IIFirst Indochina WarVietnam WarProduction historyDesignedWorld War IISpecificationsMass14 3 lb 6 5 kg overall Length78 in 200 cm overall Height11 6 in 29 cm body Diameter8 in 20 cm body FillingTNTFilling weight6 6 lb 3 0 kg DetonationmechanismBlasting cap 1 Contents 1 Design 1 1 Operation 1 2 Armour penetration 2 Combat record 3 Gallery 4 ReferencesDesign EditThe weapon itself was a conical hollow charge attached to one end of the weapon which was a wooden stick used to hold the weapon during its transport and use The mine had three equally spaced legs facing forward around the conical explosive base of the weapon The detonator of the weapon was situated at the end of the conical base 1 The handle was connected to the mine body with a length of tubing through which it could slide once the safety pin was removed and the copper shear wire broken by impact with the target at which point the steel striker at its end would be driven into the detonator 3 The conical mine body was 11 6 inches 29 cm long and 8 inches 20 cm in diameter at its base weighing 11 pounds 5 0 kg including the 6 6 pounds 3 0 kg of crude TNT filling The three metal legs welded to it were 6 inches 15 cm long intended to ensure the proper stand off distance for the shaped charge to achieve maximum penetration The 1 25 inch 3 2 cm diameter handle was 59 inches 150 cm long and weighed 3 3 pounds 1 5 kg for an overall length of 78 inches 200 cm including the three legs and weight of 14 3 pounds 6 5 kg 3 Operation Edit To use the mine the soldier would remove the security pin then run towards the enemy armoured vehicle as if making a bayonet charge and thrust the top of the mine against the target The weapon needed to be held by the center with the left hand and by the bottom with the other hand When the legs of the mine hit the objective the handle was pushed forward cutting a pin and making the striker move forward to the detonator This would set off the mine blowing up its user and presumably the targeted enemy armour 1 Armour penetration Edit The mine was capable of penetrating about 6 inches 150 mm of RHA at an angle of 90º and up to 4 inches 100 mm at an angle of 60º However the mine would almost always impact at 90º should an attack be successful thanks to the fine control of the impact angle afforded by direct manual handling of the weapon 4 Combat record EditThe weapon was used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the later stages of the Second World War in the Pacific Theater against American armour The Intelligence Bulletin reported in March 1945 that United States forces met this weapon for the first time in Leyte Island The Philippines during the 1944 invasion It also reported that To date all attempts by the enemy to use the Lunge Mine against our tanks have met with failure and rates it as Perhaps the oddest of these antitank charges 1 In Vietnam it became an icon of the First Indochina War specifically the Battle of Hanoi during which Battalion Commander Nguyen Van Thieng tried to use it however the bombs failed to explode In the end he was shot and heroically sacrificed 5 Gallery Edit Schematic of the mines components Viet Minh soldier Nguyen Van Thieng holding a lunge mine at Hang Đậu Street in December 1946 Statue of an anti tank lunge mine being used by Nguyen Van Thieng in 1946 Military History Museum Hanoi Vietnam References Edit a b c d e New Weapons for Jap Tank Hunters U S WWII Intelligence Bulletin March 1945 Lone Sentry Archived from the original on 2017 09 29 Retrieved 2017 09 30 Japanese Anti Tank Assaults The Chieftain s Hatch World of Tanks official forum Page 5 2017 09 30 Archived from the original on 2018 07 30 Retrieved 2019 12 14 a b Japanese Explosive Ordnance Bombs Bomb Fuzes Land Mines Grenades Firing Devices and Sabotage Devices PDF Report Washington D C United States Government Printing Office 1953 pp 208 209 Archived from the original PDF on 2021 05 09 Retrieved 2021 05 09 WWII Japanese LUNGE MINE building a replica Archived from the original on 2017 09 29 Retrieved 2017 09 30 Explanatory board for replica of lunge mine held by a soldier at Vietnam Military History Museum Hanoi verified in December 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lunge mine amp oldid 1132210940, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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