postcards from Verdun

[Surpmil]

Mines are an under-rated weapon even today I suspect. There were some major surprises in Japanese mine use in WWII, similar to their torpedoes as I learned recently while reading this book. For example mines anchored in water up to a mile deep, rather than the 600m the USN felt was the maximum feasible etc. (Going from memory there)

[Flying10uk]

1000kg of explosives per mine?

That is my understanding for a magnetic mine, as used by the Germans in WW2.

The films on this thread below, that I started a couple of years ago, illustrate the power and the damage that one would do on land. Family members were a mile or two away and reported that it made "a very big bang" when it went off. Sadly 6 people died, including the crew of the aircraft and many people were injured.

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=67092

[Daan Kemp]

A mine carrying 1000kg of explosives would have been very heavy for WWII aircraft to carry I believe, even for ships. That's why I wondered. Probably the total weight of the mine.

[CINDERS]

A defused, German 1,000 kg 'Luftmine'. Glasgow, 18 March ~ the mine was delivered by parachute hence the lack of stabilising fins and damage to the mine.
The Brits ever the thrifty people found each cord from the parachute was enough for a sweater to be knitted.

The Heinkel He III had a maximum speed of 252 mph (405 km) and had a range of 1,280 miles (2,060 km). It was 53 ft 9 in (16.39 m) long with a wingspan of 74 ft 1 in (22.60 m). The aircraft was armed with 6 machine-guns and could carry 5,501 lb (2,495 kg) of bombs.

If you manage to get the book Softly Tread The Brave it will certainly give you the stark realities of what the bomb disposal personnel went through against these fiendish devices its well worth a copy a sequel to it which I have is called "Open The Ports".

As a side note if the fuse ran then the mine disposal officer had 17 seconds to run 400 yards as that was the blast radius, in on case a fuse did run but the officer stayed at it laying on the mine managing to stop the firing sequence by an unmeasurable amount.
All this was done hanging upside down reaching out of sight on an ammunition barge packed with munitions, all the best that they could hope for if rewarded for their efforts was the George Cross as they were all RNVR - Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve.

[Daan Kemp]

The aircraft could carry only two mines then.

[CINDERS]

They would probably have had a mix on the night raids some with H.E others with incendiary's and some mine layers sometimes they sent over a single plane to drop them these were tracked and the position of the mine fairly well known.
But they still lost ships and people as it was a terror weapon, as far as the George mine went they assembled the mines in filtered light thus not activating the photoelectric cells.
The mine also contained the worlds first printed circuit well ahead of its time.

[CINDERS]

I started also to collect these little booklets on fighting ships from both conflicts but have not seen any here in Aus for quite some time.

[Daan Kemp]

What I love about this forum, you learn such a lot of stuff not part of the original post. I usually follow threads to see where they go and learn more, like this one!

[30Three]

Yes agreed; i enjoy the way that threads can turn into really interesting conversations.

Regarding the WW2 bomb diposal; I will have to look for that book Cinder's. I've read a few accounts of George Medal winner's. Very brave men indeed.
In one case the bomb disposal was told that the safety hole he was digging was too close to the bomb! but he pointed out that it was better too close than too far way!
a cool head and steady hand!

[CINDERS]

Yes a story in that book relates to a safety chain they used to drag over the acoustic/magnetic mines to set them off but the rope attached to the chain was cut short (Pilfered) the mine was out on the mud flats and had been there a fair while.
The rating said to the officer that they were to close to the mine, the officer said not to worry the things probably dead, as the chain mounted it the mine detonated. They were very close and had their backs to the mine, were knee deep in mud, the blast wave knocked them flat onto their faces with their knees bending the wrong way.
The officers reaction after they got up was "Oh! well that's that then" or something to that effect.............!