M7 mine
Encyclopedia
The M7 is a small metal cased U.S.
anti-tank blast mine
that was used during the Second World War. It was based on the British
Hawkins grenade
. Approximately 2.5 million were produced before production ceased, and although it has long since been withdrawn from U.S. service, it can be found in Angola
, Burma, Cambodia
, Chad
, Eritrea
, Ethiopia
, Korea
, Lebanon
, Myanmar
, Somalia
, Thailand
and Zambia
.
. The fuze is triggered by relatively low pressures, making the mine effective against trucks and cars. Additionally, the fuze may be sensitive enough to make it effective as an anti-personnel mine
. The mine was normally deployed inside a cloth bag or sack to prevent rocks getting trapped under the hinged lid of the mine. The mine only had a small main charge, so was typically deployed in lines or rows of up to five mines to be effective against tanks.
Several variants of the mine were produced, and two chemical (the M600 and M601) and one mechanical fuze (the M603) were developed for the mine. A secondary fuze well may be fitted to the mine, for anti-handling devices. The most common type of booby trap detonator was the M1 pull which was installed in the end fuse well. This could be attached to a trip wire or a small stake underground for anti-removal detonation. Command detonations could be achieved by screwing in an electric cap adapter and firing it with a demolition firing machine. It could even be detonated by installing a standard firing coupler with a fuse cap and safety fuse.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
anti-tank blast mine
Anti-tank mine
An anti-tank mine, , is a type of land mine designed to damage or destroy vehicles including tanks and armored fighting vehicles....
that was used during the Second World War. It was based on the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Hawkins grenade
Hawkins grenade
The Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank, No. 75, also known as the Hawkins grenade was a British anti-tank hand grenade used during World War II. It was one of a number of grenades developed for use by the British Army and Home Guard in the aftermath of the Dunkirk evacuation...
. Approximately 2.5 million were produced before production ceased, and although it has long since been withdrawn from U.S. service, it can be found in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, Burma, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
, Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
.
Description
The mine has a thin olive green painted steel case, with a large hinged pressure plate. This plate transfers force onto the mine's fuzeFuze
Fuze Beverage, commercially referred to as just Fuze , is a manufacturer of teas and non-carbonated fruit drinks enriched with vitamins. Currently the brand consists of five vitamin-infused lines: Slenderize, Refresh, Tea, Defensify, and Vitalize...
. The fuze is triggered by relatively low pressures, making the mine effective against trucks and cars. Additionally, the fuze may be sensitive enough to make it effective as an anti-personnel mine
Anti-personnel mine
Anti-personnel mines are a form of land mine designed for use against humans, as opposed to anti-tank mines, which are designed for use against vehicles...
. The mine was normally deployed inside a cloth bag or sack to prevent rocks getting trapped under the hinged lid of the mine. The mine only had a small main charge, so was typically deployed in lines or rows of up to five mines to be effective against tanks.
Several variants of the mine were produced, and two chemical (the M600 and M601) and one mechanical fuze (the M603) were developed for the mine. A secondary fuze well may be fitted to the mine, for anti-handling devices. The most common type of booby trap detonator was the M1 pull which was installed in the end fuse well. This could be attached to a trip wire or a small stake underground for anti-removal detonation. Command detonations could be achieved by screwing in an electric cap adapter and firing it with a demolition firing machine. It could even be detonated by installing a standard firing coupler with a fuse cap and safety fuse.
Specifications
- Weight: 2.2 kg
- Explosive content: 1.62 kg of TetrylTetryl2,4,6-Trinitrophenylmethylnitramine commonly referred to as tetryl is a sensitive explosive compound used to make detonators and explosive booster charges....
- Length: 178 mm
- Width: 114 mm
- Height: 64 mm
- Operating pressure: 60 to 110 kg
Variants
- M7 - fitted with M600 chemical fuze
- M7A1 - fitted with M601 chemical fuze
- M7A2 - fitted with M602 mechanical fuze