XM 45 Bounding Mine

[US-Subs]

Does anyone have any data on an XM45 bounding mine? Rumor has it that it was a variant built on the body of the XM54, but I've never found anything solid to support or dispute it. I've got a piece that is similar to a 54, but with too many differences. A few pages from a document would help.

 

[Yodamaster]

Xm 45

In Jane's "mines and mineclearance" edition 2003, I found the XM45E1 under the name "gravel mine".

 

[US-Subs]

Wrong one. Sometimes nomenclatures were re-used, or the same nomenclature used by different parts of the house. While I am not certain of the XM45 designation, it was suggested by a source that I give high reliability to. This is actually larger than an anti-tank mine. Attached is a picture. My XM54 is on the left (lite green), the unknown on the right (gray). The gray box on top of it is unrelated.

 

[blu97]

Is this the nasty pop up mine containing the WP which lucky never made it? cheers erik

 

[US-Subs]

Correct. It is a massive mine, which contained PWP - plastisized white phosphorus, as an anti-personnel weapon. The variant (XM45) is suposed have been developed for use with nerve agent VX. No documentation yet though.

 

[BOMBSaway1980]

thought I would add a diagram the M54 used a M55 PWP mine which was similar to the M23 mine placed upside down inside the mine casing

 

[stecol]

While I am not certain of the XM45 designation, it was suggested by a source that I give high reliability to. This is actually larger than an anti-tank mine. Attached is a picture.

US-Subs,

Could You could tell us what is the source You are referring to?

Thanks
stecol

 

[US-Subs]

This was an individual who ran a special contract for the US Govt. I didn't want to discuss out of respect for him, but he died not too long ago unexpectedly. He developed a special database for the Govt on Chem/bio weapons, making it much easier to reference different items/programs. The Govt gave him documents to work with, he entered them into the database and The Govt then bought copies of the database. His sources were both classified and open source, so there were limits to what he could discuss. He and I discussed this mine, he gave me the nomenclature and said he would search for any unclassified references. Since his death I have found some declassified info, I will try to dig it out this weekend and share some of it.

 

[stecol]

This was an individual who ran a special contract for the US Govt. I didn't want to discuss out of respect for him, but he died not too long ago unexpectedly. He developed a special database for the Govt on Chem/bio weapons, making it much easier to reference different items/programs. The Govt gave him documents to work with, he entered them into the database and The Govt then bought copies of the database. His sources were both classified and open source, so there were limits to what he could discuss. He and I discussed this mine, he gave me the nomenclature and said he would search for any unclassified references. Since his death I have found some declassified info, I will try to dig it out this weekend and share some of it.

I did't want to question your sources and if you thought so I apologize.
I'm sorry for the premature death of your friend.

My question aimed to know if there are any open sources to find some info on this device, me too had heard about XM45 but I never found anything official (or not) about it.

Regards
stecol

 

[US-Subs]

I've got a little bit. Unfortunately my electronic documents are in worse shape than my hard copies at the moment and it will take me a little time to find it.

 

[weberoed]

Jeff, don't know if you still need info on the 54 or not, but TM 9-1385-51 has a good write up on it. As best I can determine only 200 of them were sent to RVN in 69. Let me know about the 45 when you get the chance, just drop me an email and if you don't have a copy of the -51 I'll send it to you.

 

[US-Subs]

Thanks Mike, got it. I've got plenty of info on the XM-54, it was the CW variant I was looking for info on. Some recent documents I've found indicate that I had the wrong number, instead of an XM-45 it appears to be an XM-42 adapter kit for the M23 mine. I've found several developmental documents, I'll try and post some more info on it later. The diagrams are not perfect, but it seems to be the only thing close and the number is pretty close as well...... The mine/kit is nearly identical to the 54, so it would seem to all be part of the same development chain, but there is no indication in the text I've seen so far.