What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

200lb limpet mine

kiwieod

Well-Known Member
in the book "the sea devils" by mark felton which is about the ww2 british X-craft mini submarines they mention that the sub could carry 6x 200lb limpet mines on one side(on the outside) they are described as rectangular with carry handles
does any one know what they look like
 
There is possibly some confusion about this charge (MK22) in the above mentioned sources.


It was the large charge (MK20) the one filled with MINOL+RDX, the MK22 limpet was filled with TORPEX.


Each limpet had a 100lbs charge, the reported weight of 200lbs each may come from the fact that the carrier meant to be attached to the side of the X-Craft, which was designed from the MK20 case, had three compartments capable of housing two MK22 overlapped each, so 200lbs per compartment, 600lbs per side until a possible total of 1200lbs on both sides. The said carrier is visible in the attached images, the shape of the charge follows the outline of the compartments.


The MK22 was composed of three cylinders welded side by side on two end plates, the middle one being slightly larger in diameter and containing charge and mechanisms while the outers being the buoyancy chambers. On the upper end plate there were two handles and the firing mechanism access, on the front side the firing mechanism activation control and on the back side two strips provided with three magnets each, arranged in the cavities between the cylinders, for the adhesion to the target.
 

Attachments

  • XE.jpg
    XE.jpg
    276 KB · Views: 28
  • X51.jpg
    X51.jpg
    182.3 KB · Views: 30
Top