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Italian WW2 Wood Box Mine

Kilroy was Here

Well-Known Member
Hello, here is my example of the Italian box mine that I have just completed with the correct type fuze. I finally found one of these fuzes with the help of a good friend. Thanks Roberto!

The question is, has anyone seen these two wooden pieces that are inside the mine? The mine came from Germany about a year ago, and these 2 wood parts were inside ???

I think maybe they do not belong with this mine, and just something that a previous collector installed in it for some reason?

Or maybe they were used for a some type of small training charge?
If they do not belong in the mine and are not something original, I want to remove them. Thanks in advance for any opinions, help or info.
 

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Hi Steve,

Don't dispose the wooden blocks !
They are the adapters (support) for a cilindrical smoke charge for this training version of "Mina R" (this is one of the real names of this ordnance).
You can recognize the training version by the two small holes on the pressure cover and the presence of the wooden blocks.

Ciao
stecol
 
Saluti Stecol, OK, thanks for the info. I had thought that all the WW2 Italian box mines had 2 holes in the top lid. All the mines that I have seen have the two holes?

I thought the 2 holes were also in the lid of HE mine? for a string to hold and help support the fuze ?

Do you think these two wood pieces in the mine are WW2 era or post war made?

Do you, or maybe someone else have any pictures or drawings what the cylindrical practice smoke charge would have looked like?

I am glad I kept the 2 wood pieces, I would not have disposed of them, I always keep everything. :tinysmile_angry_t:
 
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Saluti Stecol, OK, thanks for the info. I had thought that all the WW2 Italian box mines had 2 holes in the top lid. All the mines that I have seen have the two holes?

Hi Steve,

They have the two holes because they are all training mines. Actually I never seen the "war" variant on the market.

I thought the 2 holes were also in the lid of HE mine? for a string to hold and help support the fuze ?

Sometimes there was a string thru the holes, but I think it was an help to lift the cover (see the photo).

Do you think these two wood pieces in the mine are WW2 era or post war made?

Almost surely post war, so the training version of the Mina R.

Do you, or maybe someone else have any pictures or drawings what the cylindrical practice smoke charge would have looked like?

I'm sorry but I can't help You. I'm looking for info and/or images about this item since 2002, but i didn't find nothing.

Regards
stecol

P.S: The original (extended) name of the "Mina R" is:
"Mina a pressione contro bersagli animati modello 42"
 

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Hi Steve,

They have the two holes because they are all training mines. Actually I never seen the "war" variant on the market.

Sometimes there was a string thru the holes, but I think it was an help to lift the cover (see the photo).

Almost surely post war, so the training version of the Mina R.

I'm sorry but I can't help You. I'm looking for info and/or images about this item since 2002, but i didn't find nothing.

Regards
stecol

P.S: The original (extended) name of the "Mina R" is:
"Mina a pressione contro bersagli animati modello 42"





Hi Stecol, Thank you for the information you have learned about these mines. I appreciate you sharing this info.

Where these mines also used post war? I did not think these were also used after WW2?

Maybe you will someday find this practice smoke charge, and can post it here for us to see.
 
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Hi Steve,

From my info the mina R was not used abroad, but it remained in service with Italian Army till seventies.
If and when I'll find info or pictures on smoke carge, I'll post them, be sure !:tinysmile_twink_t:

Regards
stecol
 
ciao stecol

just ask!! :tinysmile_grin_t:
here my R and RM mine

you can see th smoke charghe too.

both charge are dummy, concrete filled.
note the igniter on R mine it's bad inserted.

best regards
 

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Hi Steve,

From my info the mina R was not used abroad, but it remained in service with Italian Army till seventies.
If and when I'll find info or pictures on smoke carge, I'll post them, be sure !:tinysmile_twink_t:

Regards
stecol


Thanks Stecol. I did not know the mines were used until 70's!
Our friend "fert" has now shown the mysterious smoke charges!

Best Regards, Steve..............Stefano :tinysmile_grin_t:
 
ciao stecol

just ask!! :tinysmile_grin_t:
here my R and RM mine

you can see th smoke charghe too.

both charge are dummy, concrete filled.
note the igniter on R mine it's bad inserted.

best regards


Ahhhhhh......Very good pictures, Thank you very much fert!!

The smoke charges are very interesting to see. You are lucky to have them.

This has become a very good thread.....
Just Ask......and you shall receive! :tinysmile_twink_t:

Are your two mines R & RM you show from an Italian Museum?

My friend here in the US has a mine exactly like yours with the "small metal number disc" attached to the top lid.

I think maybe my friends mine, and your 2 mines are from a Museum?
 
Fert is GREAT !

The item numbered "5" is a real war variant (without the smoke vent holes) of the rarest "Mina RM".

stecol
 
my contribution...
thickness 4mm
 

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RM with M for metalic, when fragmentation is placed between the wood and the explosive.
 
my contribution...
thickness 4mm & RM with M for metalic, when fragmentation is placed between the wood and the explosive.


Great!! excellent contribition FZG76, and the pics are fantastic, I have wondered what the metal fragmentation plates looked like for these mines.

This thread now has just about all the information that anyone would want about these mines.

Thank you Fert, Stecol, and FZG76. :congrats:

One more question...are the plates made from steel, or some type of alloy?
 
Guys, its awesome how GREAT this forum is: I have never heard nor seen that Italian mine, one question here.... and BOOOM. Im starting to cry from the emotion.... :cry: YOU ARE THE BEST!
 
RM with M for metalic, when fragmentation is placed between the wood and the explosive.

I'm sorry FZG76, but the "M" stands for "Modificata" (Modified, Reformada, Modifi, Модификация ....), not for "Metallica", due to the double rim fuze used in this model, the "Accenditore RM", which allows the use of the mine in pressure mode or in tripwire mode.
The frag plates ("piastrine metalliche a frattura prestabilita") are used both in the "Mina R" and in the "Mina RM".

Regards
stecol
 
MORE, MORE!!!! Also, Im sure that you already noted that this type of wood box/AP mine is almost exactly design as the German, Finnish, Russian, etc, ones, any of you can tell us what country was the original designer?
 
The first to develop a mine of this type were the Russians in 1939-40, although probably maybe something had been done by the Finns during the Winter War.

The Mina R was adopted by the Regio Esercito in 1942 as "Mina a pressione contro bersagli animati modello 42": it's very similar in appearance and operation to the Soviet PMD-6.
Probably just this model owes its origin: in fact already in the Fall-Winter 1941, Engeneer Command of CSIR had sent in Italy many models of mines used by the Russians, followed by accurate technical reports.

Almost simultaneously, in January 1942, the Inspector of Corps of Engineers ordered the Technical Services to study and develop as soon as two new mines, antitank and antipersonnel, taking care the experience of the first two years of war.
The general characteristics required: simple construction, easy serial production, use of non-strategic materials, minimal use of metal components to avoid mine detectors, strong structure, safe operation. The High Directorate of the Technical Service of Engineers developed the Mina R.

Early the mine was made with the bakelite housing (rare, never seen), but since April 1943, due to the limited availability of this resin, is passed to use wood for the housing: after the war continued to use this material. The Mina R remained in service for many years the Italian Army, and was used in the live model the '60s and the Pratice at least until the '70s.

Regards
stecol
 
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