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Chinese Militia Mines 1944

Bellifortis

Well-Known Member
I just found some very nice photos, of a US-reporter, in a US digital library. Has anyone here, especially those collecting japanese ammo, any knowledge about these handmade mines ? How did the fuze function. I suppose by friction, as there are fotos of militia members pulling a line for command detonation.
In all the photos, these chinese communists, seem to be happy people. They all always smile.
Regards,
Bellifortis.1944-Yan-an militia member holding mines.jpg
 
There are many examples on display in Chinese museums, particularly the Military Museum and Museum of People's Resistance, both located in Beijing. The were not normally done as mines, though I'm sure they could fill many roles. In several paintings and dioramas displayed they depict the fighters heaving them down ravines onto Japanese convoys below, as a sort of a heavy improvised grenade. I've posted some photos of them before, I don't remember ever seeing any fuzing in any of the ones on display.
 
Hallo US-Subs,
there were quite a few fotos of different sizes and shapes. But, they all seemed to have the same ignition device in the filling hole, which had a quite large diameter. What material were these mines/grenades made from and what was the filling ? Because all the mines had the same type of fusing, it seems to have been a functionable and easy construction. I have never before seen anything like it.
regards,
Bellifortis.
 
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