Early 2.36" M6 Bazooka Rocket

[US-Subs]

I love seeing pics of ordnance being made, Lex has 3 great shots of the pinapple being produced.

Eodtek..that would be a great shot of seeing them dipped into the OD paint..check out the pic below..there is a M10A2 spoon out of my collection that looks like it was dipped..it has paint both sides.

Us-subs..im kinda new at this..dont even know what a miclic is.. YET..:tinysmile_shy_t:

MICLIC stands for Mine Clearing Line Charge - a device used to "breach" mine fields by firing a rocket over the field, which drags an explosive charge behind it. This charge is then detonated, in theory clearing the path of landmines and leaving a route through the field. The current version (M58) uses something like 5lbs of C4 per linear foot.

This type of device has been in use for many years now, I saw Russian ones in use in Bosnia, and witnessed the US version in use in Kuwait and in testing against submunition mine fields at WSMR.

What I was not aware of was that GIs were playing with an improvised version in WWII, using detonating cord and a live 2.36-inch rocket.

Here is a photo (Wikipedia) of the current MICLIC, followed by several shots of WWII GIs giving a demonstration of the concept at that time. Of note is the proximity of everyone at the moment of firing to the rocket (live AT) and the detonating cord. This was in Italy, April, 1945.

 

[HAZORD]

An interesting story about the development of the current MICLIC. One of the original designs was to have the line charge of C4 in its carrying tub with the rocket towing motor all mounted on top of an armored vehicle, so the vehicle full of troops could drive up to the edge of the mine field, fire the line charge, and then drive to where the charge stopped.

During one of the tests, the system was initiated, the rocket motor failed to fire, and all of the C4 detonated on top of the vehicle. Testing was halted till they found smarter designers.

 

[US-Subs]

The color code for HE loaded munitions changed in 1942. Prior to this, all munitions, land mines, grenades, bombs, 60 and 81mm mortar and artillery projectiles from 37mm up, were painted yellow with black lettering. The code then changed to Olive drab with yellow lettering for HE loaded munitions as the warhead on the rocket shows. There are exceptions for some Navy used ordnance. Their bombs were painted Gray with a colored dot between the lugs.

A number of munitions that were originally yellow were repainted over the yellow with OD. Some of the more commonly found, are the MK II pineapple grenades. If you watch the move "The Thin Red Line" about Marines in the Pacific early WWII, they are carrying yellow MK IIs.

Imagine how easy it would be to find an ammo dump on land or on an aircraft carrier deck from the air, if all the bombs were painted yellow.

You can still find the yellow MKIIs on Guadalcanal, I saw several when I was there a while back. Its not a nice yellow, but its clearly yellow. Actually I saw more VB rifle grenades on the island than MKIIs, no doubt their dud rate was phenomenal - (the Marines always get the best equipment) - what would the VB have been colored?

 

[US-Subs]

Direct from the Thin Red Line - as I stated, its not a good yellow, but it was clearly yellow. You can also compare it to the MKII next to it. The 60mm mortar on the left was also yellow, but it is even in worse conditon.

The VBs obviously have no paint left to judge by, curious though. I don't think I've ever seen a VB in a post WWI manual to see how it should be painted.

 

[Madbomber31]

Also from the fields in Holland,
Yellow top and Green bottem.

 

[US-Subs]

Interesting, I've got one that is green top and yellow bottom.

 

[Dirt Detective]

Direct from the Thin Red Line - as I stated, its not a good yellow, but it was clearly yellow. You can also compare it to the MKII next to it. The 60mm mortar on the left was also yellow, but it is even in worse conditon.

The VBs obviously have no paint left to judge by, curious though. I don't think I've ever seen a VB in a post WWI manual to see how it should be painted.

Great pics... even after all these years look how the yellow stands out.. I love the pics of your mine any more pics of the top?

 

[Dirt Detective]

Also from the fields in Holland,
Yellow top and Green bottem.

Wow..any chance of more pics? great piece

 

[US-Subs]

No, but my son is at home this week, I can always have him take some. I don't think it had any nomenclature though - been a while since I dug it out and looked at it.

 

[Dirt Detective]

No rush..if you get a chance, I would love to see a pic looking inside the fuze well. And..is the bottom yellow too? Thanks for any help.
Rgds, Mike

 

[Madbomber31]

One of the Fuze pocket and i have no more photo's of this one

 

[ordnance]

Well, this thread has taken more turns than a winding road. I have a great image of women dipping MkII grenades in OD paint and hanging them on wires to dry. Unfortunately, it can't be found at the moment but will post it when it turns up.

In the meantime, here are a couple images of another of this thread's twists, a fairly current MICLIC. This one is a self contained 4'X4' metal chest full of inert explosive blocks tethered together. Laying on top is the rocket motor that projects the explosive chain. I've never seen one of these things fired but have been told they are actually aimed in the direction opposite you want them to fly. That's because the weight of the long chain of blocks, once in the air, will pull the rocket motor back over itself and pull it in the opposite direction. If that's true, it was likely an interesting surprise to the test engineers the first time that played out on the test range. Perhaps US-Subs or one of our other EOD qualified contributors can verify that.


Rick

 

[V40]

The original R/G MICLIC using no explosives.

 

[US-Subs]

Well, this thread has taken more turns than a winding road. I have a great image of women dipping MkII grenades in OD paint and hanging them on wires to dry. Unfortunately, it can't be found at the moment but will post it when it turns up.

In the meantime, here are a couple images of another of this thread's twists, a fairly current MICLIC. This one is a self contained 4'X4' metal chest full of inert explosive blocks tethered together. Laying on top is the rocket motor that projects the explosive chain. I've never seen one of these things fired but have been told they are actually aimed in the direction opposite you want them to fly. That's because the weight of the long chain of blocks, once in the air, will pull the rocket motor back over itself and pull it in the opposite direction. If that's true, it was likely an interesting surprise to the test engineers the first time that played out on the test range. Perhaps US-Subs or one of our other EOD qualified contributors can verify that.


Rick

Sorry Rick, In Kuwait I never got there in time for the firing, just after. Likewise in Bosnia, we could go in afterwards and look at the results of the Russian system, but they didn't want us anyplace around when they were using it - most stand-offish of all EOD teams in country. At WSMR we were testing a backpack version (don't remember whose) against German AT-2s dispensed from MLRS - AT-2s won. I've got a copy of the pub on MICLIC somewhere, but it may only be an EOD document, so would not tell anything about how it lauches, just what to do with the mess. I'll look around later and see what I can find

 

[US-Subs]

No rush..if you get a chance, I would love to see a pic looking inside the fuze well. And..is the bottom yellow too? Thanks for any help.
Rgds, Mike

Looks like a little bit of a transmission problem with the photos, but here they are regardless.

 

[Dirt Detective]

Thank you both for the pics of the inside of the HE Mine's..never seen that before..:tinysmile_grin_t: That answers some questions. great pics..US Subs

If anyone knows of an original mine like the one above thats for sale, please let me know..Im in the market.

 

[Madbomber31]

Here is one for sale,

http://www.relicsofwar.com/cgi-bin/Display_Items.asp?Cat=174&Sub=710

 

[HAZORD]

Some interesting items there. And some unbelievable high prices!

 

[HAZORD]

I don't have an old 2.36 inch rocket, but I do have a 42 dated mine.

 

[Dirt Detective]

Great mine Hazord...would you guys who posted mine pics mind if I copy your pics and add them to my mine thread?