Cutaway model of the practice version of a Valmara 59 bounding mine.
This practice version of the Valmara 59 is used for practicing the laying, passing and clearance of minefields. The fuuze functions the same way as with the live version, however on activation the mine starts emitting red smoke. The mine contains no explosive parts, exept for the firing pin activated flash igniter.
To bring the mine to the same weight as a live mine it is filled with earth mixed with stamping waste. The fragmentation charge and the inner aluminium housing are left away with this practice version of the mine.
In the center of the mine a white nylon bushing is placed in which the fuze is placed -in top- by means of a twist lock. In this bushing there is a hole in the middle in which a -also white nylon- centerpiece is placed, housing the –here useless- firing pin and the flash igniter which ignites the smoke charge. As the practice mine has no wire this centerpiece is shorter than with the live version , the lower end replaced with a brass pipe to receive the smoke charge. The nylon centerpiece can move up- and down in the nylon bushing, and is forced to rotate during this movement as with the live mine, but only to fixate the smoke charge in the practice mine.
The fuze consists of a white plastic lower fuze part with a pipe pice in the center in which the spring loaded firing pin is placed. The firing pin has a circular groove in top in which three steel balls are placed. The steel balls are placed in a brass cage with a lifting eye in top. The cage and the balls are placed in a brass ring that is cast in the lower fuze part and keeps the balls forced inward and the firing pin fixated in the spring loaded condition. On top of the lower fuze part a black plactic half sphere is placed on the top rim of the lower fuze part, covered with a sheet metal half sphere with four pronges brassed to it. The fifth pronge is screwed into the center of the black plastic half sphere and has a hook brassed to the base, connected with the lifting eye on the brass cage. Stepping upon the outer pronges, or with sideways pulling of the center pronge by means of a trip wire, this will rotate the plastic sphere half over the upper rim of the lower fuze body, lifting the cage with the three steel balls upward, allowing the steel balls to move outward, releasing the firing pin. This will ignite the flash igniter which ignites the smoke charge.
Data practice version V59:
Weight : 3,2 kg
Diameter : 104 mm
Total height (including pronge) : 196 mm
Height mine body : 117,5 mm.
Operating pressure / pull : 10 kg on outer pronges , 6 kg pull on central pronge
Regards, DJH
This practice version of the Valmara 59 is used for practicing the laying, passing and clearance of minefields. The fuuze functions the same way as with the live version, however on activation the mine starts emitting red smoke. The mine contains no explosive parts, exept for the firing pin activated flash igniter.
To bring the mine to the same weight as a live mine it is filled with earth mixed with stamping waste. The fragmentation charge and the inner aluminium housing are left away with this practice version of the mine.
In the center of the mine a white nylon bushing is placed in which the fuze is placed -in top- by means of a twist lock. In this bushing there is a hole in the middle in which a -also white nylon- centerpiece is placed, housing the –here useless- firing pin and the flash igniter which ignites the smoke charge. As the practice mine has no wire this centerpiece is shorter than with the live version , the lower end replaced with a brass pipe to receive the smoke charge. The nylon centerpiece can move up- and down in the nylon bushing, and is forced to rotate during this movement as with the live mine, but only to fixate the smoke charge in the practice mine.
The fuze consists of a white plastic lower fuze part with a pipe pice in the center in which the spring loaded firing pin is placed. The firing pin has a circular groove in top in which three steel balls are placed. The steel balls are placed in a brass cage with a lifting eye in top. The cage and the balls are placed in a brass ring that is cast in the lower fuze part and keeps the balls forced inward and the firing pin fixated in the spring loaded condition. On top of the lower fuze part a black plactic half sphere is placed on the top rim of the lower fuze part, covered with a sheet metal half sphere with four pronges brassed to it. The fifth pronge is screwed into the center of the black plastic half sphere and has a hook brassed to the base, connected with the lifting eye on the brass cage. Stepping upon the outer pronges, or with sideways pulling of the center pronge by means of a trip wire, this will rotate the plastic sphere half over the upper rim of the lower fuze body, lifting the cage with the three steel balls upward, allowing the steel balls to move outward, releasing the firing pin. This will ignite the flash igniter which ignites the smoke charge.
Data practice version V59:
Weight : 3,2 kg
Diameter : 104 mm
Total height (including pronge) : 196 mm
Height mine body : 117,5 mm.
Operating pressure / pull : 10 kg on outer pronges , 6 kg pull on central pronge
Regards, DJH
