Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 9. 1ts May 1973
[Introduction]
(Save these features for academic interest)
This feature will conclude in the next edition of Salient, and will be followed with articles from the same sources on communications, civil engineering—in particular road making and building etc., transport, logistics, quarter-mastering—accommodation, catering, stores, clothing etc., field and base medical services, liaison between the different services, intelligence, electrical and mechanical engineering, ordnance, organisational structure and such other matters as may be of interest.
e. Claymore (fig. 12). The improvised claymore approximates the fragmentation effects of the claymore anti-personnel mine (M18 or M18A1). To construct an improvised claymore use a container similar to a 3.785 litter can (## 10). Place assorted metal fragments in the bottom of the container and cover with a buffer made of cardboard, leaves, grass, wood, or felt disk. Press plastic explosive firmly on top of the disk. The explosive-fragment ratio by weight, is I part explosive to 4 parts of metal. The weapon is positioned and aimed similar to a rocket fired without the launcher. For best results, prime the charge at the exact center point.
f. Ammonium Nitrate Fertilizer (AN). An explosive with a detonating velocity of three to four thousand meters per second may be made by using oil, gas, kerosene, or diesel fuel, and 33-1/3 per cent ammonium nitrate fertilizer. Pour 2 litres of fuel into into a 23-kilogram bag of prilled (small pellets), ammonium nitrate fertilizer and allow it to stand for at least an hour so that the pellets absorb the oil. Number 2 fuel is preferred and the fertilizer must be 33-1/3 per cent nitrate. A booster charge of 0.45 kilograms of TNT. or equivalent must be used to detonate the charge. An is very hygroscopic (absorbs moisture); therefore, suitable waterproof containers should be used for underwater and for prolonged periods of underground emplacement prior to detonation. Another method is the use of wax. Utilizing a fertilizer with 33-1/3 percent or more nitrogen in the prilled or pellet form, melt the wax and slowly add the fertilizer while stirring. A container (# 10 can) or sack is then filled with the mix and a 0.225 kilogram block of TNT is added before the wax cools. The TNT acts as a booster, and handles may be added to simplify carrying. This charge may be stored for a considerable length of time without a noticeable difference in strength.
Expedient Use of Standard Items
a. Firing Rockets Without a Launcher. When rocket launchers are not available, rockets may be fired using improvised techniques. The rocket must be placed at least 4 meters away from the target to permit discarding of the bore-riding safety pin, and so arming the rocket. For a launcher use any unobstructed V or U-shape trough or pipe. Ensure that boreriding safety pins are in continuous contact with launcher but do not impede rocket movement. Launch should be at least twice as long as rocket for ranges above 45 metres, but may be only as long for lesser ranges (fig 13). A salvo of rockets, fired electrically, provides good area coverage from defensive positions.
b. Electric Firing (fig. 14).
(1) | Disregard all but the two, white, plastic covered wires. |
(2) | Strip the plastic coverings to expose the bare wire. |
(3) | Connect the bared wires to the firing wire using a single twist. |
(4) | Remove the bore-riding safety band and place the rocket in the firing platform so that the bore-riding safety pin is depressed. |
(5) | Remove the shorting clip. |
(6) | Aim the rocket. |
(7) | Attach an electrical source and fire. |
c. Non-electric Firing. (Fig. 15).
(1) | Remove the wires from the fin assembly. |
(2) | Remove the plastic plug (cone) from the opening in the rear of the rocket venturi nozzle by prying it out with a non-sparking tool. |
(3) | Cut the end of a piece of time fuse and insert a match head. Tape matches around the fuse with the match heads directly over the end of the fuse. |
(4) | Drop 6 to 12 match heads into the rear of the rocket, ensuring that they are next to the propellant sticks. |
(5) | Remove the bore-riding safety band and place the rocket as described in b(4) above. |
(6) | Place the time fuse with match heads snugly against the disc-perforated separator. |
(7) | Aim the rocket and light the time fuse. The time fuse ignites the matches which in turn ignite the rocket propellant. |
d. Aiming the Rocket. The cardboard rocket container may be used as an aiming tube. Place string across the open end of the tube to form a cross (fig. 16). Sight through the aperture of tube and adjust the firing platform until the desired sight picture is obtained. Remove the tube and place the rocket on the firing platform. The metal shipping container may be used as a firing platform.
e. Using the Rocket Head as a Shaped Charge. The rocket head may be separated from the fuse-motor assembly and used as a stationary shaped charge.
(1) | Grasp the rocket head with one pipe wrench and the fuse and motor assembly with another (fig. 17). (Caution—carefully remove the rocket motor assembly; a red dot on the fuse is stab-sensitive.) |
(2) | Unscrew the motor-fuse assembly from the rocket head. |
(3) | To prime the rocket head, use plastic explosives with a triple roll-detonating cord knot or a blasting cap (fig. 16). Secure the primer to the rocket head with tape. |
(4) | Tape sticks to the rocket to maintain rocket head in an upright position. Proper stand-off distance is provided by the rocket head (ogive). Cut the shipping tube cardboard to hold the rocket upright. |
f. Bangalore Torpedo. A bangalore torpedo is designed to breach wire barriers and minefields. In an emergency, they may be improvised.
(1) | Breaching barbed wire. Tamp explosive into a piece of steel pipe long enough to span the wire obstacle. Prime the torpedo at one end. Position the torpedo under the wire on the ground. The explosion causes the fragment from the pipe to cut the wire, thus creating a path through the barrier. This torpedo should also detonate mines underneath it and may be fired electrically or non-electrically. |
(2) | Breaching mine fields. If no pipe is available, a torpedo may be constructed by taping explosives end to end on a length of wood such as a small tree. The effectiveness of this torpedo can be increased by placing another piece of wood or log on top of the explosive. The length of the torpedo must equal the length of the desired path in the mine field. To insure positive detonation, imbed detonating cord in the explosive for the entire length of the torpedo. Prime the torpedo at one end. This torpedo will not consistently cut wire barriers but should detonate all mines underneath it. |