Tiger ausf. E : German S mine; anti personnel device used by Tiger tanks

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German S mine; anti personnel device used by Tiger tanks

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The "S mine" antipersonnel device was installed for close defence on some Tigers. This device is a mine that jumps up from the ground and explodes at a height of about 1 to 2 meters. A dedicated launcher was designed so that it could be fired from the Tiger or from other tanks [1, see 3.4.2.11] .

German S mine 35 with pressure trigger

This photo shows the original version, the "S-mine 35". There was a 1944 version that was probably never used on Tigers. The mine is the large cylinder, and the pipe on top is the "S.Mi.Z.35" pressure delay trigger. This trigger was attached when the S-mine was buried in the ground, but not when the mine was carried on a Tiger.

Sectioned and deactivated S-mine

Here is an S-mine in an Austrian museum, cut open and deactivated. Sharp metal fragments surround an interior cavity that was filled with explosives.

Section of German S mine

This German diagram of an S mine shows ball bearings or other shrapnel on the outside, explosive on the inside, and a central tube that connects the trigger to a powder charge in the base. The mine sits in a metal cup. The base charge blasts it upwards out of the cup while a delay material (Verzögerungssatz) burns through. After about a half second the fuse tubes (Zündkanal) ignite the main charge.

German S mine with electrical trigger

When used on the Tiger, the mines were electrically triggered [1, see 3.4.2.11] . The standard Glühzünder 28 trigger was screwed into the top, as shown in this diagram. This trigger had no delay, so the mine would launch immediately when fired, then explode a short distance from the Tiger.

[1] DW to Tiger 1

 
 

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