Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[jcb]

I have an interest in Japanese ordnance, especially grenades and mines. I've never had an opportunity to examine a Japanese "beehive" cast iron serrated AP mine. Check your ordnance manuals if you're not sure what these look like. I'd love to buy one, but at the very least I'd just like to see one. These Use two different fuzes with different fuze adapters: The first fuze was the type 3 Ceramic mine bakelite fuze and the other is a modified type 88 instantaneous artillery fuze. The adapters are different for the two fuzes. I have what I believe is a modified (for landmine use) steel type 88 fuze with adapter ring. I wish I could attempt to attach it to a beehive mine to see if it's correct. Back in the mid 1990's a beehive AP mine went through Manion's Auction house, I do not know who got it. Do you have or know of an original Beehive mine?

Thanks!
Jim
Jap_ordnance_collector(at)yahoo(dot)com

[Smokey]

What were these mines used for?
Anti-personnel, vehicles or anything that set it off?

[jcb]

Hello. According to the manuals this is a "Nonstandard" Antipersonnel Fragmentation mine. It uses three different fuzes: The Type 3 bakelite mine fuze, the Type 93 mine fuze and a modified Type 88 artillery fuze. This mine was first encountered on Okinawa. Very interesting mine to say the least. This is one I'm looking for. Check the pics below.

The first set of images comes from "Japanese Explosive Ordnance" TM 9-1985-4






The second set of Pics comes from "Oriental and European Mine Warfare Equipment" TM 5-223B.



This comes from "Handbook of Japanese Explosive Ordnance" OPNAV 30-3M




Here's the fuze I have. It's a Modified Type 88 fuze with a strange adapter ring. It's directly in front of the smoke knee mortar shell in the picture. (Conical steel fuze with protruding aluminum nose)




Jim
JapaneseOrdnance(at)yahoo.com