Ampulomet

Ampulomet
Ampulomet
	Ampulomet and PM M1910 machine gun at the Museum of the Battle of Stalingrad.
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
Used by	Soviet Union; Finland
Wars	World War II
Production history
Manufacturer	Lenningrad
Specifications
Mass	26 kg (57 lb 5 oz)
Length	1 m (3 ft 3 in)
Barrel length	.84 m (2 ft 9 in)[1]
Crew	3[2]
Shell	Separate loading black powder charge and AZh-2 projectile containing KS incendiary.
Shell weight	1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz)[3]
Caliber	125 mm (4.9 in)
Recoil	None
Elevation	0° to +12°
Traverse	360°[1]
Rate of fire	8 rpm
Muzzle velocity	50 m/s (160 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	250 m (820 ft)[1]

The Ampulomet (Russian: 125-мм ампуломёт образца 1941 года, also rendered Ampulomyot, ampulla mortar, etc., lit. "ampule/vial thrower" cf. миномёт) was an expedient anti-tank weapon which launched a 125 mm incendiary projectile made of spherical glass.[4][5] This weapon was introduced in 1941 and used (to a limited degree) by the Red Army in World War II, but by 1942 was largely obsolete.[6]

Design

Finnish troops testing the Ampulomet in 1941.

The weapon consisted of an unrifled tube with a crude breach mounted on a Y shaped pedestal which pivoted on trunnions to provide elevation. Two breech mounted inverted horns were provided for traverse/elevation and a simple inclinometer for targeting and range calculation. A black powder charge was inserted into the breech and fired by a percussion cap to propel the AZh-2 glass ampule.[1] The ampules were filled with an incendiary mixture known as KS. KS was a mixture of 80% phosphorus and 20% sulfur which ignited when exposed to air. The burning mixture created a bright flame, thick white smoke and would burn for up to three minutes at temperatures between 800–1,000 °C (1,470–1,830 °F). The burning liquid would seep through vision slots or engine grilles on a tank and ignite ammunition or fuel as well as choke and blind the crew.[7]

References

Chamberlain, Peter (1975). Infantry, mountain, and airborne guns. Gander, Terry. New York: Arco. p. 63. ISBN 0668038195. OCLC 2067391.
Steve J. Zaloga; Leland S. Ness (1998). Red Army Handbook 1939-1945. Sutton Pub. p. 197. ISBN 978-0-7509-1740-7.
David M. Glantz (2005). Companion To Colossus Reborn: Key Documents And Statistics. University Press of Kansas. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-7006-1359-5.
Círculo Militar (Buenos Aires, Argentina) (1945). Revista. Calle de Viamonte. p. 562.
Gordon L. Rottman (2007). Soviet Rifleman 1941-45. Osprey Publishing. pp. 30–. ISBN 978-1-84603-127-4.
Gordon L. Rottman (2005). World War II Infantry Anti-Tank Tactics. Osprey Publishing. pp. 47–. ISBN 978-1-84176-842-7.
Natzvaladze, Yury (1996). The Trophies Of The Red Army During The Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. Volume 1. Scottsdale, Arizona: Land O'Sun Printers. pp. 31–34.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[:0-1] Chamberlain, Peter (1975). Infantry, mountain, and airborne guns. Gander, Terry. New York: Arco. p. 63. ISBN 0668038195. OCLC 2067391.

[ZalogaNess1998-2] Steve J. Zaloga; Leland S. Ness (1998). Red Army Handbook 1939-1945. Sutton Pub. p. 197. ISBN 978-0-7509-1740-7.

[Glantz2005-3] David M. Glantz (2005). Companion To Colossus Reborn: Key Documents And Statistics. University Press of Kansas. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-7006-1359-5.

[Argentina)1945-4] Círculo Militar (Buenos Aires, Argentina) (1945). Revista. Calle de Viamonte. p. 562.

[Rottman2007-5] Gordon L. Rottman (2007). Soviet Rifleman 1941-45. Osprey Publishing. pp. 30–. ISBN 978-1-84603-127-4.

[Rottman2005-6] Gordon L. Rottman (2005). World War II Infantry Anti-Tank Tactics. Osprey Publishing. pp. 47–. ISBN 978-1-84176-842-7.

[7] Natzvaladze, Yury (1996). The Trophies Of The Red Army During The Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. Volume 1. Scottsdale, Arizona: Land O'Sun Printers. pp. 31–34.