Mr. Clark Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 My wife and I began watching Saving Private Ryan again last night and she began firing questions at me that I couldn't answer... so here they are: 1) What is that loooooong, pipelike bomb that they use once reaching the "safety" of a sand bank during the beach landing? (They explode the thing, and then hop over the sand hill.) 2) What are the floating blimp-like balloon things for? (appearing on the beach, attached to stuff, after the fighting is over.) I've seen them in actual D-Day photos, but never knew what they were for. Anyone? Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingfish Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 1) Bangalore torpedoe, used to clear minefields and other obstacles 2) Barrage balloons, used to deter low flying raiders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Clark Posted January 9, 2001 Author Share Posted January 9, 2001 Okay, that brings up 2 more questions: 1) how does the Bangalore torpedo work? Is the whole thing explosive, or just one part? 2) Just to make sure I understand, the balloons kept low enemy aircraft attacks away, because of the chance of running into the balloons? Thanks for the quick reply! Sorry about the further Q's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaffertape Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 I think the balloons were that simple: It was to deter low-flying planes from running into them or their wires. Not sure about the bangalores... I'd never seen or heard of them until SPR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Heidman Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 1. I think just the end exploded. The rest was just so you could shove the end under the wire. 2. Yes. The wires holding the balloons down were probably the greatest hazard. jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntg84 Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 1) Whole thing is explosive, it blows trenches. 2)Correct, you dont want to get a wing or prop caught on a steel cable, which held the balloons up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Clark Posted January 9, 2001 Author Share Posted January 9, 2001 Sweet! Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compassion Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mr. Clark: 2) Just to make sure I understand, the balloons kept low enemy aircraft attacks away, because of the chance of running into the balloons? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Into the balloons... or most especially into the cables holding them. Running into one of those cables would be a nice way to shear a wing. (spelling edit) [This message has been edited by Compassion (edited 01-09-2001).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt.Tom Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 I think the whole thing is explosive, the point was to destroy the barbed wire so if only the ends explode it would not do much but that is just what I remember. Pvt.Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogface Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 DESCRIPTION: The M1A1 Bangalore Torpedo is an antipersonnel mine clearing charge dating back to World War II. It clears a footpath 0.6 meters wide. The Bangalore is effective against antipersonnel mines and has low reliability in cutting modern, high tensile strength barbed wire obstacles. Each Bangalore section weighs 13 pounds, including nine pounds of explosive. The Bangalore kit consists of ten 5-foot sections. STATUS: The system has been fielded since the 1940's. There are currently 2900 sets in Continental United States depots and 28,600 worldwide. EMPLOYMENT CONCEPT: The Bangalore Torpedo is a man-portable device for use by dismounted Infantry or Engineer troops. An individual soldier, or team of two, connects the number of needed sections, then pushes the Bangalore through the minefield before detonating. An electric or nonelectric blasting cap initiates detonation. The system is heavy and cumbersome to handle. BASIS OF ISSUE: The Bangalore Torpedo is a Class V item stored in Ammunition Supply Points and issued for missions when required. TRAINING/PERSONNEL: Training consists of classroom instruction, dry-run drills, video-tape, and live fire practice. Training literature includes the Operator's Manual. Unit training is currently conducted but is dependent on range availability and individual commander's emphasis. In maneuver units, locally fabricated training devices are used to simulate breaching wire obstacles in small unit exercises, while Navy units tend to train with the actual device against obstacles. Training rarely is conducted against live anti-personnel mines. ------------------ Berlin calling, Berlin calling, when Berlin calls it pays to listen..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Clark Posted January 9, 2001 Author Share Posted January 9, 2001 So it was used to clear obstacles, AND to make trenches? It does kind of look like it makes a nice trench in the movie... or was the "trench" blown in the ground just a pleasant side effect? EDIT: Was writing this as Dogface was posting his great description. Thanks Dogface! [This message has been edited by Mr. Clark (edited 01-09-2001).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slapdragon Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jeff Heidman: 1. I think just the end exploded. The rest was just so you could shove the end under the wire. 2. Yes. The wires holding the balloons down were probably the greatest hazard. jeff<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> No, the whole pipe exploded except, they were dangerous as hell to use and were withdrawn from service after world way two. Basically they are a linear explosive device that has a fusing assembly that allows one to fire off the next. The infantryman would attach them together under cover and slide them under wire, hopefully from under cover, but sometimes in a "Big Red One" drill (which was a true account that the director of that movie went through on Omaha Beach). When you got a couple or three attached together they would be 5-6 meters long and would take out that much wire. The last guy would then pull the fuse, which lit an ignighter, and the fun would begin 6 seconds later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogface Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dogface: It clears a footpath 0.6 meters wide. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> or about 20 inches wide enough to low crawl throu but thats about it for protection np anytime mr. clark [This message has been edited by Dogface (edited 01-09-2001).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 As for the barrage balloons, if you can find any videos with good footage of the Battle of Britain, you'll see that the British had hundreds of these things surrounding targets. Somewhere I've got a book that gives their standard layout around targets, and tells how many Luftwaffe planes lost were attributed to them. They didn't take out a whole lot of Germans, but they did serve well to funnel attacks into ranges better suited for flak and AA guns to hit. IIRC, they also had some success against the buzz bombs, taking a few out before they had a chance to reach their targets. ------------------ It is nearly always better to be beaten and learn, rather than to win and take no new knowledge from that victory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banshee Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 btw their are no bangalore's in CM *sniff* ------------------ Veni, vidi, panzerschrecki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 Yes there are Bangalore's in CM. The Engineer squads' demo charges are abstractions. When an engineer unit expends a demo charge to clear a minefield it is assumed it was *really* a Bangalore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlow Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Slapdragon: No, the whole pipe exploded except, they were dangerous as hell to use and were withdrawn from service after world way two. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> They are still used (maybe a different design?). I got a chance to use them in 1993. Lots of fun. Also, we didn't set them off with any six-second fuse. Instead, we wrapped several turns of det cord around the pipe, and attached this to a fuse cut for a minute or so. [This message has been edited by Marlow (edited 01-09-2001).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Ingram Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 Bangalore torpedo derives its name from Bangalore, India. A variant was first used by the British (Imperial) Indian Army and was subsequently deployed by the British Army during the Great War or WW1. Bangalore was a a military cantonment for the British Indian Army. Apart from being a tourist resort today is still acts as a military staging post for the India Army and has a center for training the Indian Army Engineer Corp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mannheim Tanker Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 Currently, the US Military (and others as well, I presume) used a rocket-assisted charge similar to the Bangalore. The acronym is pronounced "Micklick", but I forget the actual letters used! Basically, it's a linear charge that's launched from a small trailer. The trailer is towed to the obstacle by a tracked or wheeled vehicle. I'd look up the details, but I'm too lazy All I remember from my time in the Guards is that above... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntelWeenie Posted January 9, 2001 Share Posted January 9, 2001 Side note on Bangalores: They have been replaced in US service by the MCLC (Mine Clearing Line Charge). It is a flexible line containing an explosive charge that operates on the exact same principle as the Bangalore. It is put into place by a rocket attached to the front of the line. (it looks sort of like casting a fishing line) Side note on Barrage balloons: Another neat, but lesser known AA device the Brits came up with was a rocket that fired straight up from the ground (or ship), dragging a wire with a mine-like device at the end. Using a parachute system, the mine would be dragged onto the wing of a plane that caught the line, virtually guaranteeing separation of the wing and plane. ------------------ "It's a boy!" - My wife's OB/GYN Nov. 8th, 4:45am Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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