"Guided Fougasses"

[z-warfare]

On the map of positions of the 375th GRR at Kursk, I notice the legend indicates something called "Guided Fougasses". I first assumed this meant ditches filled with rocks and explosives in the Napoleonic fashion, but gradually began to suspect that wasn't the case. Could "Guided Fougasse" mean FOG-1 static remote-controlled flamethrowers? Apparently these were used at Moscow and copied by the Germans. I suppose FOG-1's should be filed alongside Hundenminen, 122mm and 152mm field guns, and Goliaths as far as CMBB goes?

Anyhow, a brief internet search found a little info on Wikipedia, as well as a lonesentry bit:

http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/static-defenses/index.html

In game terms I guess they probably aren't practically any different than a conscript FT hiding in a trench...

[z-warfare]

This thread has all i wanted to know:

http://www.modellismopiu.it/modules/newbb_plus/print.php?forum=24&topic_id=18475

The engineer explosive items

The Red Army

Flamethrower contact mine FOG

fog-1.jpg (15341 bytes) Contact mine FOG is intended for the defeat of personnel and light transportation means (motorcycles, automobiles) of enemy by the jet of burning ognesmesi. It is set in action from the control post by means of the message on the electrical circuit of the electro-pulse, which ignites the torch igniters of contact mine. It is established by hand in the soil into the unearthed hole so that the upper part would be raised above the earth's surface.

Is possible installation FOG to the autonomous wear and tear. In this case bringing contact mine into the action is carried out by involuntarily victim itself. In this case is used the trip-wire fuze MUV with the electric-contact plug. With the wear and tear of the fuse, which in this case is used as the electro-contact maker, occurs closing electrical circuit and contact mine operates. However, this version of installation by the acted instructions was not provided for and by the sootvetstvyushchimi equipment FOG was not completed.

Injury of personnel of enemy occurs due to contact with the body of burning ognesmesi, as a result of which the man obtains thermal defeat. I.e. to him cause themselves the burns of different degree of gravity (from II on THE IV) and extensiveness. This it leads in the dependence on the gravity of defeat either to the temporary failure of soldier or to death. Second defeats to man cause themselves due to the caught fire clothing and the located by a number local objects, the explosion, the existing with it ammunition. Furthermore, the action Of fOGov renders strong moral effect on entire remaining personnel, which did not fall under the jet of burning ognesmesi.

The defeat of the light transport of enemy occurs as a result of the entry of ognesmesi for machine frame, in consequence of which the machine lights up.

Furthermore, FOGi can be used for creating the sudden centers of fires in the scaffolding, steppe with the dried vegetation or fields, buildings, the populated areas, industrial objects, the fuel depots or ammunition.

FOG is completed by two types of the devices of the distribution of ognesmesi.

* the first is head with five nozzles, located in the circle in the form of pentagonal star. With the wear and tear Of fOGa of ognesmes' it is ejected in five directions, forming the zone of continuous fire in a radius from 45 it is meter (viscous ognesmes') to 100 it is meter (liquid ognesmes').

* the second is the bent tube with one nozzle. With the wear and tear Of fOGa of ognesmes' it is ejected in one direction to the distance from 60 m. (liquid ognesmes') to 140 m. (viscous ognesmes'). The damaging ability of the second device is above due to the larger concentration of ognesmesi and sootvestvenno of more prolonged combustion.

fog-2.jpg (15971 bytes)It follows from the existing documents that FOGi adapted by the Red Army in 1941. Possibly, and into 1942-43. Some sources indicate their use during the battle on the Kursk salient of in summer 1943. It is possible to assume that the specific quantity of contact mines FOG was prepared prior to the beginning of war, which was used. However, obviously their production was convoluted in the period of war, since this device is sufficiently complicated by its construction, are used scarce materials and complex technology (high-quality welding, turning work, copper, high-grade steel). It suffices to take into consideration, that the housing of contact mine this is the vessel, which works under the high pressure (more than 45-50 atmosphere), and the production of similar vessels always presented large complexity.

Structurally flamethrower contact mine FOG is welded steel cylinder (1) of cylindrical form with the rounded bottoms. Diameter 28 cm., the height (on the five-nozzle head) of "0sm.

Two carbines with the male thread are welded in the upper bottom. The carbine, located in center (2) is intended for the fastening in it of the copper tube of high pressure (4), thin metallic membrane (5) and five-nozzle head (6). The bent single-nozzle tube can be used instead of the five-nozzle head.

Lateral carbine (3) is intended for positioning gas generator (7).

Inside the balloon gas-distributing copper lattice is located (8). Balloon is filled with 20 kg. ognesmesi (9).

Liquid ognesmes' is the mixture of gasoline with the worked out motor oil.

Viscous ognesmes' is the motor gasoline with the dissolved in it powder-like thickener OP -2 (2 kg.) color from the light yellow to the light brown. The composition of thickener is unknown, but the nature of the combustion of viscous ognesmesi makes it possible to assume that these are napalm or something is similar.

From the author. If this is so, then the priority of Americans in the invention of napalm as that washes.

Five-nozzle head is the section of the pipe, which has the female thread from both ends. Inside there is a border (11) for the pressing to the carbine of membrany(shch) and a border (12) for the retention of the cartridge of the ignition of sostava(ye). In side walls of tube are welded five expanding to the ends and several flattened tube- nozzles (10). On top into the tube screws itself steel plug (14), which has on top hex head for the open-end wrench. The wires of electric fuse are passed through the opening in the plug. the fitted into the cartridge ignition composition.

Gas generator (7) is steel cap with the female thread at the lower end. Inside the cap are located seven grainfog-3.jpg (17322 bytes) (15), retained by copper net (16). Above the cartridges is placed primer (17), into which is also fitted the electric fuse, wires from which leave outside through the opening in the upper part of the cap.

With the installation of contact mine, wire from the gas generator and from the five-nozzle cap they are connected between themselves paralel'no and the wire, which goes to the control panel, is joined to them.

During the supplying of stress into the chain (not less than 6 volts) primer (17) lights up and ignites simultaneously everything seven powder shashek(yshch). Resultant solid-reactant gases are passed through the copper net, whose basic task to separate the open flame from the gases, and they fall into the upper part of the balloon. Copper lattice (8) in the upper part of the balloon distributes pressure evenly throughout the entire area of ognesmesi and additionally cools gases.

Under the pressure of the solid-reactant gases of gas generator (45-50 atm.) ognesmes' begins to rise along the tube of high pressure (4), tears up the membrane (5) and falls into five-nozzle head (6). Here it is encountered with the flame from the cartridge of ignition composition, lights up and through nozzles (10) is ejected outside.

If the single-nozzle bent tube is established instead of the five-nozzle head on the balloon, then ignition shashka(ye) is located in the box, welded to the tube in its forward section, and the membrane, is retained by the adapter nut, screwed to the end of the tube.

Contact mine can be established by hand in the soil or tie to the local objects, be placed inside the buildings, the construction, the forest obstructions, etc.

The period of the combat work of contact mine was not determined.

Contact mine is not equipped with self-destruction device.

The elements of antidisturbance and nondisarmability it does not have. Neutralization is produced by the shearing of the wires of electric brush with the subsequent extraction of cartridges and by the discharge of ognesmesi.

Tactical-technical characteristics of flamethrower contact mine FOG.

Type of contact mine............................................................ protivopekhotnyy/protivotransportnyy flamethrower controlled.

Housing............................................................................... steel

Mass (without the charge of ognesmesi)......................................... 32-35 kg.

Masa of the charge of ognesmesi.................................................... 20 kg. (25 liters)

Length (on the five-nozzle cap).............................. "0sm.

Diameter........................................................................ 28sm.

Temperature range of application of..................... -20 - +50 deg.

Lethal area with the five-nozzle head:

by liquid ognesmes'yu........................ the circle with a radius of 90-100m.

by viscous ognesmes'yu......................... the circle with a radius of 45-50m.

Distance of defeat with the single-nozzle tube:

by liquid ognesmes'yu..................... 59-60m.

by viscous ognsmes'yu........................ 130-140m.

Developed pressure inside balloon.......................... 45-50 atm.

Antidisturbance.......................................................... no

Nondisarmability................................................. no

Samolikvidatsiya/samoneytralizatsiya....................... it net/net

Period of combat work................................................... it were not determined

fog-4.jpg (13006 bytes)By the standard installation of contact mine there was its installation into the hole with depth near "0sm. and by the diameter of 30 cm. in this case nozzles must be raised above the earth's surface not less than on 2 cm. Balloon is tightened in the hole by four wooden wedges and is disguised with improvised means. Wires are plotted in the slot, cut through in the soil.

The information about the corking of contact mines there is not. It is colored with oil paint green. The information about the marking there is not. Into the troops it entered to those nonfinally equipped. Into its complete set entered besides balloon itself, 30- liter capacity, two buckets, funnels, two caps (five-nozzle and single-nozzle), ten grain, on two fuse and ignition cartridges even two boxes with the powder OP -2 (at 2 kg. each). Ognesmes' was prepared directly before the application.

From the author.In the photograph the to the left two versions of flamethrower contact mine FOGfog-5.jpg (11915 bytes) in the St. Petersburg museum the history of the defense of Leningrad. One of them is standard with the single-nozzle tube. Tube with the box for the ignition cartridge and the gas generator is well visible.

Second version of contact mine simplified. Here single-nozzle tube is simply welded into the balloon and the section of pipe for positioning another torch igniter is welded instead of the box for the ignition cartridge to it. Gas generator on the balloon is absent. Is visible only carbine for it.

Автор приносит свои благодарности Егору Окуневу за поиск сохранившихся экземпляров ФОГ, Александру Павловичу Нечаеву за сохранение раритетных экземпляров инженерных боеприпасов и разрешение сфотографировать предметы его коллекции, старшему научному сотруднику музея Муравьевой Ирине Александровне за помощь в организации сьемок.

The flamethrowers of all types render enormous moral effect on the personnel, although their real damaging ability is not so great, as this seems. Indeed the large part of ognesmesi burns even during the flight. This type of weapon found and finds very limited application, although to arrange the improvised flamethrower contact mine is very simple. Completely it suffices to bury into the earth canister, can, strelyannuyu case from the krupanokalibernogo projectile, after filling with its gasoline or another petroleum product and to place under it the small charge of explosive. Completely decent flamethrower contact mine here and came out. But, obviously, the applicability of flamethrower contact mines is limited by the presence in troops of the petroleum products (gasoline, diesel fuel, oil, petroleum residue, crude oil), which usually sharply do not be sufficient even for combat materiel. Therefore for the flamethrowers to use only those petroleum products, which that to reasons proved to be unfit for the machines is possible on what.

, where the oil it is sufficient, a similar type of weapon finds very wide application, although it is more frequent in the form of primitive ditches, ditches, filled with crude oil and ignited in the case of the attack of enemy. This method was widely used by Egyptians and Syrians in the last Arabo-Isreali wars, in particular in the war 1973, by Iraqis during both wars with the Americans (1991 and 2003).

Sources

1. book on the Soviet mine-explosive means without starting data (without the cover and the title page). Supposedly publication 1943-44 it is annual.

2. Merkblatt ueber russische Spreng- und Zundmittel, Minen und Zuender. Ihr Einsatz Beim Feind Und Ihre Beseitigung. Oberkommando des Heeres (Chef H Rust und B d E) Az.34 d16/4f AHA Pi.Abt. (Zn 5) Ia2 Nr 1/42. Berlin, 1.1.1942.

e.E.Yu.Orlova. Chemistry and the technology of high explosives. Chemistry. Lenigrad. 1973g.

ya.L.Vennen, E.Byurlo, To a.Lekorshe. Powders and explosives. ONTI. Main editorial staff of chemical literature. Moskva.y9e'g.

5. war in Korea. Range. Saint -Peterburg.2000g.

'.A.Mikhaylov. Iraqi trap. Victorious defeat Of sShA.Yauza. Eksmo. Moscow. 2004g.

".Uchebnik" engineers ". Military publishing house. Moscow 1982g.

8.A.I.Ivolgin. Development and the application of mine-blasting means. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1956g.

9. L.Monin, A.Gallimor. The Devil`.s Gardens. A History Of Landmines. PIMLIccO.London. 2002

10. B.V.Varenyshev and other textbook. Military-engineering preparation. Military Publishing house Of MO SSSR - Ministry of Defense of the USSR. Moscow. 1982g.

yy.E.S.Kolibernov and other reference book of the officer of engineers. Military Publishing house Of MO SSSR - Ministry of Defense of the USSR. Moscow. 1989g.

[John D Salt]

Originally posted by z-warfare:

This thread has all i wanted to know:

Oooh, viscous ognesmesi, they sound nasty.

All the best,

John.

[JasonC]

I am sure you meant to say, "they sound messy".

[z-warfare]

Well, i don't know Russian, AND i don't want to know what it is.