Ampulomyeot in action?

[White Phosphorus]

I was watching world at war about Stalingrad, and I noticed a very weird bit of footage. Watch the scene that starts at 1:16.

Some kind of large tubular device is shot, at a conglomeration of rubble, and what appears to be a burnt out T-34. This results in a fiery smokey explosion. When the soldiers advance the device is carried by a single soldier. At first I thought it was just a time period error on the part of editors, and they were shooting a schrek, which is interesting in itself, but under closer examination it just doesn't look right. The explosion has no power, and the device looks like it has multiple pieces. The gunshield makes it look like a schreck, though.

Here's one for sale,

http://www.relics-citadel.ru/index.php?id=6839929460 there is a picture of soldiers with it that look similar to the one in the video.

[John Kettler]

White Phosphorus,

I think so, but it's hard to tell (too dark, too much visual clutter and only half in frame). As for the second link, definitely and the best imagery I've ever seen of one. Outstanding! Here's a link with more pics and some info on the flame projectile.

http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11387

One dug up by battlefield historians and of a somewhat different pattern.

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=61137&page=3

Loading and firing the Ampulomet. Very groggy!

http://1944d-day.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3846

The Ampulomet is the Russian equivalent of the equally scary Northover Projector and the still a hazard to this today Self-Igniting Phosphorus Projectile (SIPP) it fired.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northover_Projector

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

White Phosphorus,

The period still at the relic site is definitely an Ampulomet, as seen by comparing the spherical projectile with the drawings I provided in the above links. The incendiary projectile is being muzzle loaded, while the propelling cartridge is loaded into the breech.

Regards,

John Kettler