I have read of and heard many veterans talking about flying missions to drop mines in the Channel, etc (Gardening operations), but I don;t recall ever seeing what these mines looked like. Were they the classic sphere with spikes type mine? Also did they deploy from the bombers with parachutes to stop them from cracking and exploding on impact? Does anyone have photos of these mines?
By: Flatcat - 23rd April 2010 at 12:06
One of lifes little coincidents. Read this thread, followed the links, looked somewhere else and stumbled over this photo.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8270787@N07/3847848155/in/set-72157605269786717/
By: benyboy - 23rd April 2010 at 01:37
Hi all
I have just read all of the above two links (thank you both for sharing) very interesting. I am sure I am not the only one who just reads about the aircraft and does not realy think about the weapons. i have learnt a lot.
Ben
By: Dave Homewood - 22nd April 2010 at 20:41
Thanks.
By: piston power! - 22nd April 2010 at 13:01
This is worth a read.
By: mhuxt - 22nd April 2010 at 12:58
Some info here:
http://www.lancaster-archive.com/bc_bombsmineincendiaries.htm
By: Creaking Door - 22nd April 2010 at 12:14
They certainly wouldn’t have been the large spherical mines with ‘contact’ horns (and a heavy ‘sinker’ to moor them to the seabed). They’d have been cylindrical, most would have had a parachute and I’m sure most would have been ‘magnetic’ mines (set off by the influence of a steel ship passing close by).
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April 22, 2010 at 12:00 pm