INFO ONLY. NOT FOR SALE. QTY 4, P84-6.
Specifications
Diameter: 51 mm
Height: 76 mm
Weight: 80 grams
Explosive content: 9.45 g of Composition A5 - (98.5% RDX mixed with 1.5% stearic acid)
Operating pressure: 7.25 to 13.6 kg
The C3A1 and C3A2 (collectively known as the Elsie) are Canadian minimum metal anti-personnel mines. The differences between them are very minor and hard to distinguish visually. Elsie mines are supplied with an Aluminium detector ring fitted. However, the ring is designed to be easily removed, and without it the mine becomes a minimal metal mine. The mine comprises two separate items; the body and charge. The body is fitted with a protective dust cap, which is removed in order to insert the charge. Around the shaft of the charge there is a restraining safety clip to prevent it moving downwards whilst in transit, accidentally triggering the mine. The safety clip is removed when the mine is emplaced, at which point the mine becomes armed and will detonate if someone steps on it.
An Elsie mine looks like a short, stubby, black carrot. It has a small raised pressure plate on the top surface of the mine covered with a pad of flock material designed to act as camouflage. Downward pressure on this small plate releases a single retaining ball bearing, freeing a striker which is held under tension by a coiled spring. The freed striker snaps upwards into the stab detonator, triggering the explosive charge.
Interestingly, the Elsie mine is the only anti-personnel mine which uses a shaped charge. As can be seen from the specification below, the explosive filling is unusually small compared to most other anti-personnel mine designs, which generally contain a minimum of 30 grams of high explosives. However, the shaped charge in the Elsie mine ensures that the full force of detonation is directed upwards, straight through the sole of the victim's boot and into their foot. A person who has been injured by an Elsie mine generally has a small, deep, circular penetration wound which extends all the way through their foot and out the other side. The wound is generally severe and debilitating, though rarely fatal. In contrast to other anti-personnel mines eg the PMN series, the Elsie is designed primarily to disable its victims, rather than kill them.
Due to the simplicity of the firing mechanism, the Elsie mine is not resistant to blast-clearing methods, unlike other designs such as the VS-MK2 mine.
The Elsie mine was formerly in service with the Canadian and British armed services, and was manufactured by both nations. However, all stocks of anti-personnel mines (and equipment related to their manufacture) have been destroyed by Canada and the UK, in order to comply with the Ottawa Treaty
Variants
C3A1
C3A2
M25 - A US copy of the mine
Type 67 - A Japanese copy of the mine
The C3A2 (Elsie) is a plastic bodied cone shaped A pers mine which is designed to wound or kill by blast effect. The mine has two components; the body and charge. The body resembles an arrow head, it has a smooth finish and contains the firing mechanism. The charge is a seperate component which fits inside the body, it contains a shaped explosive charge and has camouflage material on its exterior. When delivered, the body has a dust cover to protect the internal cocked striker mechanism/detonator. After the body is placed in the ground, the dust cover is removed and replaced by the charge. The mine is water resistant and it can be laid in wet ground. The C3A2 contains 7.8 g of Comp A5 while the older C3A1 version contained Tetryl. The mine is difficult to locate using metal detectors under most field conditions. Due to its small surface area the C3A2 has limited resistance to blast overpressure from explosive breaching systems like the Giant Viper and MICLIC. The Elsie is also produced in the US as the M25, and in Japan as the Type 67.
The C3A2 "Elsie" is difficult to locate using metal detectors in areas that have high metal content in the ground such as artillery shell fragments. On detonation the mine will cause immediate blast injury to the victim as well as hearing damage to anyone within a 5 meter radius. Due to its shaped charge the mine concentrates all of its explosive force upward. The secondary fragmentation hazard is thus greatly reduced.
