Mine clearing device PW-LWD
 

Probably some of you notice that some Warsaw Pact tanks especially Polish T-55 and T-72 with mine clearing devices and engineering vehicles has on both sides in rear mounted boxes in jargon called coffins similar in shape. That is PW-LWD device which was constructed for making trails through mine fields.

Inside is long plastic rope with 100kg of explosives along and rocket which starts lay along minefield this long string when fired. Then is ignited an explosion and we have clear trail for tanks and infantry.

Standalone version
http://www.polska-zbrojna.pl/home/articleshow/5046

On trailer with two containers
http://www.polska-zbrojna.pl/home/ga...-Swietoszowie#

Installed on Polish T-55
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...with_KMT-4.jpg

Polish T-55
https://blog-001.west.edge.storage-y...g_1?1260014931

Czechoslovakian SKOT
http://www.palba.cz/forumfoto/albums...4%9Bsu_P2P.jpg

Explosion made by PW-LWD
http://cswiich.wp.mil.pl/pl/234_1296.html

PW-LWD in use by DDR Peoples army on BTR50
http://www.militaertechnik-der-nva.d...28MRF%29-l.jpg
http://www.militaertechnik-der-nva.d...28MRF%29-o.jpg

And book "Combat engineering equipment of the Warsaw Pact"
has also notice about this device
Book chapter

Here installed on PTS
http://www.polska-zbrojna.pl/home/ar...ge-dla-desantu

Using by 10BKPanc during exercises with explosion photos
http://10bkpanc.wp.mil.pl/pl/78_2871.htmlhttp://10bkpanc.wp.mil.pl/pl/78_2871.html

Re: Mine clearing device PW-LWD
 

Hmm interesting. I have not seen that picture before... And how about another NATO countries? Any similar systems exist during Cold War than Warsaw Pact or just "normal" mine-clearing tanks (as they are today)?

Warhero

Re: Mine clearing device PW-LWD
 

UK post-war Viper and giant viper, and the USA MCLIC derivatives of that, since the funnies of WW2 developed by the canadians (conger).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mine-clearing_line_charge

Re: Mine clearing device PW-LWD
 

In Russia there is in use UR-67 and UR-77 mounted on BTR-50

UR-67
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...icle_UR-67.jpg
http://www.cris9.armforc.ru/isv_ur67.htm

UR-77
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UR-77
http://www.cris9.armforc.ru/isv_ur77.htm

In wikipedia is mentioned that such weapon like UR-77 was used offensively during street battles not for clear mines but for simply levelling whole streets.

Short video from exercises with use of UR-77
https://www.rbth.com/multimedia/vide...-a-time_729866

Re: Mine clearing device PW-LWD
 

"..........Compressed air was then used to pump the liquid explosive - just over a ton of "822C" nitroglycerin - into the hose before it was detonated. Conger was used in Normandy where there were instances of premature detonation."

"a ton of nitroglycerin" and " premature detonation" are not something very desirable to stay healthy........

Re: Mine clearing device PW-LWD
 

from http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww...hurchill-avre/

Re: Mine clearing device PW-LWD
 

Apparently some people aren't familiar with line charges.

During Gulf I when we were breaching the minefields there were some Iraqi's on the other side waiting to surrender and watching (that was a strange "war"). When we fired a line charge they went over to see what it was, we tried to tell them to get the hell away from it but we didn't have a loundspeaker and no one in the area spoke Arabic. So we fired a few rounds near them to encourage them to take cover.

Re: Mine clearing device PW-LWD
 

Most of the US Europe strategy during the Cold War was envisioned as a delaying/rear guard defence so most of the need to breach minefields/cross rivers quickly would be on the Warsaw Pact.

Re: Mine clearing device PW-LWD
 

Yeah, that's one of the reasons we borrowed equipment from Israel and South Africa during Gulf I. It wasn't really until bout 2004 the US started to get any significant combat engineering capability.