C3 ELSIE AP MINE (Historical Prop)

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The C3A1 and C3A2 are Canadian minimum metal anti-personnel mines known collectively as the Elsie. These two mines have very minor differences that make them hard to distinguish visually. Canada first deployed Elsie mines in 1962, the United States followed in 1965, and Japan in 1967. The mine resembles a short, stubby carrot in appearance. Typically, Elsie mines are colored black or khaki for desert environments. They can easily be spray painted to blend into arctic or jungle scenarios. Inert training versions are colored blue. Operation An Elsie mine has a small raised pressure plate on its top surface covered with a small pad of flock material designed for camouflage. Sustained downward pressure on the small pressure plate cocks a spring-loaded striker. When the pressure plate is pressed down approximately 2.5 cm, a single retaining ball bearing flips sideways into a recess. This frees the striker (held under tension by a coiled spring) which snaps upwards into the stab detonator, thereby detonating the explosive charge. Construction An Elsie mine is constructed mainly from plastic, making it difficult to detect. The mine consists of two separate items: the body and charge. The body has a protective dust cap that is removed to insert the charge. Around the shaft of the charge there is a restraining safety clip to prevent accidental detonation while in transit. This clip is removed when the mine is emplaced, at which point it becomes armed and will detonate if someone steps on it. The Elsie mine uses a shaped charge, one of only a few anti-personnel mines that do so. The explosive filling weighs 9.45 grams, unusually small compared to most other designs which typically contain at least 30 grams of high explosives. However, the shaped charge ensures that most of the force of detonation is directed upwards, capable of penetrating a 12 ply vehicle tyre or 3/8 inch (approx 9 mm) mild steel plate. A person injured by an Elsie mine generally has a small, deep, circular penetration wound extending through the bones of their foot and out the other side. The wound is severe but rarely fatal, assuming prompt emergency medical care is provided. Unlike other anti-personnel mines, 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 like more complex designs such as the VS-MK2 mine. The Elsie mine was formerly in service with the Canadian and British armed forces, manufactured by both nations. However, all stocks of anti-personnel mines have been destroyed by Canada and the UK to comply with the Ottawa Treaty. 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 Variants - C3A1: has an explosive filling of tetryl - C3A2: has an explosive filling of Comp A5 - M25: a United States copy of the mine - Type 67: a Japanese copy of the mine