VS-50 AP Mine (Historical Prop)

thingiverse

The VS-50 is a circular plastic cased anti-personnel blast mine formerly manufactured by Valsella Meccanotecnica SpA, an Italian high-tech defence industry that specialized in area denial systems and produced the Valmara 69. This design is similar to the TS-50 and VS-MK2 mine. It's blast resistant and can be used with minimal metal configuration. The explosive charge contained within a VS-50 is quite sufficient to destroy the victim's foot, capable of penetrating 5 mm of mild steel leaving an 80 mm-diameter hole. The mine consists of three sections: a bottom section containing the main explosive charge, a middle section with the fuze and safety/arming mechanism, and a top section consisting of a neoprene pressure pad. The neoprene pressure pad is sometimes reinforced with an 18 gram mild steel plate, making it detectable by metal detectors. However, most VS-50s were manufactured as minimal metal mines, much harder to detect. The case is waterproof and can be used in water up to one metre deep. The mine can be deployed by helicopters or ground vehicles or laid by hand. A sustained downward force of approximately ten kilograms on the pressure plate for a minimum of 0.10 seconds compresses the firing spring and cocks the striker. Continuous downward movement allows the trigger assembly to pivot, slowly forcing the air out of an anti-shock bladder and flips the striker down into the stab sensitive M41 detonator, at which point the mine explodes. The air pressure delay mechanism effectively blocks detonation if the force on the pressure plate is of short duration, because air does not have enough time to leave the small anti-shock bladder. This allows the mine to be dropped from helicopter mine scattering systems and dramatically increases the mine's resistance to explosive-based mine clearance techniques. It can therefore be regarded as a blast resistant mine. The VS-50AR is an electronically fuzed version of the mine, containing an integral mercury tilt switch that operates as an anti-handling device. The VS-50AR has a dummy pressure plate on top and its external appearance is very similar to the VS-50. The VS-50AR contains a reduced explosive charge but still sufficient to blow the victim's hands off. Valsella also manufactured a completely separate electronic anti-handling device known as the VS-AR4, specifically designed for use with various Valsella products including the VS-50 and Valmara 69 mines. The VS-AR4 has a series of fuze adaptors allowing it to be screwed into the bottom of those mines. It has a 10-minute mechanical arming delay followed by a 30-minute electronic arming delay. The power source are two 1.5 V batteries, and the operational life is longer than a year. The render safe procedure for VS-50 mines with anti-handling devices fitted is to detonate them in situ via a donor charge or burn through the plastic casing using some form of special incendiary device. Countries where the mine has been encountered include Afghanistan, Angola, Ecuador, Iraq, Turkey, Kuwait, Lebanon, Peru, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Western Sahara, and Zimbabwe. The mine was produced by Italy, Iran, Egypt, Singapore, Sweden, and is used in various countries around the world. Specifications for the VS-50 include a weight of 185 g, explosive content of 43 g of phlegmatized RDX (RDX and paraffin wax), diameter of 90 mm, height of 45 mm, and operating pressure of 10 kg. Variants of the mine include the VS-50 EO3 with an electronic anti-handling device, the SPM-1 produced under licence in Singapore, YM-IB copy produced by Iran, T/79 copy produced by Egypt, and others. References for further information on the VS-50 include Jane's Mines and Mine Clearance, ORDATA, and Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor.