Type A Mark I mine
Contents
Description
The Type A Mark I is an American high-explosive (HE) air-dropped naval mine.
Vehicles equipped with this weapon
| Vehicles equipped with this weapon | |
|---|---|
| Twin-engine fighters | F7F-3 |
| Strike aircraft | |
| AD | AD-2 · AD-4 |
| Bombers | |
| BTD-1 | BTD-1 |
| PBM | PBM-3 "Mariner" · PBM-5A "Mariner" |
| PBY | PBY-5 Catalina · PBY-5A Catalina · ▂PBY-5A Catalina · ▄Catalina Mk IIIa · ▄PBY-5A Late |
| PB4Y | PB4Y-2 · ␗PB4Y-2 · ▄PB4Y-2 |
| PV-2 | PV-2D |
| SB2C | SB2C-1C · SB2C-4 |
| SB2U | SB2U-2 · SB2U-3 |
| SBD-3 | SBD-3 |
General info
| Mine characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Mass | 494 kg (1,000 lb) |
| Explosive mass (TNTe) | 508 kg (1,120 lb) |
| HE max penetration | 112 mm |
| Armour destruction radius | 16 m |
| Fragment dispersion radius | 170 m |
Effective damage
This mine, being an underwater naval type, produces a strong high-explosive overpressure. Due to the ability to drop the mine on ground targets as a bomb, the steel casing can also contribute some shrapnel effect.
Comparison with analogues
- 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb: Most aircrafts that is capable of carrying the Type A naval mine can also be loaded with this conventional high-explosive bomb. Due to the lower weight and higher filler, the Type A has a noticeably better explosive damage while also putting less burden on the carrying aircraft, making it much more efficient. As such, it is recommended to use the mine over this bomb, unless you wanted to use the bomb to deal immediate damage against naval targets.
Usage in battles
The prescribed usage of this mine is against steel-hulled naval vessel. As a mine, it can be laid in choke points, capture points or in front of advancing enemy ships. Direct hits aren't required to generate hits, but due to the fusing of the mine, it will explode if a ship is directly struck, dealing a large amount of damage. Note that this is a magnetic mine and wooden-hulled craft will most likely not set it off, so it is not effective against denying small craft access to capture points, for instance.
The mine can also be used as a bomb in Ground RB and Air AB/RB as it has, pound for pound, more explosive potential than the standard 1,000 lb American bomb. This gives planes able to carry it extra damage potential without the additional weight of heavier ordnance.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Large explosive mass for its weight, especially compared to regular bombs
- Can be used as a bomb against ground targets with good effectiveness
- Useful for trapping ships in various choke points
Cons:
- Being a naval mine, it requires a direct hit or near miss to detonate when used on naval targets
History
The Type A Mark I mine, also known as the "Oyster" mine, is a historic anti-ship mine that was developed by the British during World War II. It was designed to be used in shallow waters and was used to defend against German E-boats and other small vessels. The Type A Mark I mine was used extensively during the war and continued to see service in various conflicts around the world.
The Type A Mark I mine featured a unique design that made it highly effective in shallow waters. It was shaped like an oyster and had a magnetic trigger that would activate when a metal object, such as a ship, came within range. The mine would then explode, causing significant damage to the target. The Type A Mark I mine was relatively small and could be deployed quickly and easily, making it a popular choice among naval forces.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;
- references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.
External links
| Naval mines | |
|---|---|
| USA | Type A Mark I* |
| Germany | EMC · EMF · UDM-E |
| USSR | KB-1 pattern 1931 mine · KB-3 pattern 1940 · MIRAB · YAM-43 |
| Britain | Type M Mark I |
| Japan | Mk.6 mod1 · Type 93 mod1 |
| Italy | Bollo P.125/1932 · Bollo P.200/1936 |
| France | B4M |
| * = Aircraft-laid | |
