The TM-35 was an AT mine used by the Soviet Union during World War II.
Description[]
It was rectangular in shape and it carried about 2.8 kg of TNT.[1] There were several blocks made of TNT weighing about 200 grams each in the mine and the total weight of the mine was 5.2 kg.
The total length of the weapon was 22 cm and the sheet metal covering the mine usually acted like shrapnel. The height of the mine was about 8.5 cm and the width was 23 cm.
One of the notable features of the TM-35 was its see-saw like action of pushing on a lever releasing the pin keeping the mine from exploding when the pressure plate on the top was triggered.Another feature was its carrying handle which was meant for soldiers who had to carry the mine. Sometimes, the mine could be modified so that if someone tries to disarm it, it detonates.
Variants[]
During the lifetime of the TM-35 mine, there was only one variant ever produced and it was designated the TM-35M model. The main difference between it and the original device was that it was fitted with additional explosives so that it would be more combat effective.
History[]
The TM-35 Mine was developed in 1935 and it was used by the Red Army up to about 1942. In the field, the weapon proved effective though in reality it did not have the same kind of punch required to knock out German vehicles. Nonetheless, captured examples were used extensively by Finland during the Continuation War and after the war the Polish army used remaining TM-35s in their arsenal.
References[]
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