Ampulomet
Sign in to saveThe Ampulomet (, also rendered Ampulomyot, ampulla mortar, etc., lit. "ampule/vial thrower" cf. миномёт) was an expedient anti-tank weapon which launched a 125 mm incendiary projectile made of spherical glass. This weapon was introduced in 1941 and used (to a limited degree) by the Red Army in World War II, but by 1942 was largely obsolete.
Key facts
- Weapon.name
- Ampulomet
- Weapon.image
- 125 mm ampulomet battle of stalingrad museum.jpg
- Weapon.image_size
- 300
- Weapon.caption
- Ampulomet and PM M1910 machine gun at the Museum of the Battle of Stalingrad.
- Weapon.origin
- Soviet Union
- Weapon.is_artillery
- yes
- Weapon.service
- 1941–1945
- Weapon.used_by
- (Captured) (Captured)
- Weapon.wars
- World War II
- Weapon.manufacturer
- Leningrad
- Weapon.production_date
- 1941–1942
- Weapon.crew
- 3
- Weapon.cartridge
- Separate loading black powder charge and AZh-2 projectile containing KS incendiary.
- Weapon.rate
- 8 rpm
- Weapon.recoil
- None
- Weapon.elevation
- 0° to +12°
- Weapon.traverse
- 360°
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
3 sectionsContents
- Design
- See also
- References
The Ampulomet (, also rendered Ampulomyot, ampulla mortar, etc., lit. "ampule/vial thrower" cf. миномёт) was an expedient anti-tank weapon which launched a 125 mm incendiary projectile made of spherical glass. This weapon was introduced in 1941 and used (to a limited degree) by the Red Army in World War II, but by 1942 was largely obsolete.
==Design== thumb|left|Finnish troops testing a captured Ampulomet in 1942. The weapon consisted of an unrifled tube with a crude breech mounted on a Y-shaped pedestal which pivoted on trunnions to provide elevation. Two breech mounted inverted horns were provided for traverse/elevation and a simple inclinometer for targeting and range calculation. A black powder charge was inserted into the breech and fired by a percussion cap to propel the AZh-2 glass ampule. The ampules were filled with an incendiary mixture known as KS. KS was a mixture of 80% phosphorus and 20% sulfur which ignited when exposed to air. The burning mixture created a bright flame, thick white smoke and would burn for up to three minutes at temperatures between . The burning liquid would seep through vision slots or engine grilles on a tank and ignite ammunition or fuel as well as choke and blind the crew.