NOSE SLEEVE CONNECTING SLEEVE
“ M1A1 BANGALORE TORPEDO “
The Bangalore Torpedo is an explosive device consisting of any
desired number of slim cylindrical explosive charges in metal containers (i.e. tubes) . Any number of these containers may be attached to
each other endwise . The Bangalore Torpedo is generally used against barbed wire entanglements and various other
relatively light obstructions, but also against anti-personnel mines and similar small obstacles, and can be turned into boobytraps . When
exploding, the Bangalore Torpedo clears a path 10 to 15 feet wide thru barbed wire . In minefield breaching, it will explode all anti-
personnel mines and most of the anti-tank mines, but in a narrow footpath only ! It is therefore better to use it only in an emergency,
as many of the anti-tank mines at the sides of the cleared path may be shocked into a sensitive state, which makes extreme care necessary in
any further mine clearing …
The weapon consists of a group of 10 loading assemblies, i.e. steel tubes filled with high-explosive which are either used singly, or in
series with nose sleeves (forward end) and connecting sleeves (for attachment end-to-end) . It will, besides being used for blasting various
types of field obstructions, also be used in bundles as substitute explosive charges in Demolition Snakes, M2 and M3 series .
The nose sleeve has a rounded point (indeed, it looks like a bullet-shaped object) at one end, for ease
in pushing the tube (or more tubes) thru obstacles (sand, shingle, grass, debris), and a single clip, which holds the nose sleeve in place at
the forward end of the tube . The connecting sleeve is a short cylindrical coupling device, into which the ends of 2 tubes can fit and be held
by the three spring clips . A single loading assembly (or tube) may be used or any number of loading assemblies may be used as required . In
assembling 2 or more tubes, a nose sleeve is always pressed onto one forward end of one tube, then the rear end of the same tube is connected
to the forward end of a second tube by a connecting sleeve, and so on until the required number of tubes are properly connected . Detonation
of a charge in a tube or all charges in a series of loading assemblies may be accomplished by a firing device with blasting cap screwed into
the cap well of the tail end of a tube or the tail end of the last tube in a series . Please note that the cap well at the end of the tube
should be protected with tape or a wooden plug, while the sleeve is being pushed into place . Detonation may also be achieved by an electric
blasting cap with the leads connected to a source of electric current, or by a non-electric blasting cap attached to a safety fuse or a time
blasting fuse and fuse lighter, or by wrapping a minimum of 4 turns of detonating cord around the tube itself in the one-tube assembly, or
around any tube in a multiple-tube assembly, and detonating the cord with a delay-detonator or with an appropriately arranged blasting cap
primed by a safety fuse and fuse lighter .
The M1A1 Bangalore Torpedo is packed in a single rectangular wooden box, which contains 10 x 5-foot steel
loading assemblies or tubes, 10 x connecting sleeves, and 1 x nose sleeve . The watertight sleeves are 5 feet in length and 2 1/8 inches in
diameter, they are grooved and capped at each end . Each end of sleeve loading assembly contains a threaded cap well to accomodate any issue
firing device with a blasting cap crimped thereto .The tubes receive an olive drab coating while markings are yellow . Weight of 1 section is
approximately 13 pounds . 4 inches of length at both ends of each sleeve contains TNT booster . The explosive contains approximately 9 lb
Amatol 80/20 and TNT booster (a later postwar version i.e. Torpedo, Bangalore, M1A2 contains 9 lb composition B and composition A-3 booster) . The wooden box
(final packing) has following dimensions: 64 1/8 x 13 3/8 x 7 1/8-in, its total weight is 176 lb .
Remark : a Bangalore Torpedo or Torpedo section may be improvised by using a 2-in diameter metal pipe with a 24-gage wall thickness and
approximately 2 pounds of explosive per foot of length .
There is a T38 Demolition Training Kit which has been introduced for training of personnel in the use of
Demolition Materials . The kit contains a number of selected inert items for training purposes . Normal colors are however retained in order
to simulate the actual colors of the explosives . The inert items used in this Training Kit are to be employed in exactly the same manner and
with the same care and precautions as are the explosive items comprising the demolition sets simulated here !
Apart from the other ‘explosive’ items, it is important to note the inclusion of 1 TORPEDO, BANGALORE, M1A1, INERT, WITH 1
STANDARD NOSE SLEEVE, 3 STANDARD CONNECTING SLEEVES, 3 TORPEDO SECTIONS, EACH 38-INCHES LONG WITH STANDARD ENDS, TORPEDO SECTIONS ARE
TO BE INERT LOADED TO APPROXIMATE WEIGHT FOR CORRECT SIMULATION .
All inert items are stamped INERT or DUMMY as may be appropriate in large black block letters, while detonators are perforated with at least
2 small holes in the side wall, to prevent any confusion with loaded items ! The Kit is contained in a large Chest
Demolition Squad with separate packing plans, per layer (of which there are 3) . Apart from the inerted Bangalore Torpedoes, other items
are Haversacks, Priming Adapters, Detonating Cord, Safety Fuse, Wire, Demolition Blocks, Shaped Charges, Firing Devices, Blasting Caps,
Crimpers, Friction Tape, Twine, and Knife …
Some more info on explosives used in Bangalore Torpedoes :
AMATOL : is a mixture of Ammonium Nitrate and Trinitrotoluene (TNT) . Due to the shortage of Toluene during
the early stages of WW1, the British Government developed this explosive and adopted it as a bursting charge for high-explosive shells . The
US Government introduced it for similar reasons . Consequently, it was still in use at the outbreak of WWII . The ingredients are mixed by
weight, i.e. when indicating Amatol 80/20 this is to be understood as 80 % of Ammonium Nitrate and 20% of TNT . Amatol is hygroscopic,
insensitive to friction, but can be detonated by severe impact . It has no tendency to form dangerous compounds with metals other than copper .
Amatol 80/20 is a plastic mass resembling wet brown sugar . On detonation the Ammonium Nitrate oxidizes the excess carbon of the TNT with the
result that Amatol 80/20 produces a white smoke on detonation .
TNT : or Trinitrotoluene was already known as early as 1863, but was in fact only suggested as an
explosive around 1890 . Its military importance really dates from 1904 . TNT is the principal constituent of many explosives . It is relatively
safe to manufacture, and loading, transportation and storage are not very hazardous based on the fact that it is not hygroscopic . TNT usually
resembles light brown sugar, when pure it looks like a crystalline powder of very pale straw color, it also dissolves readily in ether,
acetone, alcohol and other solvents, but is practically insoluble in water, it can therefore be used in underwater charges ! TNT is one of the
most stable high explosives, and it thus may be stored over long periods of time w/o alteration . It is quite insensitive to blows or friction
but can be detonated by severe impact between metal surfaces . When ignited by flame, it burns rapidly w/o explosion . When exploding in
closed spaces beware of the poisonous fumes . TNT is classified as a quick-acting explosive; it detonates at a rate varying from about 21,000
feet per second and burns at 266°F .
Bangalore Torpedoes were of course used by a variety of troops, both regular Infantry and Corps
of Engineers personnel – it was a very handy explosive charge for breaching light enemy obstructions and defenses – and therefore very much in
use with Assault troops, such as those having to destroy primary obstacles in order to reach major objectives . During D-Day, i.e. the June 6,
1944 Normandy Assault, Bangalore Torpedoes were used in large quantities by Special Engineer Brigades, Rangers and
Infantry .
