Bangalore torpedo

Bangalore torpedo
Type	Explosive charge
Place of origin	British India
Service history
In service	1914–present
Used by	British Army Canadian Army Finnish Defense Forces Indian Army Israel Defense Forces North Vietnamese Army Pakistani Army Peoples Liberation Army (China) Philippine Army Philippine Constabulary Philippine Marine Corps Singapore Armed Forces United States Army Armed Forces of Ukraine[1]
Wars	World War I World War II Korean War Vietnam War Yom Kippur War Afghanistan War 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine[1]
Production history
Designer	Captain R. L. McClintock
Designed	1912
Produced	February 1943 – November 1944 (M1A1)
No. built	Approximately 3,255,000 torpedo sections (M1A1)
Variants	M1 Bangalore Torpedo series, Advanced Performance Bangalore Torpedo (L26A1 Bangalore Torpedo Demolition Charge), Bangalore Blade
Specifications
Mass	13 lb (5.9 kg) per torpedo section (M1A1)
Length	up to 15 m (49 ft) in 1.5 m (4.9 ft) sections (general), 5 ft (1.5 m) (M1A1)
Diameter	2.125 in (54.0 mm) (M1A1)
Filling	TNT, 80–20 TNT and ammonium nitrate (M1A1), C4 (modern production)
Filling weight	9 lb (4.1 kg) per torpedo section (M1A1)
Detonation mechanism	Detonator
References	Catalogue of Standard Ordnance Items, Second Edition 1944, Volume III, p. 598

A Bangalore torpedo is an explosive charge placed within one or several connected tubes. It is used by combat engineers to clear obstacles that would otherwise require them to approach directly, possibly under fire. It is sometimes colloquially referred to as a "Bangalore mine", "banger" or simply "Bangalore" as well as a pole charge.

Per United States Army Field Manual 5-250 section 1–14, page 1–12 "b. Use. The primary use of the torpedo is clearing paths through wire obstacles and heavy undergrowth. It will clear a 3- to 4-metre wide path through wire obstacles."