Lunge mine

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Lunge mine
A drawing of a lunge mine and its operation
Type	Suicidal anti-tank mine
Place of origin	Empire of Japan
Service history
In service	1944–1948
Used by	Empire of Japan: Imperial Japanese Army  Democratic Republic of Vietnam: Viet Minh
Wars	World War II First Indochina War Vietnam War
Production history
Designed	World War II
Specifications
Mass	14.3 lb (6.5 kg) (overall)
Length	78 in (200 cm) (overall)
Height	11.6 in (29 cm) (body)
Diameter	8 in (20 cm) (body)
Filling	TNT
Filling weight	6.6 lb (3.0 kg)
Detonation mechanism	Blasting cap[1]

The Shitotsubakurai (Japanese: 刺突爆雷) or lunge mine was a suicidal anti-tank weapon developed and used by the Empire of Japan during the Second World War. It used a HEAT type charge. This weapon was used by the CQC units of the Imperial Japanese Army. The weapon itself was a conical hollow charge anti-tank mine, placed inside a metallic container and attached to the end of a wooden stick. The weapon was officially adopted by the Japanese Army in 1945; in that year it caused its first victims in the Pacific Theater, where it commonly saw action against American armour. Later that year, some Japanese Imperial Army manuals of the weapon were discovered by US troops.^[1][2]