Beehive Explosive Charges

Not really knowing much about these but in late 1942 how much explosive and what type would have been in one of these??

British Army use......

 

Beehive charges were specially made to blow holes thru the walls of houses and they could also do in a tank, all you had to do was get next to it. The Italian theatre brought out the need for "shaped charges " that allowed our guys to fight house to house, in the Italian towns, where the homes had common walls, next to each other.

The standard practice was to start at the top floor and blow the Germans out floor by floor, until the house was cleared, then start all over again in the basement of the next house. Cross fire, from one side of the street to the other also had to be considered. Slow work, and dangerous, to be sure.

A typical beehive was 5 pounds of low speed explosive, to make a hole, but to reduce the blow back effect. It was shaped like a beehive, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. Set off with a 15 second fuse, it was followed up with a couple of number 36's and a spray of 45 caliber Thompson slugs. Then the crew went thru the hole and checked for further resistance.

 

There were cannister rounds too. I thought they were most prevalent in the Pacific M5 tanks with their 37mm gun, but I recall that I have came across a reference of 75mm canister rounds being used by M4 tanks. Any truth in that, and how prevalent?

 

I assume they placed the charges on their side, pointed at the wall unless they were targeting the floor? As pictured, it looks like the charge is 'targeting' the ceiling.

 

Maybe it needs a "Point This End Toward Enemy" stenciled on it??

I know Sapper/ REs used the Beehives on concrete bunkers on Sword Beach...although they were a heavier version than the one pictured...

Shaped charge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

The first charges were officially called "charge Demolition,Beehive Cratering Mk I" these had legs that were fixed in place,this evolved into the Mk2 which had removeable legs,The total weight was 12 pounds of which 6 3/4 lbs was the explosive content which was 75% TNT and 25% PETN.Penetration was 2 feet (24inches) of concrete or 2 inches of armour plate.A further 2 sizes followed one that contained 16lbs of explosive (25lb overall weight) this could penetrate 3feet of concrete and one with 35lbs of explosive (overall weight 50lb) which had penetration of 6 feet on concrete.a larger 75lb charge was made but declared obsolete in 1944.
The charges could be stacked on top of each otherto increase penetration.
The picture shows a pair of beehives we recovered a couple of years ago ,you can clearly see the explosives in the one on the left and the shaped charge metal cone in the bottom of the one on the right,These left one hell of a crater on soft earth when they were disposed of
Positioning against a wall was quite simple and improvised in the field,e.g propped,hanging from a nail and rope,etc