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Manufacturing Panji
Traps: Long nails or lengths of
thin steel rods, hammered flat at the ends, filed into a
barbed shape, then hammered through blocks of wood. |
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Side-Closing Panji Trap:
The most basic trap. Very
cheap to make and very common. Basically a small hole
covered with leaf litter, the victim's foot is impaled
when stood on. |
Spike
Board: The spike
board is used with a pit and consists of a treadle
board, one end of which is spiked. When a man steps on
the treadle, the spiked end flies up striking him in the
face or chest. |
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Side
Closing Trap: The
side closing trap consists of two wooden slats, each
studded with spikes, sliding along a pair of guide rods,
and controlled by heavy rubber bands. When the prop
holding the slats apart is dislodged, the slats spring
together impaling the portion of the body passing
between them |
Door
Trap: Two lengths
of bamboo with the cross section heavily spiked and is
suspended above the door or opening via a trip wire.
When the wire is tripped the trap swings down impaling
the victim. |
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Arrow
Trap: The arrow
trap is constructed of a length of bamboo fastened to a
board. An arrow, powered by a strong rubber band passes
through it. The rubber band is held in the extended
position by a catch device triggered by a trip wire. |
Mace
Trap: Mace traps
take various forms, and may consist of a spiked concrete
ball, drum, box or log suspended in a tree on the end of
a rope, or cable. When the trip wire is pulled, the mace
swings down along the path striking anyone in its way. |
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Tiger
Trap: The
tiger trap or deadfall consists of a weighted,
spike-studded board. The actuation is usually by means
of a trip wire stretched across the path or track
underneath the trap. |
Whip
Trap: Bamboo
whips are constructed of a length of green bamboo with
spikes (normally bamboo) attached to one end. The bamboo
pole is bent and held in an arched position by a catch
device triggered by a trip wire stretched across the
track. When released, the bamboo pole whips back into
the straight position impaling the person triggering the
trap. |
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Venus
Fly Trap:
Consists of a rectangular frame work with overlapping
barbs emplaced in a pit, on trails or a rice padi. Can
be made from a metal container which is sunk into the
ground until the top is flush and then covered with
grass or leaf camouflage. The barbs inflict injury
especially when the victim attempts to withdraw his leg
out of the trap. |
Grenade
Trap: These are
placed along likely paths of travel with a two stakes
embedded on both sides of the creek or stream with the
grenade tied to one and the safety pin partially removed
from the striker lever and tied by trip wire to the
other stake. |
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Grenade
Trap: Two cans
are tied to trees either side of the track with the
delay train and safety pins are removed and slide into
the cans holding the striker levers in position. A trip
wire is tied to both grenades. when the victim's foot
pulls the trip wire the grenades are pulled from the
cans causing instant detonation. |
Cartridge Trap: A
section of pipe, bamboo barrel or hole in timber with a
tack nailed through the base upon which sits the
cartridge with the round slightly above ground level.
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Booby
Trap Markers:
Types of markers indicating the location of a booby
trap. Often used as pointers by the VC, indicating direction and
distance to booby trap. |
To see the
weapons and
specifications
used by the
Australian army
during the
Vietnam war, as
well as weapons
used by the VC
and NVA along
with a video of
the Battle of
Binh Ba and a
range of
articles written
by the soldiers
themselves in
'Once We Were
Soldiers', Click
on the 5RAR
Association
Logo. |
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