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MarkHolloway · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:55 pm Post subject: Mortar Question

I've seen some breach-loaded 120mm mortars on the Internet. Will these work as direct fire weapons?

C_Sherman · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 590

I would think that depends on your definition of "direct"...! The muzzle velocity of a mortar round is a good deal lower than a cannon, so the trajectory of the round is going to be pretty high even in a "direct fire" mode.

There may be issues of practicality, too. Sights, firing/charge tables, and how are you going to hold it that way are a few that spring to mind. There are likely other challenges to using it that way, too.

As they say on MythBusters...Plausible, but not likely.

CS

Dontos · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 7:53 pm Post subject: Re: Mortar Question

A little off topic, but a cool photo of a 4.2 firing.

For 'our' resident '11C'.....This ones for you Jeff!!

Don

MarkHolloway · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:09 am Post subject: Re: Mortar Question

I guess I forgot about the low velocity. Better not send this question to Myth Busters! But maybe they could develope a cannister round for direct fire and duck hunting? No, never mind... Mr. Green

LeeW · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 26, 2006 Posts: 61

The breach loading mortars I've seen advertise a direct fire capability. That's one of the reasons for putting them in turreted AFV.

MarkHolloway · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:23 pm Post subject: Re: Mortar Question

Is the photo an M106 (M113) or the M59 variant (M84?). In the right rear is a bulkhead I don't recognize. Where the batteries would be in an M106.

Dontos · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:38 pm Post subject: Re: Mortar Question

Its taken in Vietnam of a 25th Inf Div M113 based Mortar track (M106?).

The attached caption:

TWIST AND PLUG EARS-This 25th Div Mortarman from a "four-deuce" platoon does a little more than just drop mortar rounds into a tube. He also knows how to plug up his ears to deflect the sound repercussions from the initial explosive charge. (US ARMY PHOTO)

Another example of a typical PIO 'blurb'.... Rolling Eyes

Don

JG300-Ascout · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:58 pm Post subject: Re: Mortar Question

- Dontos

Its taken in Vietnam of a 25th Inf Div M113 based Mortar track (M106?).

The attached caption:

TWIST AND PLUG EARS-This 25th Div Mortarman from a "four-deuce" platoon does a little more than just drop mortar rounds into a tube. He also knows how to plug up his ears to deflect the sound repercussions from the initial explosive charge. (US ARMY PHOTO)

Another example of a typical PIO 'blurb'....

Don

Yeah, those indirect fire weapons apparently had self-directing "smart projo's", you didn't know? (well, it was classified at the time) Wink

Looks like the wind was up that night. Love those Bermuda shorts, too! Laughing

Dontos · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:10 pm Post subject: Re: Mortar Question

Looks like he may have been 'racked out' and they got an "Immediate Suppression" fire mission.

Boots looked to be possibly loose...No time to string them up, just get in the position and start dropping rounds...till mission complete is announced then 'rack out'.

Wink

Don

FourDeuceMF · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Feb 28, 2008 Posts: 1

Interesting to see the direction of fire on the mortar as well. Usually, the M106s would 'back in' to position and fire over the back deck, rather than over the TC's compartment, as this one is. Looks as if this firebase is set up for a 360deg of fire (which the unit's capable of, just not something I ever saw done in practice).

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:59 pm Post subject: Re: Mortar Question

- FourDeuceMF

Interesting to see the direction of fire on the mortar as well. Usually, the M106s would 'back in' to position and fire over the back deck, rather than over the TC's compartment, as this one is. Looks as if this firebase is set up for a 360deg of fire (which the unit's capable of, just not something I ever saw done in practice).

My experience is that this practice varied, even within a Squadron. At NDP's in VN (which is almost by definition a 360 fire coverage arrangement), some Troops grouped their mortar tracks, some dispersed within "clock" area of their assigned platoon, usually faced out to offer better protection from any fire from outside the perimeter (where they usually resided on the inside "ring").

As I look at the picture above, I'm inclined to think that they are on a prepared berm embrasure at a Fire Support Base on "castle guard" with a bunch of probably dirt-filled ammo boxes augmenting any raised dirt berm, or at a prepared mortar track position well inside the FSB.

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 3:55 am Post subject: Re: Mortar Question

- Dontos

Its taken in Vietnam of a 25th Inf Div M113 based Mortar track (M106?).

The attached caption:

TWIST AND PLUG EARS-This 25th Div Mortarman from a "four-deuce" platoon does a little more than just drop mortar rounds into a tube. He also knows how to plug up his ears to deflect the sound repercussions from the initial explosive charge. (US ARMY PHOTO)

Another example of a typical PIO 'blurb'....

Don

Don (and Mark, since you wondered about that panel and batteries), if you think that's bad....

A member who doesn't post much sent me an email and pointed out the obvious...except that we all seemed to have missed it: That image is flipped... the ramp cable that appears on the right side is actually on the left on the whole family of vehicles and that mysterious panel actually belongs to the left with it (along with the ramp door). We're looking at a mirror image.

It's "spankys" for the lot of you!

DOH!

Thanks H.J.! Wink

Joe_D · Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 6:02 am Post subject: Re: Mortar Question

Damn,

Mr. Obvious strikes again.

Maybe if I paid more attention to the thread I might have caught it (Doubt it) since I did spend a little of time (2 plus years) on M113's and M577's. Laughing

Dennis_Smith · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Mar 17, 2006 Posts: 192

Here's one for the "who wudda thunk it" file.

The Air Force is designing a replacement for the AC-130 gunship.

"A retractable 120-mm. mortar weapon is the likely centerpiece of the future gunship’s kinetic weapons suite, and it would replace the existing 105-mm. howitzer."

tinyurl.com/clsdc7

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