Affentitten Posted November 8, 2001 Share Posted November 8, 2001 Can any of you tube fans tell me what sort of minimum ranges or elevations a mortar would have? I had a fast moving halftrack taken out yesterday from a top hit by a 2" mortar at a range of 13 meters. And yes, it was a mortar shell that did it, not a grenade. The very annoyed German crew then bailed out and Lugered the mortar team to death. But how realistic is it for a mortar crew to aim at and hit a vehicle moving at pace directly towards them and less than 4 car lengths away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Harrison Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 im not to familiar with the 2" mortar, but wasnt it similar to a knee mortar that could be fired as it was pressed against the knee? if you could aim the sucker straight at the german HT, that would do the trick. then it would be more like a 40mm grenade launcher. thats what comes to my mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offtaskagain Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 Perhaps if they threw the shell at the vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conscript Bagger Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Chad Harrison: im not to familiar with the 2" mortar, but wasnt it similar to a knee mortar that could be fired as it was pressed against the knee? if you could aim the sucker straight at the german HT, that would do the trick. then it would be more like a 40mm grenade launcher. thats what comes to my mind!<hr></blockquote> I think "knee mortars" were called that because you fired them while kneeling, not while bracing it on your knee. An important - and painful - distinction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfe Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 Would be neat to see the shell fired directly at the vehicle (like a PIAT) in these circumstances instead of lofted into the air. BTS, please fix or do somefink! - Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offtaskagain Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 The Japanese had a 50mm knee mortar. It wasn't fired from the knee but while kneeling as already mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gredeker Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 The Japanese "knee mortar" was a 50mm mortar with a nasty recoil. For some reason, GI's in the Pacific thought that the curved baseplate enabled the mortar to be braced against the leg and then fired. Doing so always caused major injury, however, due to the aforementioned recoil (with a broken femur being the most likely injury). Not the best to do, unless you're looking for a ride to the hospital... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Affentitten Posted November 9, 2001 Author Share Posted November 9, 2001 I've also read stories of squaddies trying to brace 81mm mortars in the boggy ground of the Falklands by standing on the base plate. Broken ankles were the usual result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conscript Bagger Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 I don't know... it's not a bad way to get yourself away from the front lines, and it sure isn't as obvious as a gunshot wound to the foot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gredeker Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by panzerwerfer42: Perhaps if they threw the shell at the vehicle.<hr></blockquote> If it's good enough for Matt Damon, it's good enough for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offtaskagain Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by redeker: If it's good enough for Matt Damon, it's good enough for me... <hr></blockquote> A medal of honor was awarded for just such a feat. It was awarded to T/Sgt. Beaufort Anderson of the 96th ID on April 13 1945. Heres a link to his citation. It's right in the middle of the page. Link Edited to add: Coincidentally, I was born not far from where this happened . [ 11-08-2001: Message edited by: panzerwerfer42 ]</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Affentitten Posted November 9, 2001 Author Share Posted November 9, 2001 There was a similar mortar bomb throwing incident in Italy, for which the man involved was also reccommended for the CMH. But when it got up to the review board, nobody believed that it could actually be done. They actually went to the trouble of testing whether mortar rounds could be armed and detonated in such a way. Can you imagine the poor schmuck at Yuma Proving Ground or wherever who had to do the testing? "Here private, bang this live round on the ground really hard and see if it goes off. I'll be waiting in the bunker over there to observe the results." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Harrison Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by panzerwerfer42: The Japanese had a 50mm knee mortar. It wasn't fired from the knee but while kneeling as already mentioned. <hr></blockquote> shows that i am no grog! i knew the japanease used "knee mortars" and i assumed that it was a small enough round (like the 40mm grenade now adays) that could be fired from the knee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew H. Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 I was browsing around the 96th ID MoH site and found this amazing bit: <blockquote>quote:</font><hr> CRAFT, CLARENCE B. Rank and organization: Private, First Class, U.S. Army, Company G, 382d Infantry, 96th Infantry Division. Place and date: Hen Hill, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 31 May 1945. Entered service at: Santa Ana, Calif. Birth: San Bernardino, Calif. G.O. No.: 97, 1 November 1945. Citation: He was a rifleman when his platoon spearheaded an attack on Hen Hill, the tactical position on which the entire Naha-Shuri-Yonaburu line of Japanese defense on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, was hinged. For 12 days our forces had been stalled, and repeated, heavy assaults by 1 battalion and then another had been thrown back by the enemy with serious casualties. With 5 comrades, Pfc. Craft was dispatched in advance of Company G to feel out the enemy resistance. The group had proceeded only a short distance up the slope when rifle and machinegun fire, coupled with a terrific barrage of grenades, wounded 3 and pinned down the others. Against odds that appeared suicidal, Pfc. Craft launched a remarkable 1-man attack. He stood up in full view of the enemy and began shooting with deadly marksmanship wherever he saw a hostile movement. He steadily advanced up the hill, killing Japanese soldiers with rapid fire, driving others to cover in their strongly disposed trenches, unhesitatingly facing alone the strength that had previously beaten back attacks in battalion strength. He reached the crest of the hill, where he stood silhouetted against the sky while quickly throwing grenades at extremely short range into the enemy positions. His extraordinary assault lifted the pressure from his company for the moment, allowing members of his platoon to comply with his motions to advance and pass him more grenades. With a chain of his comrades supplying him while he stood atop the hill, he furiously hurled a total of 2 cases of grenades into a main trench and other positions on the reverse slope of Hen Hill, meanwhile directing the aim of his fellow soldiers who threw grenades from the slope below him. He left his position, where grenades from both sides were passing over his head and bursting on either slope, to attack the main enemy trench as confusion and panic seized the defenders. Straddling the excavation, he pumped rifle fire into the Japanese at pointblank range, killing many and causing the others to flee down the trench. Pursuing them, he came upon a heavy machinegun which was still creating havoc in the American ranks. With rifle fire and a grenade he wiped out this position. By this time the Japanese were in complete rout and American forces were swarming over the hill. Pfc. Craft continued down the central trench to the mouth of a cave where many of the enemy had taken cover. A satchel charge was brought to him, and he tossed it into the cave. It failed to explode. With great daring, the intrepid fighter retrieved the charge from the cave, relighted the fuse and threw it back, sealing up the Japs in a tomb. In the local action, against tremendously superior forces heavily armed with rifles, machineguns, mortars, and grenades, Pfc. Craft killed at least 25 of the enemy; but his contribution to the campaign on Okinawa was of much more far-reaching consequence for Hen Hill was the key to the entire defense line, which rapidly crumbled after his utterly fearless and heroic attack.<hr></blockquote> My troops never do this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CombinedArms Posted November 9, 2001 Share Posted November 9, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Andrew Hedges: My troops never do this <hr></blockquote> If they did, we'd say there was something wrong with the game! BTW, to get back to the original topic, there appears to be no range limitation at all on British 2-inch mortar, unlike all other mortars in the game. This makes them handy for night battles, among other things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Affentitten Posted November 9, 2001 Author Share Posted November 9, 2001 Well can you imagine sitting there with your mortar tube perfectly vertical and sticking shells in it? What fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts