Kanonier Reichmann Posted January 22, 2001 Share Posted January 22, 2001 I'm currently reading Russell Braddon's (gruelling) book titled "The Naked Island" where he stated that whilst serving in an Australian Army artillery unit in 1941 they were forced to train extensively with the ol' British designed 3 inch mortar which he states only had a maximum range of "600 yards". This came as quite a surprise because, as we all know, in CM the 3 inch mortar has a range far in excess of this and is also off board artillery support which places it in the mile plus range category. Does anybody have any knowledge to explain this discrepancy? Possibly the design was revamped after the mid war years to dramatically increase its range? Or perhaps the AIF's 3 inch mortars were somehow inferior? I'm just guessing here so if anybody really knows I'd love to hear it. Regards Jim R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Germanboy Posted January 22, 2001 Share Posted January 22, 2001 From: http://yorkist.homestead.com/bm.html BRITISH 3 Inch MORTAR CALIBER; 3inch BARREL; 129.5cm long WEIGHT; -BARREL: 20kg -BIPOD: 20.5kg -BASEPLATE: 17kg -IN ACTION: 51kg FIRING MECHANISM; Drop, fixed striker ELEVATION; +45 - +80 degrees TRAVERSE; 5.5 dgrees left or right PROJECTILE & WEIGHT; 4.5kg H.E., 4.5kg SMOKE MAXIMUM RANGE; 1450m (Mk1), 2560m (Mk2) RATE OF FIRE; 10 R.P.M. Good site by the looks of it. So there was a much improved version. ------------------ Andreas Der Kessel Home of „Die Sturmgruppe“; Scenario Design Group for Combat Mission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dittohead Posted January 22, 2001 Share Posted January 22, 2001 WO 291/491 Notes on R & A trials of British 3-in and German 8cm mortars. This paper was published in 1943. Times of flight, on targets about 2600 yards away, are typically around 24 seconds. "It is safe to conclude that the difference in maximum range using top service charge is small." "It is safe to conclude that both German bombs are more accurate in range than our own, and that the m.d. in range of either German bomb is probably more than half the m.d. in range of our own." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyrano01 Posted January 23, 2001 Share Posted January 23, 2001 Might this be a reference to the old Stokes trench mortar of WW1 vintage? I don't have my sources to hand but have a feeling that might have been 3". ------------------ The British Army always fights its battles uphill, in the pouring rain, at the junction of two map-sheets. (Field Marshal W. Slim) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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