Finally I Found Some 2" Mortars WWII.

[Grenademan2005]

Guys, I purchased a nice collection of 7, (6 HE & 1 ILL), 2" British WWII Mortars in amazing condition, even with the protective rolled papers inside of the fins propeller tubes. Unbelievable condition, few differents markings, caps, etc. Now Im involved in come back to my small, (but loved), home at Catalunya, so have no time for post photos and ask questions about them, but when I can I will do it for sure.

 

[pointblank0]

I look forward to it. Sounds like you got a great deal.

 

[BMG50]

Guys, I purchased a nice collection of 7, (6 HE & 1 ILL), 2" British WWII Mortars in amazing condition, even with the protective rolled papers inside of the fins propeller tubes. Unbelievable condition, few differents markings, caps, etc. Now Im involved in come back to my small, (but loved), home at Catalunya, so have no time for post photos and ask questions about them, but when I can I will do it for sure.

Did you manage to have any photo's of your two mortars.

 

[Grenademan2005]

OH, MAN! I totally forgot about this thread, when I came back home I just put them into a box and the box in a closet... and almost two years have passed now!!!! When I have time I will take the box out and will do the promised pics.

 

[Fjordhouse]

Yes that would be nice

 

[Grenademan2005]

Hey Men:
Today finally got enough time for take the mortars and make some photos for all of you. Im going to keep the first three from left to right for my collection, rest will be for sell, I think they will be ok for ship in three separated parcel or I can bring them to Ciney also.

 

[Grenademan2005]

More photos.

 

[BMG50]

Thanks for posting the pictures. Never see such I nice collection of two inch rounds. Where did you find these butes. I do like the 1939 round it seems to deplict the description of the early manuals ie no white markings. I do like the variation of how the markings are applied to the bombs. I have noticed that there is a white circle marking with a number inside do you have a better picture of this as it seems to be quite common on 2inch HE bombs.

 

[Grenademan2005]

Photos requested. I found them in a French show at Alsace, from a guy who was selling all his British stuff, he also had Gammons and other rare ordnance complete boxes of time pencils, etc. But that was not the first show he went and all that stuff was already sold when I met him. BUT he still had the mortars, I got very lucky and happy that Sunday because until that day the original WWII British 2" Mortars were missing from my collection of mortars, never found an original one in that condition anywhere. You can find German, French, Russian and USA mortars often in the shows, but never British ones, any of you can explain me why?

 

[BMG50]

Thanks for showing the photo's. I was going to ask you if you had shots of the rest of the marking on the bombs. Its interesting to see how the bombs are painted and marked up. I have factory pictures and a ghost shot of how the markings are applied at the factory by stenciling. some which were applied by rolling the bomb over a rubber stamp but mostly stenciled. Interesting to note the number 8821 and 1390 on the varying batch of dated bombs and the number in the broken circle and the number 9 or 6 on the other side. I know what the marking are for on the green band but not the others.
These bombs can be found here in the UK, quite common but scarce found like these. Certain British stuff ends up being rare because its usually sold of to foreign armies who we end up fighting in future wars, like the British shrapnel mine which is on the mines to watch list for British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. I believe all our stocks of British 2 inch HE rounds ended up being sold off to Australia which we had to buy back during the Aden crisis.
Again nice to see such good nick rounds, I hope you have photographed each of the individual rounds for reference keeping before you part with them. If you don't sell them i don't blame you.

 

[TimG]

BMG50,

8821 - Method of filling design DD/L/8821 (Baratol)

12021 - Method of filling design DD/L/12021 (Amatol)

The number below in circle is the batch number.

TimG

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

I see that the letters `XR' are stencilled in white on the nose of a couple of the HE bombs, perhaps meaning that they were X-Ray inspected (for fuze safety maybe?).

 

[Grenademan2005]

Hi:
They are stenciled in all the transport caps and in all the head fuzes, except on the early 1939 one.

 

[BMG50]

I see that the letters `XR' are stencilled in white on the nose of a couple of the HE bombs, perhaps meaning that they were X-Ray inspected (for fuze safety maybe?).

Your are actually right, it's mentioned in the DWS notes 1945.

 

[Grenademan2005]

Really? So, you cannot fly with them in your luggage? Now seriously, why they did that?

 

[BMG50]

They had a problem with 2 inch mortar rounds with the 151 fuzes, that if accidentally jarred or dropped with a certain of force would set the detent back that moved the striker pin up that held the spring loaded striker cap in a safe position to a position that was in line with the striker to a dangerous position that the mortar if fire would exploded in the barrel by the recoil forces. All suspected batches of mortar rounds from air drops or jarred in transit were x-rayed to check if they were safe and modified with a safety pin to prevent premature movement of the mechanism, hence the new 161 fuze being developed.

 

[Bonnex]

BMG

I thought you might like to see the markings on the attached photograph. This is the very last of the British 2-inch HE Mortar Bombs being held by yours truly. It was destroyed on demolitions at Otterburn in July 2003. Of course I claim to have destroyed it but then so can about ten others who also had the Army PR people take a similar photograph

 

[BMG50]

Very interesting, I have a 1963 2 inch mortar round that has the exact tail fin and marking a no4 tail dated 62 with end cap marked 61. The body was a 43 dated round but has been re-stamped 63. I was very weary about the body colour which is the same green in the photo, but there are no paint markings on the body like your in the photo but the body did have a label on the round originally. I do have a mint 161 mk 3 fuse that would fit the round that would make this correct. Looking at your photo do you have the markings on the other side of this round. Glad you have posted this as I was about to ask question about this round.

 

[Bonnex]

No photo of the other side I'm afraid BMG but typically the reverse shows method of filling code (L50/2 in this case), the fillers monogramme (GD = Glascoed) and date of filling (6/69), the Filled series number ( (48) ) and the nature of the filling (TNT 1). The 'front' would typically show the Calibre, Nature, Type and Mark/Model Number of the bomb [say 2-IN MOR HE MK 2], code denoting the filling [TNT 1 again perhaps], and the Batch Number when bombs are issued with primary cart and fuze [eg T56B].

 

[BMG50]

Thanks for the details of the markings. I was wondering when the colour change, changed over from the normal varnish shellac finish to green with yellow markings, i suspect this would happen to other motar rounds such as the 3" mortars. Although my 2" is an early 1960's dated round i wondered if such rounds could be labled rather than painted, just for a breif period during its history?