British Ordnance Collectors Network
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Japanese mortar
- Thread starter sksvlad
- Start date
https://www.facebook.com/dialog/fee...124.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=fb&tsrc=fb
https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?te...=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr&via=YahooNewsThe couple called the police and for the next several hours, officials from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, the St. Louis Regional Bomb and Arson Unit and the Air Force descended on their home, CNN reported.
Officials soon told the Coffeys the item was a Japanese Navy mortar from World War II — and it was still live.
“They said it has a 500-foot blast range,”
If the reporting and her quotes of what she was told are accurate, that level of ignorance from this many professionals is breathtaking. And to then pronounce it as "live" with "a 500 ft blast range".
But who is to dispute the official report.....
https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?te...=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr&via=YahooNewsThe couple called the police and for the next several hours, officials from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, the St. Louis Regional Bomb and Arson Unit and the Air Force descended on their home, CNN reported.
Officials soon told the Coffeys the item was a Japanese Navy mortar from World War II — and it was still live.
“They said it has a 500-foot blast range,”
If the reporting and her quotes of what she was told are accurate, that level of ignorance from this many professionals is breathtaking. And to then pronounce it as "live" with "a 500 ft blast range".
But who is to dispute the official report.....
I've dealt with the three LE groups mentioned in the article numerous times, as recently as last month (SLICS). In my experience they were professional and not prone to exaggeration. The way the article was structured seems to indicate that the news was contacted by the family and did not speak to anyone involved with the response. At that point you have the family, their desire to make the news, their filter of what occurred and they were told, then further filtered by the local media. None of whom have any idea what they are talking about.
WWII GIs in the Pacific theater called these "Doodlebugs", a form of WWII trench art. As M8 mentions, most commonly made from two different Type 88 fuzes (instantaneous and short delay) cut down and soldered together base to base. You used to see them much more often, in my area they are now becoming a little more rare. I have not seen one at a militaria or gun show in a couple of years. There are dozens of variations, different fuzes, fin designs, etc. and they are sort of collectible in their own right. I've seen incidents with them described as mortars, bombs, submunitions - it leaves people feeling a little foolish when you point out the construction and they realize what they are looking at. I keep mine in with my Japanese fuzes as curios.
WWII GIs in the Pacific theater called these "Doodlebugs", a form of WWII trench art. As M8 mentions, most commonly made from two different Type 88 fuzes (instantaneous and short delay) cut down and soldered together base to base. You used to see them much more often, in my area they are now becoming a little more rare. I have not seen one at a militaria or gun show in a couple of years. There are dozens of variations, different fuzes, fin designs, etc. and they are sort of collectible in their own right. I've seen incidents with them described as mortars, bombs, submunitions - it leaves people feeling a little foolish when you point out the construction and they realize what they are looking at. I keep mine in with my Japanese fuzes as curios.