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Interesting 2" Mortar.

tigbrand

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
As with all collecting,there are lean spells when nothing turns up, then in one week I manage to obtain three 2" mortar rounds! 2 early tinned para illuminating rounds in good condition and one oddball.
At first I dismissed it as an attempt at a lamp or suchlike but on closer inspection it is too well made for that. The seller said he was sold it as a training round to simulate firing a standard round. The center is bored out and has a steel sleeve fitted nearly full length. There is space in the fins to fit something similar to a saluting blank.
In the pics the fins look to be fitted wonky but when the round is turned in v blocks they are in line perfectly.
This has been made in a machine shop and is well made, the replica fuze is roll pinned to the tube at the top and two screws hold the fins to the tube.
It has been made from the standard type drill/practice round.
Any info would be appreciated,but im sure this is correct and not a hash up.
Thanks in advance Tig
 
It looks as though it is the projectile part of Projectile, Cordtex, Anti-Tripwire, Mortar, 2 inch MkI.
It should be very rare, having no real use with the end of WWII, however, there may be other collectors who have one and do not know what it is.
Basically, it is twinned 90 yards of Cordtex attached to the front of the projectile, which is fired about 80 yards over an area of suspected tripwires, is then pulled back slowly to take up the slack, to bring it into contact with any trip-wires, then detonated.
There is also a grapnel version but the projectile is much different.
 

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  • 1 Projectile, Cordtex, Anti-Tripwire, 2 inch Mortar - 1.jpg
    1 Projectile, Cordtex, Anti-Tripwire, 2 inch Mortar - 1.jpg
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Hello,

As far as I know cordtex round has a different head.
Pic below matches with the diagram.



2in cordtex.jpg



Your round looks similar to this Drill round :

2in drill 1.jpg2in drill.jpg
 
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Minenaz16 you beat me to it.
The cap is a standard pressed cap with 'Remove before firing' embossed on it, but additionally stamped 'Not to be fired'. In this instance the cap is missing.
It was modified at production to take a central internal screw threaded spigot which was steel and could be removed many times when training mortar users.
This represented the Bomb Mortar 2" HE or Smoke Bursting WP which both had the Fuze No 151, 151A or 161.
This also included the British 2" Mk3 Bomb Thrower, which was also WP, and fuzed 151 and 151A.
 
Thanks very much for the input chaps, My round is based on the Standard 2" Drill/ practice shown by Minen16, I have various types of this, but the round I have just got is very different, the steel tube has been fitted right through center of the whole round and secured to the replica fuse at the fuse and fins. This is not homemade due to the machining involved. I will attempt a cross section drawing to show its design in the next few days, thanks Tig.
 
Is there any evidence of either one or three equispaced pin holes which may have been fitted about a 1/4" below the bottom of the plug lip, then ground off?
The pin size would have been about 1/8" inch.
In the form you show it is not like either the standard Mk1 or Mk1/1 Practice bomb representing the Bomb Mor 2" HE, WP or 2" Bomb Thrower WP version, fitted with Fuze 151, 151A or 161.
It could have been something experimental based on one or the other.
 
Since collecting 2" for a long time I have seen fiddled and messed around rounds That people have modified over the years, fins reshaped cut down, welded nose cones bits added to look like other things. This round reminds me where some reenactors or the film industry have altered for effect. Drill out the centre, place a blank cartridge in the tail and fire it after it has dropped in the tube, hey presto a bang effect and flash good for a camera shot but no round comes out, it has to be tipped out and can be used again. Could be one of these.
 
Thanks for the replies chaps, Chris you have described exactly what i think its purpose is, and this is what i was told but used for basic troop training, it is very well made and has a military look to it in the way its made. I will check it better for any markings and to see what thread type is used in the conversion. I too have had many hash ups over the years! Best wishes Tig.
 
There is space in the fins to fit something similar to a saluting blank.

That is where the ballistite charge fits and is what propels the bomb out of the tube. Or do I misunderstand what you are referring to?
 
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Hi infanteer, you could not fit the standard ballistite cartridge in the fin. Only a reduced length cart as per a saluting blank,not sure if these were made in this gauge? Allan,had a few 2inch lamps but this isn't one! no extra markings found so will Go in to the not sure box for now. Thanks for the replies. Tig
 
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