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Japanese Type 89 "Knee" Mortar Find

M8owner

Well-Known Member
After searching for 30 years, I finally found one in an antique store. I always make it a point to tell people what I seek. I had to make a follow up appointment, but it was worth the wait at only $500. My understanding is that these fetch over $1000 in demilitarized condition. This one was demilitarized with a bar welded across the barrel and a hole cut into the chamber. That makes it just a hunk of steel to the US Government and not a weapon. These fall into the category of a destructive device according to the Federal Government which requires the right paperwork to own. Right next door in Canada, they do not even consider it a weapon.
 

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  • Japanese Type 89 Knee Mortar.jpg
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I'm not big on the tubes, but are you sure that is a standard Type 89 and not one of the trainers? I know that some of the trainers are even more difficult to find than the standard tubes. While I have neither, a friend has a number of them and it seems like yours may be a bit different - If I get a chance I'll ask him to take a look at your picture. Here is a shelf shot of a few of my projectiles.

DSC_6116 (2).jpg
 
It looks like a Type 89 third variation (No inclinometer and a wide white aiming line).

If you can post a photo of the markings I will look it up in my copy of The Knee Mortars Of Japan 1921-1945 and tell you who made it.
 
Here are the markings. It has the same serial number in three places.
 

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  • Japanese Type 89 Knee Mortar Markings.jpg
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Your mortar was manufactured by the subcontractor Shimazu, under supervision of Osaka Army Arsenal in 1941.

The markings from left to right are the date [FONT=&quot]昭 十六 (showa 16, = 1941)

The crossed cannon barrels are the mark of the Osaka Army Arsenal

The divided circle is the mark of the subcontractor Shimazu, they made Type 89 mortars under supervision of both Nagoya and Osaka army arsenals.[/FONT]
 
I recognize the crossed cannon mark which is on the head stamp of many of my Japanese shell cases.
 
I spoke with my friend on the training vs full-up, he said that most indications are of full up, but the training mortars were put out in many variations, some with the same features as the actual pieces. The single most consistent feature that he identified was that all of the training mortars he has seen (he has 3 himself) do not have the rifled barrel of the normal Type 89, they are smooth bore.
 
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