Japanese 50mm Type 89 Mortars.

[ron3350]

I show two 50mm Japanese mortar shells and I need your information and opinions.

The first has traces of original paint. Red under the fuze and yellow at the bourellet.
I ask about the numbers stamped on the drive-band and base as the first number does not look like a 1 but maybe the filling factory?
So maybe a 1 , then 2279 is the stamping. Body has Showa 8 14 so August 1939. Opinions?

The second is shown with the wrong repaint that does not seem to exist. 2 white bands is Smoke with no yellow centre band.
It does not show any shear pins to be a real smoke grenade and has the wrong fuze.
Should I remove the yellow band, repaint or leave it as found?
Can somebody show me a close-up of the shear pins on a smoke 50mm mortar.
Are they visible when looking externally?
The drive-band part removes but the second part is too tight to remove.

 

[Slick]

Not sure as all of your questions will be answered, but here's a download that may help:

D 8 AMMUNITION 4 JAPANESE 50MM TYPE 89 DISCHARGER

LEAFLET No. D 8 AMMUNITION FOR JAPANESE 50MM TYPE 89 DISCHARGER. THIS FORMS A PART OF D SECTION LEAFLETS THAT INTENSIVELY COVERS MORTAR & DISCHARGER AMMUNITION USED BY THE JAPANESE IN BURMA DURING WWII. THIS DETAILED INFORMATION WAS PRODUCED BY...

www.bocn.co.uk

 

[stuff]

I show two 50mm Japanese mortar shells and I need your information and opinions.

The first has traces of original paint. Red under the fuze and yellow at the bourellet.
I ask about the numbers stamped on the drive-band and base as the first number does not look like a 1 but maybe the filling factory?
So maybe a 1 , then 2279 is the stamping. Body has Showa 8 14 so August 1939. Opinions?

The second is shown with the wrong repaint that does not seem to exist. 2 white bands is Smoke with no yellow centre band.
It does not show any shear pins to be a real smoke grenade and has the wrong fuze.
Should I remove the yellow band, repaint or leave it as found?
Can somebody show me a close-up of the shear pins on a smoke 50mm mortar.
Are they visible when looking externally?
The drive-band part removes but the second part is too tight to remove.

Hi great finds.

Personally I would leave the paint there. I have occasionally removed paint from obviously (and sorry to say poorly) painted pieces. But still have a few in my collection that I am not 100% sure of.

I work on the principal if the paint is not too bad or obvious and I do not know what harm I might do removing it (removal of any underlying paint, marks, etc) I leave it alone.

As I have come to learn and joining here has only highlighted this no one knows everything and there are a lot of undocumented pieces floating around out there. I lit would be a shame to remove a paint scheme only to find out later that it was correct.

Just my thoughts good luck in your decision.

Regards

Stuff