30. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

The duration of the mortar's combat service and the failure-free operation of all its mechanisms depend on the correct handling and care of the mortar, as well as on the thorough preparation of the mortar for firing and marching.

Preparation of mortars for firing is carried out under the direction of the platoon commander. It consists of inspecting mortars, checking and adjusting the operation of mechanisms, as well as checking sights.

Inspection of the mortar is carried out in order to timely identify and eliminate malfunctions, as well as to prevent damage and the consequences of improper care for the material part of the mortar and handling it. In military units, the inspection is carried out by the chiefs artillery weapons, artillery technicians and officers to whom the material part was entrusted in the service, within the time limits established by the Charter of the Internal Service, as well as persons appointed to conduct inspection inspections of artillery weapons and ammunition.

The mortar must always be ready for combat use, but before each shooting, you must once again make sure that the mortar and all its mechanisms are in full working order. It should be remembered that even minor malfunctions that are not detected and eliminated in a timely manner can cause serious damage to the material part and lead to an accident, and poorly adjusted mortar mechanisms and misaligned sights reduce the accuracy of fire and, as a result, increase ammunition consumption.

During firing, it is necessary to continuously monitor the operation of the mortar and promptly eliminate all noticed malfunctions.

It is forbidden to shoot with long-range charges from the M-120 mortar.

31. INSPECTION OF THE MORTAR AND CHECKING THE OPERATION OF MECHANISMS

Inspection and preparation of the mortar for firing should be carried out in the following sequence:

1. Thoroughly clean the mortar from dust and dirt, paying special attention to the condition of the breech and screws of the lifting and turning mechanisms.

2. Inspect the barrel and breech. On the outer surface of the barrel and breech there should be no cracks, swelling and dents that form bulges in the bore, visible to the naked eye.

Check the reliability of the fastening of the pipe in the holder 2 (see fig. 21) and basting 3 basting clamp; remove grease from the bore.

Note. Careful removal of grease from the bore is one of the main conditions for preparing a mortar for firing.

It is necessary to remove the grease not only because the grease slows down the movement of the mine when the mortar is loaded, which can cause misfires, but also because the grease has a great influence on the ignition and combustion of the charges.

Oily and wetted charges ignite poorly and burn unevenly. Therefore, the presence of lubrication in the bore during firing, as a rule, leads to undershot mines and their large dispersion.

When removing lubricant from the bore, they are often limited to running a bannik with a breech screwed onto the pipe. In this case, the lubricant is not removed from the bore, but is driven into the breech, i.e., where the charge is located before the shot.

If the lubricant remains in the bore, then the powder grains get into the lubricant, are oiled and do not burn out. Therefore, special attention should be paid to removing grease from the bore and, whenever possible, before firing, when wiping the bore, screw the breech off the pipe and carefully wipe both the bore and the breech. Inspect the bore that has been wiped clean. In poor lighting, place a sheet of white paper obliquely in front of the muzzle. When inspecting the channel, pay special attention to ensure that there are no cracks, swellings or dents in it. A barrel that has cracks, bulges or dents on the outer surface or in the channel is not allowed to fire.

Carefully check the condition of the channel, paying attention to the fact that there are no solid particles left in it, which, when fired, can damage the barrel. Inspect the obturation ring, check whether it has compression around the entire circumference in the form of imprints of the pipe and breech belts, indicating a tight fit of the obturation ring to the corresponding surfaces of the pipe and breech.

3. Check the operation of the firing mechanism.

To do this, release the impact mechanism several times, while the trigger lever must each time return to its original position under the action of the spring. Then, with the breech separated, check the output of the striker.

4. Check the fuse against double charging.

Remove grease from the parts by wiping them with a clean rag and check that the fuse is assembled correctly. Then check the reliability of the fuse on the barrel and put the safety mechanism in the "Open" position.

5. Check the operation of the lifting and turning mechanisms. The check is carried out on a mortar installed in a combat position. The handles of the lifting and turning mechanisms should rotate easily and smoothly, without jerking and sitting. If the effort on the handles is greater than normal (over 4 kg), then inspect the mechanisms, especially carefully inspect the screws of the lifting and turning mechanisms, and identify the cause of the tight movement of the handles of the mechanisms (dirt and nicks may be the cause).

The mortar guidance mechanisms (lifting and swivel) may have backlashes - pitching in the connections of the lead screws with their queens or with other landing parts of the biped-carriage.

There may be backlash in the rotary mechanism:

Axial (longitudinal) and radial (transverse) - in the connection of the screw with the eyes of the swivel;

Axial and radial - in the connection of the uterus with the screw.

To select the axial and radial play in the connection of the screw with the eyes of the swivel, it is necessary to use a wrench screwdriver ( 51–15 ) unscrew the plug 1 (see fig. 16), take out the washer 2 and bend the washer tooth; then the key ( 51–20 ) rotate the cone 4 to such an angle at which the screw will rotate smoothly and without pitching in the eyes of the swivel, then insert the washer, bend its tooth into the slot of the cone and screw in the plug.

In mortars with a variant shock absorber, only the axial play of the propeller can be selected. To do this, remove the washers 11 and 12 (see fig. 18), tighten the nut 13 and turn it to such an angle that there is no axial pitching of the screw in the eyes of the swivel and at the same time the screw rotates easily and smoothly.

To select the backlash of the uterus, you need a key ( 51–12 ) loosen the locknut 11 (see fig. 16) and tighten the adjusting nut 10 in the direction of the arrow marked on the uterus; tighten the nut so that the screw rotates easily and without play. If the uterus has two adjusting nuts, then they need to be tightened alternately. In mortars that do not have locknuts and nuts, and the uterus is made split (see Fig. 20), it is necessary to remove the wire and tighten the adjusting bolts, and then fix them again with wire.

In the lifting mechanism, only the axial (longitudinal) play of the screw is regulated. To do this, unscrew the screws that lock the cover on the body of the lifting mechanism, and with a key ( Sat51–20, see fig. 11) tighten the cover on the body of the lifting mechanism so that the screw rotates smoothly and easily, without axial pitching.

In other mechanisms, backlashes are selected by lining washers or replacing worn parts in repair shops.

It must be borne in mind that the gaps in the mortar mechanisms increase the overall instability of the mortar barrel, which worsens the accuracy of fire. The unsteadiness of the mortar barrel should not be more than ±0-20. If the shakiness of the barrel is greater and it is impossible to reduce it by adjustments, the mortar must be sent to the workshop for repair.

6. Inspect the bipedal carriage and check for breakage and damage on it, as well as cracks on the swivel. Check the operation of the sight leveling mechanism (where available), make sure that the shock absorber springs are in good condition and check for deflection of the shock absorber rods. The shock absorber should freely (without sitting) move forward by the amount of travel when pulled by the swivel and return to its original position when the force is removed from the swivel.

7. Inspect the base plate; on the plate, especially in welds, there should be no damage (cracks).

8. Check sights.

32. CHECKING SIGHTING DEVICES

Checking sights includes:

Quadrant check;

Preparing the sight for alignment;

Mortar preparation for checking the zero line of sight;

Reconciliation of the sight (alignment of the scales of elevation angles, the zero line of aiming and the level of the swivel according to the transverse level of the sight).

To reduce the amount of drift of the zero line of sight depending on the elevation angle, it is necessary to align the zero line of sight of the mortar at an angle of 63 ° (7-00).

Alignment of the control mortar quadrant KM-1

To reconcile a quadrant, you must:

Disconnect the barrel from the plate;

Put the breech of the barrel on some kind of rigid support (tragus, park boxes, etc.) with a height of 1200-1300 mm, while setting the biped approximately vertically;

Wipe dry the control pad on the trunk;

Level the control area of ​​the shaft in the transverse direction using the leveling mechanism;

Remove the quadrant from the case and dry the bottom plane of its base;

Set the zero division of the quadrant scale against the pointer and place the quadrant on the control platform along the barrel along the longitudinal risk so that the point of the arrow of the quadrant is directed to the muzzle of the barrel; using the lifting mechanism of the biped, bring the bubble of the quadrant level to the middle;

Rotate the quadrant 180°, if the level bubble stays in the middle then the quadrant is correct.

If, after turning the quadrant, the level bubble does not retain its middle position, then it is necessary to select approximately half of the error by turning the quadrant disk relative to the pointer; then, turning the flywheel of the lifting mechanism, bring the quadrant level bubble to the middle and rotate the quadrant 180° again. If the level bubble is not in the middle, repeat the above procedure until the level bubble remains in the middle position when the quadrant is rotated 180°.

Note. It may be that when the quadrant is rotated 180° for the first time, the level bubble will shift so much that it does not. it will even be possible to roughly determine the magnitude of the error. In this case, it is recommended, by rotating the handle of the lifting mechanism, to bring the level bubble to the middle, noticing the exact number of turns of the handle (take into account the backlash), and then turn the handle in the opposite direction by half the observed number of its turns. By turning the quadrant disk, bring the level bubble to the middle.

Rotate the quadrant 180°. If the level bubble remains in the middle, then the quadrant is correct. If, when turning the quadrant by 180 °, the level bubble slightly shifts from the middle position, then continue the check as indicated above; if the bubble again shifts so much that it will not be possible to determine the magnitude of the error by eye, then continue the test using the lifting mechanism, taking into account more precisely the number of revolutions of the handle.

Preparing sights for inspection

To prepare sights for testing, you must:

Remove the scope from the case and wipe it with a clean, dry cloth;

Inspect the sight and its mechanisms, test the smoothness of their movement and check the presence of all nuts and screws;

Install the sight with the axis into the socket of the bracket and secure it with the handle;

Set zero settings on the sight: goniometer 30-00, sight 7-00; using the fine leveling mechanism (or sight leveling mechanism, where available), bring the bubble of the transverse level of the sight to the middle.

Determination of dead moves of the goniometer

To determine the dead strokes of the protractor, you must:

Aim the crosshair of the reticle at any aiming point located no closer than 400 m from a mortar by rotating the goniometer drum in one direction; on the scale of the goniometer and the drum, read the setting of the goniometer and memorize it;

Knock down the tip by rotating the goniometer drum in the same direction;

Align the crosshairs of the sight with the same aiming point by rotating the protractor drum in the opposite direction, and read the setting of the goniometer.

The difference between the first and second settings is the backlash of the goniometer. The backlash must be determined three times and the arithmetic mean of the three determinations should be taken as its value. In addition, checking the backlash of the goniometer in the order indicated above should be carried out in three positions that differ from each other by about 10–00, for example, with goniometers 20–00, 30–00 and 40–00.

The backlash value of the goniometer should not exceed two thousandths (0-02). In case of greater backlash, at least in one position, the sight must be replaced.

Determination of dead moves of the mechanism of elevation angles

To determine the backlash of the elevation mechanism, you must:

Set the “50” division of the scale of the checked quadrant against the pointer, place the quadrant on the control platform along the barrel, as indicated above, and, turning the handle of the mortar lifting mechanism, bring the bubble of the quadrant level to the middle, i.e., give the mortar barrel an elevation angle of 50 ° ; remove the quadrant from the trunk;

Bring the bubble of the longitudinal level of the sight to the middle by rotating the drum of the elevation angle mechanism in one direction (in the direction of decreasing the installation of the sight); on a scale 27 (see fig. 31) and drum scale 4 read the setting of the sight and memorize it;

Remove the bubble of the longitudinal level from the middle position, continuing to rotate the drum in the same direction;

Bring the bubble of the longitudinal level back to the middle, rotating the drum in the opposite direction, and read the sight setting again.

The difference between the first and second sight settings is the backlash of the elevation mechanism.

The backlash must be determined three times in this way and the arithmetic mean should be taken as its value.

In the same order, check the backlash of the mechanism of elevation angles at an angle of 65 °. The value of the backlash of the mechanism of elevation angles should not exceed two thousandths (two divisions of the drum scale).

With a larger backlash, at least at one elevation angle, the sight must be replaced.

Preparation of the mortar for checking the zero line of sight

Before checking the zero line of sight, it is necessary to level the mortar in the transverse direction, for which you should:

Install the mortar, if possible, on a flat area, giving it an elevation angle of 63 °;

Wipe the control platform on the trunk and install on it (perpendicular to the axis of the bore along the transverse risk on the platform) a previously checked control quadrant; set the zero division of the quadrant scale against the pointer;

Bring the bubble of the quadrant to the middle using the clamp (see fig. 12) and the fine leveling mechanism (see fig. 13).

Alignment of the sight MPM-44 (MPM-44M)

Reconciliation of sight levels in the troops is not carried out, since they are not amenable to any adjustment in military conditions. Levels are adjusted at the factories that manufacture sights, or in workshops that have special adjustment devices.

To align the sight, you must select a pointing point (tree, pole, milestone, etc.) located at a distance of at least 400 from the mortar m.

If the aiming point is selected at a distance of at least 400 m is impossible in front of the mortar, then you can align the sight using a special shield, which should be placed in front of the mortar at a distance of at least 10 m without removing the mortar from the firing position. To do this, on a piece of plywood, a board, a wall or the bottom of a box, draw two prominent parallel lines 200–250 long. mm and a width of 3–5 mm each.

Distance between lines should be 136 mm. On a light background, the lines should be applied with dark paint (black, blue or charcoal). On a dark background, the lines should be applied with white paint or chalk.

Place the shield in front of the mortar so that the lines on the shield are vertical (check the installation of the shield by a plumb line).

After selecting the aiming point or setting the shield, point the mortar muzzle roughly at the eye to the aiming point or shield. At the same time, the slab and the biped must be placed on the ground in such a way that during further work at the mortar they do not change their position. Therefore, it is most expedient to align the sight without removing the mortar from the firing position; the barrel must be securely fixed in the shock absorber cage so that the white line on the barrel does not fall off to the side when looking at the rear of the barrel.

Check the sight in the following order.

Alignment of elevation scales

To give the mortar barrel with the greatest accuracy - an elevation angle of 63 "in the control quadrant, carefully installed on the control platform of the barrel.

Bring the bubble of the transverse level to the middle (using the sight leveling mechanism).

Then, turning the drum 4 (see fig. 31), remove the bubble of the longitudinal level 6 to the middle. In this case, the risk of the pointer 24 must match the division "10" on the scale 27 , and "0" of the drum scale 4 - with pointer risk 13 . If the position of the scales does not correspond to the specified, then it is necessary:

unscrew four screws 12 one turn and, holding the drum 4 with one hand, turn the scale with the other 5 1Z and tighten the four screws 12 ; at the MPM-44M sight, respectively, the blind nut is unscrewed and screwed, securing the drum;

Loosen the screw one turn 25 and two turns screw 14 , move the pointer until its risks coincide with the “10” division of the scale 27 , then tighten both screws until they stop.

To avoid friction, check the presence of an end gap between the pointer 24 and scale 27 ; clearance must be at least 0.15 mm.

Reconciliation of the zero line of sight

Behind the mortar, at a distance of 10–15 m from it, set the compass so that the line of sight from the compass to the aiming point (or right line on the shield) passed approximately through the middle of the ball heel of the breech of the tested mortar.

Then, rotating the monocular of the compass and working with the rotary mechanism of the mortar, achieve the alignment of the white line on the barrel of the mortar and the aiming point (or the right line on the shield) with the vertical line of the crosshair in the monocular of the compass. The bubbles of the longitudinal and transverse levels should be in the middle.

Rotating drum 4 , combine the vertical line of the crosshair of the sight mounted on the mortar with the aiming point (or the left line on the shield). In this case, the risk of the pointer 19 must match the division "30" on the scale 18 large divisions of the goniometer, and the risk of the pointer 9 must match the division "0" on the scale 17 small divisions of the goniometer.

If the position of the scales does not correspond to the specified, then it is necessary to loosen the locking screws by half a turn. 3 , fixing the scale 18 large divisions of the protractor, and move this scale until division "30" is aligned with the stroke of the pointer 19 then tighten the screws until they stop.

Then loosen the four screws one turn. 7 on the drum 4 and holding the handwheel with one hand; another turn the scale 17 until the zero division is aligned with the pointer 9 , after which the screws 7 screw it all the way down (in the MPM-44M sight, unscrew and tighten the cap nut securing the drum, respectively). Check if the aiming of the mortar and sight has not gone astray.

Note. If there is no compass, then pointing the white line on the mortar barrel to the aiming point (or the right line on the shield) can be done using a sight mounted on the second mortar behind the tested mortar at a distance of 10–15 m, or a plumb line suspended behind the mortar at a distance of 3–5 m.

Check the level of the swivel in the following order: give the mortar an elevation angle of 63° (along the quadrant) and precisely orient the swivel using the precise leveling mechanism along the transverse level of the sight, while the level bubble of the swivel should be in the middle.

If the bubble of the swivel level is not in the middle, loosen the fixing screws, turn the level to one side or the other and bring the bubble to the middle, then fix the level again with the fixing screws.

Notes: 1. If the mortar has a swing mechanism, then before adjusting the level of the swivel, it is necessary to combine the marks on the clamp of the swing mechanism.

2. If the level of the swivel, consistent with the level of the sight at a mortar elevation angle of 63 °, leaves the middle when the mortar elevation angle changes (within the operation of the lifting mechanism by more than 0.5 level divisions), then this level of the swivel cannot be used; in this case, when pointing the mortar, use only the level of the sight.

Checking the sight stand

After checking the sights, it is necessary to check the rack attached to this mortar and determine the error of the rack. To determine the error of the stand, it is necessary, having noted at any aiming point with a sight mounted on a mortar without a stand, then mark at the same aiming point with a sight mounted on a mortar with a stand, and determine the difference in marks both by goniometer and by elevation. To determine the difference in elevation marks, you need to bring the bubble of the longitudinal level to the middle with the drum of the elevation angles of the sight and subtract its reading from the obtained indication of the elevation angle scale before installing the sight on the rack. This difference will be the stance error (excluding dead moves of the sight) in elevation.

The rack error is allowed no more than 0-05 (according to the goniometer and elevation angle). The actual rack error must always be taken into account when dealing with it. If the rack error exceeds 0-05, then the rack must be handed over to the workshop.

33. SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF A FIRE POSITION

It is necessary to select and prepare a firing position in such a way that it ensures the mortar's camouflage, its stability when firing, and the ability to quickly change the direction of fire.

It must be borne in mind that the safety of the material part of the mortar and the accuracy of fire depend on the choice and quality of the preparation of the firing position.

Camouflage is achieved by placing the mortar in closed firing positions (reverse slopes, hollows, full-profile trenches, etc.).

The installation of a mortar in open positions should be carried out only in exceptional cases when, according to the conditions of the situation, it is required to immediately open fire, and there are no natural shelters on the ground.

In order for mines not to burst prematurely on their flight path, mortars must be positioned so that the distance from the mortar to the shelter is one and a half times the height of the shelter (for example, if the height of the shelter is 10 m, then the mortar must be installed no closer than 15 m from shelter). The area in the direction of fire must be cleared of trees, branches of which the mine may touch during flight, as a result of which premature rupture may occur.

When preparing a firing position, it must be taken into account that, depending on the quality of the soil (soft, hard or medium hardness), its preparation for installing the base plate should be different.

The best soil for installing the mortar base plate is medium-hard soil (alumina, black earth, turfed soil, etc.). Such a soil provides a slight draft of the base plate, sufficient stability of the mortar during firing and the safety of the material part.

Rice. 73. Strengthening the soil under the base plate by driving stakes

Before installing the base plate, the soil must be processed (depending on the conditions and condition of the soil). Installing the base plate on soft ground (loose sand, swamp, etc.) without treatment leads to an increased settling of the plate when fired, which is accompanied by a large pickup and can cause damage to the material. Installing the base plate on hard ground (frozen, rocky, etc.), as well as on medium hard ground without treatment, leads to poor stability of the mortar (bouncing) and breakage of the material part of the biped, sight or base plate.

Soft soil is processed in one of the following ways:

Bags of earth, turf, small branches mixed with the ground, crushed stone, etc. are placed under the base plate;

Stakes 5–8 thick are driven into the ground on which the slab rests. cm and length?-1 m(Fig. 73);

2–4 mats of branches are placed under the base plate (Fig. 74); between the mats and on top of them, the existing dense soil is poured (turf, small branches mixed with the ground, etc.);

The base plate is installed on the roots of the shrub;

The base plate is installed in a rectangular wooden frame (Fig. 75); log house is made of logs with a thickness of about 15 cm; inside the log house, the existing dense soil is poured (turf, small branches mixed with the ground, etc.); when installing the base plate in a log house, it is necessary to ensure that the sides of the plate do not rest against the walls of the log house; the emphasis of the sides of the slab against the walls of the log house can cause it to break during firing;

Rice. 74. Strengthening the soil under the base plate by lining mats from branches

Rice. 75. Installation of a base plate in a rectangular wooden frame

The soil is strengthened with stakes hammered into a cone (Fig. 76).

Solid soil under the slab is loosened by about? m. If it is impossible to loosen the soil with the available entrenching tool (crowbar, pickaxe), the soil is loosened by blasting with the help of sapper tools. 2-3 bags of earth are poured onto the top layer of loosened soil.

The preparation of soil of medium hardness comes down to loosening the soil and digging a ditch (trench) for the slab.

Rice. 76. Strengthening the soil with stakes driven in a cone

34. TRANSFER OF THE MORTAR FROM THE MOTOR POSITION TO THE BATTLE

To the prepared firing position, bring a wheeled move with a mortar and put it with a pivot paw towards the rear. Unfasten the straps that secure the biped to the walk. Raising the stroke by the front part, gradually lower the base plate to the place prepared for it, keeping the stroke from tipping over. Release the barrel from the clip securing it. Release the biped from fastening with clamp supports, unwind the chain of the bipod and unfasten the coupler connecting the plate with the move. Supporting the trunk, take the move back. Move the barrel over the plate (forward) and set it in firing position. At the same time, put the uterus of the rotary mechanism in the middle of the screw and, by rearranging the bipedal, direct the mortar barrel approximately at the intended target.

If the fuse was removed during the transportation of the mortar, then it must be put on the mortar barrel.

When transporting a mortar without a move (on a utility wagon, in a sleigh, etc.), transfer the mortar to a combat position in the following order: remove the base plate from the wagon and place it on the ground, remove the barrel and install the ball heel into the base cup of the plate, supporting trunk with hands at an elevation angle of 45–80 °. Then remove the shock absorber with the bipedal from the wagon, rest it against the ground with openers, and bring the shock absorber with the clip under the trunk, insert the shock absorber clip and the basting of the clip into the recess on the trunk and secure with a clamp.

Installing a mortar at a firing position

The correct placement of the mortar in the firing position is one of the important factors that ensure effective firing. Incorrect installation of the mortar in the firing position leads to the following;

To poor stability and, as a result, to frequent knocking down of aiming, which is accompanied by a deterioration in the accuracy of fire, and, consequently, an increase in ammunition consumption;

To damage to the material part of the mortar (settlement and breakage of the springs of the shock absorber and screws of the lifting and turning mechanisms, as well as the breakage of individual parts of the two-legged mortar and the breakage of the sight).

Base plate installation must be carried out so that the amount of departure or settlement of the plate from the shot is not more than the allowable shock absorber, i.e. not more than 150 mm.

If the deflection or settling of the plate is greater than the specified value, then the shock absorber springs are compressed until the coils come into contact, and further withdrawal of the plate leads to a hard blow, which is accompanied by an even greater settling of the plate, and then breakage of the springs and bending of the shock absorber rods, bending of the screws of the lifting and turning mechanisms, bending swivel and bipod, sight breakage, etc.

When installing the base plate, observe following rules:

The inclination of the base plate to the horizon in the direction of the shooting direction should be 25–30 °,

The base plate must rest with its entire surface on solid ground and must be immersed in it for at least ? coulter heights;

Under the surface of the base plate, it is necessary to create a dense earthen cushion, on which the base plate should lie with all its recesses and recesses (Fig. 77), and not with individual points.

Setting up a biped. The openers of the bipedal must be sunk into the ground to the plates and be approximately at the same level with the ball heel of the breech (Fig. 78).

Rice. 77. Base plate installation

At the same time, if the elevation angles are less than 65 ° (sight 6-50 and more), the biped is moved forward by about 1600 mm from the center of the ball heel of the breech and connects to the upper groove of the barrel, and at elevation angles greater than 65 ° (sight 6-50 and less), the biped is moved forward by about 1000 mm and connects to the lower groove of the barrel.

Rice. 78. Installing a mortar at a firing position

When installing a mortar on a firing position, two grooves are made with radii equal to 1000 and 1600 mm, to bring the biped forward from the center of the base plate. Bipedal openers are installed in one or another groove, depending on the elevation angle attached to the mortar.

35. MORTAR POINTING

If, after installing the mortars on the firing position, a parallel fan was built, then the adapter posts of the sight must be removed. It should be remembered that it is impossible to fire from a mortar with a rack installed, since in this case the rack, swivel bracket and sight may break.

Target the mortar in the following order:

1. Check the leveling of the sight by its transverse level.

2. Set the commanded elevation angle on the sight by operating the sight elevation knob.

3. Bring the bubble of the longitudinal level of the sight to the middle, using the lifting mechanism of the mortar.

4. Install the commanded goniometer on the sight and, using the rotary mechanism of the mortar, align the vertical cross hairs on the reticle with the aiming point. If the angle to which the mortar needs to be rotated is greater than the angle selected by the rotary mechanism, but not more than 3-00, then the biped should be rearranged.

If the angle of rotation is greater than 3-00, then rearrange the biped and the base plate so that the cutout in the cup of the base plate is located in the direction of the trunk.

5. Bring the bubble of the transverse level of the sight to the middle by turning the adjusting screw of the sight swing mechanism (in mortars with a device for leveling the sight) or by operating the swivel leveling mechanism.

6. Check the aiming and, using the rotary mechanism, accurately align the vertical thread of the cross hairs of the reticle with the aiming point; if necessary, make additional leveling of the sight or swivel.

7. Check the position of the bubble of the longitudinal level and, using the lifting mechanism, bring it to the middle, then check again the leveling (according to the transverse level) and aiming.

8. When firing, do not remove the sight from the mortar swivel.

36. LOADING THE MORTAR, SHOT AND UNLOAD THE MORTAR

Before loading the mortar, set the firing device to the "hard" or "free" position of the striker.

To set the striker to the “Hard” position, you need a switch knob 12 (see fig. 4) turn, setting it against the letter "Ж", printed on the breech, and to set the striker to the "Free" position, set the switch knob against the letter "C", also printed on the breech.

After aiming and installing the firing device, loading and firing are performed on command. In order to fire a shot, you need a mine with additional charges put on it and the fuse crane installed according to the command, insert the stabilizer into the muzzle of the barrel and, having sunk it into the barrel approximately to the centering thickening, release it.

The fuse cap must be removed immediately before loading. After lowering the mine, the loader must quickly remove his hands from the barrel.

In the "Hard" position of the striker, a shot is fired by self-piercing the primer of the tail cartridge of the mine onto the striker when the mine is lowered into the bore of the mortar.

In the "Free" position of the striker, to fire a shot, after lowering the mine into the bore of the mortar, pull the trigger cord to failure, and after firing, release it again. When firing, it is necessary to carefully monitor the position of the double-loading fuse blade in order to prevent loading the barrel with two mines.

Note. It must be borne in mind that when switching from firing with the "Hard" position of the striker to firing with the "Free" position of the striker, the first shot due to soot or contamination of the striker may occur by self-piercing, as in the "Hard" position of the striker. Therefore, in order to prevent possible self-piercing of the primer of the tail cartridge of the mine in the “Free” position of the striker, before loading the mortar, perform 2–3 idle triggers of the firing mechanism.

37. UNLOADING THE MORTAR

In the event of a misfire when firing with the “Free” position of the striker, trigger another 2-3 times; if the shot does not occur, then, after waiting at least 2 minutes, go up to the mortar and sharply push the mortar barrel (with a banner, a shovel handle or some kind of pole) so that the mine falls into place (if it has not reached before), after what, after waiting at least a minute, to make another 2-3 times the descent; if the shot does not follow, then it is necessary to defuse the mortar.

In the event of a misfire when firing with a “hard” position of the striker, you should wait at least 2 minutes, then go up to the mortar and sharply push the mortar barrel (with a banner, shovel handle or some kind of pole) so that the mine sits in its place (if She hadn't gotten there before.)

If the shot does not follow, then, after waiting at least 1 minute, move the handle 12 switch (see Fig. 4) to position "C", and then unload the mortar.

In mortars of earlier manufacture, having a firing device with a switch stopper, before unloading the mortar, it is necessary, by rotating the stopper lamb, to drown the switch stopper. To unload the mortar, it is necessary to separate the trigger cord from the firing device and give the barrel the smallest elevation angle (about 45 °).

After that, loosen the basting of the shock absorber cage, carefully, without jerking, turn the barrel 90 ° in the ball bearing of the plate, separate the barrel from the plate and, holding the biped, raise the breech of the barrel. In this case, one number of the calculation should keep their hands near the muzzle so as to keep the mine from falling to the ground, while trying not to put pressure on the fuse head (hands must be kept near the muzzle after the barrel takes an approximately horizontal position).

When the mine touches the hands, carefully remove it from the barrel. In order to avoid a shot when unloading, it is strictly forbidden to lower the raised breech of the mortar barrel while the mine is in the bore.

A mine, the tail cartridge of which misfired, but the fuse and stabilizer were not damaged by the mine itself during discharge, can be used. To do this, after removing additional charges, remove the misfired tail cartridge using the extractor, insert a new tail cartridge and equip the mine with additional charges.

38. OBSERVATION OF THE MORTAR WHEN SHOOTING, POSSIBLE FAULTS AND WAYS TO ELIMINATE THEM

When shooting, the following must be observed:

1. Check and correct aiming after each shot.

2. Monitor the operation of the shock absorber and the installation of the plate.

The slab should rest firmly on the ground and not give big draft when fired. At the beginning of shooting, when the ground has not yet been compacted, the base plate from each shot should not go deeper into the ground by more than the amount allowed by the shock absorber. When the soil under the slab is compacted, the shrinkage of the slab should be greatly reduced. If shooting conditions allow, the first shot must be fired on the smallest or average charge.

With the correct installation of the plate on medium soil and the correct operation of the shock absorber (without meetings), after several shots, the mortar pickup almost does not go astray.

3. Follow the installation of the biped. In no case should the womb of the swivel mechanism rest against the swivel shelf.

When the slab shrinks, it is necessary to dig in the bipedal coulters so that they are approximately at the same level with the ball heel of the breech. When the slab moves back, it is necessary to rearrange the biped periodically so that the normal protrusion of the bipod (1600 mm at elevation angles less than 65° and 1000 mm at elevation angles greater than 65°).

Failure to comply with this requirement may lead to the failure of the mortar. With a large shrinkage of the plate, the shooting should be stopped and the soil under the base plate should be compacted.

4. Make sure that all the time the bubbles of the transverse level of the sight and the level of the swivel (in mortars with a swivel leveling mechanism) are in the middle.

5. Check the mounting of the sight on the swivel and the clips of the shock absorber on the barrel after 8-10 shots.

Possible malfunctions of the mortar when firing and how to eliminate them

Possible malfunctions	Causes of malfunctions	Troubleshooting
Misfires	1. Pollution of the striker (soot, a cap or primer of an igniter charge remains)	1. Clean the impact mechanism
	2. Breakage or wear of the striker	2. Replace the striker
	3. Pollution of the bore (soot from previous firing), as a result of which the mine is braked when it moves down after loading	3. Clean the bore
	4. Non-central (eccentric) pricking of the primer with a striker	4. Reject the mine
	5. Ignition charge primer failure	5. Replace ignition charge
	6. Broken or deformed striker spring	6. Replace the striker spring
Jamming and tight running of the screw of the lifting mechanism	1. Pollution of the lifting mechanism	1. Disassemble and clean the lifting mechanism from dirt, and then lubricate
	2. Nicks on the lifting screw
Jamming and tight running of the rotary mechanism	1. Pollution of the rotary mechanism	1. Disassemble and clean the rotary mechanism
	2. Knocks on the swivel screw	2. Clean out the nicks with a personal file
Shock absorber knock	Breakage or residual deformation of the shock absorber spring	Disassemble the shock absorber and install a spare spring
Jamming (tight running) shock absorber rods	Insufficient lubrication or contamination of shock absorber rods, springs and cylinders	Remove dirt from cylinders, rods, springs, add grease
Barrel fuse	Loosening the nut securing the safety to the barrel	Put a wooden gasket on the upper cut of the fuse body and push the fuse back with hammer blows on the gasket, then screw the nut to the stop
The safety mechanism slowly returns to the "Open" position. The mine lingers in the fuse when loading the mortar (tight movement of the safety mechanism in the axial direction)	1. Contamination of the mechanism	1. Disassemble and clean the safety mechanism
	2. Deformation or breakage of the spring	2. Replace the spring
After lowering the mine, the safety mechanism remained in the "Open" position	Lever wear or spring deformation	Replace lever or spring
The safety mechanism does not move to the "Closed" position	Contamination of the safety mechanism or nicks on the surface of the lever and body	Clean the safety mechanism and eliminate the existing nicks on the surface of the lever and body
Damage to parts of the safety mechanism	Combat or operational damage	Replace damaged parts with new ones from the spare parts kit

39. TRANSFER OF THE MORTAR FROM THE BATTLE POSITION TO THE TRAVELING

The procedure for transferring a mortar from a combat position to a marching one is as follows:

1. Fix accessories (bannik, pickaxe, shovel, crowbar and milestone) on the wheeled course. Put covers on the muzzle and on the breech of the mortar barrel.

2. Raise the frame of the mortar stroke with the pivot paw up and in this position bring the mortar to the rear of the mortar so that it enters the hooks of the base plate with its U-shaped brackets (thickened parts of the brackets) (Fig. 79-81), then put on the coupler of the course on the plate bracket and tighten the tie.

3. After the base plate is laid and secured to the travel frame, the mortar barrel is carefully (without removing it from the base plate) using. overturn two or three people so that the muzzle of the barrel lies in the holder of the course, where it is fixed with a basting and a clamp.

Rice. 79. Mortar in the stowed position. Wheel travel arr. 1938 (the right wheel is conventionally not shown in the upper figure):

1 - wheel travel; 2 - mortar; 3 - a box for spare parts; 4 - banner and milestone; 5 - Sapper shovel; 6 - pickaxe; 7 - scrap

Rice. 80. Mortar in the stowed position. Wheel travel design of plant No. 702 (the right wheel is conventionally not shown in the upper figure):

1 - wheel travel; 2 - mortar; 3 - a box for spare parts; 4 - banner and milestone; 5 - Sapper shovel; 6 - pickaxe; 7 - scrap

Rice. 81. Mortar in the stowed position. Wheel travel design of factory No. 106 (the right wheel is conventionally not shown in the upper figure):

1 - wheel travel; 2 - mortar; 3 - a box for spare parts; 4 - banner and milestone; 5 - Sapper shovel; 6 - axe; 7 - park boxes with mines

4. Fold the biped, wrap the chain and secure the legs in the barrel yoke.

5. Lower the travel frame with the mortar and check whether the fastening of the plate with the barrel coupler in the travel clip and the biped in the barrel collar is secure. Attach the legs to the travel frame with two straps.

6. Close the stacked mortar on top with a cover of general coverage.

40. INSPECTION OF THE MORTAR BEFORE TRAVELING

Inspection of the mortar before marching should be carried out in the following order:

1. Check whether the fastening of the stowed barrel, bipedal and plate, as well as a box with spare parts and entrenching tools is secure.

2 Inspect the suspension of the B-20 stroke.

3. Inspect the wheels, make sure that the tires are intact and that they are securely attached to the rims, check the condition of the discs (no cracks, deflection, etc.), check that all nuts are screwed onto the bolts to failure.

Check that the wheels rotate freely by lifting them off the ground. The wheels must turn freely.

4. Check the serviceability of the stoppers, as well as the presence of all bolts, nuts and cotter pins.

When transporting the mortar behind cars and tractors that have rear buffers, the latter must be removed, as they limit the rotation of the mortar and can lead to breakage of the pivot paw.

The rotating hook of the vehicle (tractor) must be fixed, as the pivot foot of the B-20 travel rotates.

41. MORTAR OBSERVATION ON THE TRIP

During movement, it is necessary to observe the marching mount of the trunk, bipedal and base plate. When moving along bad roads and rough terrain, make sure that the plate does not touch the ground, as this may break the details of the marching mount.

At halts and stops, check whether the box with spare parts and accessories and trenching tools are securely fixed; make sure that the wheel hubs do not heat up and grease does not leak out of them. If the hub becomes very hot, remove the wheel as soon as possible, inspect the roller bearings and change the grease. Replace defective roller bearing. Check if the nuts securing the wheels to the axle shafts have loosened; fasten loose nuts.

Associated with continuous hostility and the seizure of foreign territories. The ancient cities were fortresses, the garrison of which was reliably protected by high walls. Often the capture of such a fortification meant a complete victory in the war. However, the long siege of cities was accompanied by very heavy losses on both sides.

It required the creation of technical devices designed to destroy "serious" protection. Since the time of Alexander the Great, the first mention of "ballistas" appeared - tools capable of throwing stones along a hinged trajectory. This feature allowed devices that were a kind of catapult to inflict damage on an enemy hidden behind a fortress wall.

At the end of the seventeenth century, the principle of the ballista was applied in the design of the mortar, a cannon that fired at an angle of 45 degrees. The successor to such a weapon was the mortar. Photo of the device, its types, combat qualities and specifications are presented in the review. It also describes the history of the creation and stages of development of this type of weapons.

Definition

A mortar is an artillery weapon that is designed to fire at a high elevation angle in order to destroy sheltered manpower and destroy fortified field communications. Being a type of mortar, it is distinguished by the absence of a carriage and a recoil device - these parts are replaced by a plate that is installed on the ground or armored vehicles. The mortar is fired with feathered ammunition, in the shank of which a propellant charge is attached.

History reference

For the first time, a weapon that fired a projectile-mine, firing along a steep trajectory, was used by the Russian army in the war with Japan in 1904-1905, during the defense of the city of Port Arthur. The creator of the "apparatus for firing at close range" was the officer and engineer Leonid Nikolaevich Gobyato.

The basis of the gun was a 75-mm howitzer with a truncated barrel, adapted for firing ship mines. Subsequently, the new "miracle gun", which in fact proved its excellent fighting qualities, was called the "mortar". The firing range of the gun depended on the change in the angle of the barrel, as well as the magnitude of the charge, and ranged from 50 to 400 meters.

Russian experience in the use of mortars was carefully studied by foreign experts. Mass application devices received during the world war of 1914-1918. In 1915, mortars with a caliber of 47 and 58 mm were put into service with the army of Tsarist Russia, with a firing range of 400 and 520 meters, respectively. The creator of these devices was the captain of artillery E. A. Likhonin.

mortar device

To understand how a mortar fires, it is necessary to consider its design. The tool has three main components:

1. Trunk. The element in the form of a pipe sets the direction of the projectile. The top of the part is equipped with a bell (a) designed for easy loading. The bottom of the barrel is a breech with a drummer pressed into it (c), which pierces the primer of the projectile (mine).
2. Base plate. The item has with a barrel. It serves as a support for the gun when fired, transferring the recoil force to the surface (ground, chassis, etc.).
3. Bipod. An element that supports the barrel when firing. AT stowed position is folded using a spring lyre (c).

The principle of operation and the range of the mortar

The impact mechanism of the mortar provides for the presence of a striker mounted in the lower part of the barrel. The gun charge - mine - is fed from the muzzle. The ammunition slides on a smooth surface, and its primer, located in the tail section, "pierces" on the sting of the striker, which is why the shot occurs. This type of striker is called rigid, it is extremely simple in design and can provide a high rate of fire.

The ammunition of the gun - a mine - has a drop-shaped body, equipped with an explosive warhead, with a stabilizing tail unit. It houses the fuse, as well as the main (propellant) and additional charges, through the use of which the initial speed and range of the projectile are regulated.

In determining the distance at which the mortar is capable of firing, special tables created individually for each type of gun help. Consider characteristic example such calculations.

Shooting table. Mortar 120 mm SAO 2S9

Thus, we can conclude: the range of the projectile depends not only on the value of the propellant charge, but also on the elevation angle of the gun. Note that the initial speed of the ammunition and the distance that it is able to overcome are also interconnected with the length of the mortar barrel.

Mortars. Characteristics of guns, their goals and objectives

In battle great importance attached to the mobility of means of fire, the possibility of their use in advanced positions, the striking effect of weapons and their ability to disguise. The mortar fully meets these requirements. Being a weapon with a mounted trajectory of firing, it provides:

1. Destruction of enemy manpower located in open areas of the terrain, as well as in trenches, trenches, gorges and ravines, behind vertical walls and heights.
2. Installation of smoke screens, contributing to the hidden redeployment of their units.
3. Illumination of the area with the aim of "blinding" the enemy.

Tactical and technical parameters possessed by a mortar

Combat qualities of the mortar

• High rate of fire. The devices are characterized by easy reloading, which allows you to fire guns with great intensity. The rate of fire of some types of modern mortars is up to 170-190 rounds per minute.
• Multi-purpose ammunition of high power. Fragmentation, high-explosive, cluster, incendiary, smoke and light - these are just some of the types of projectiles that a mortar can fire. The firing range of the gun is regulated by changing the power of the charge that pushes the mine out of the barrel.
• Simple device. The convenience of the design of most mortars, the possibility of their disassembly and ease of transportation make it possible to move the guns over rough terrain, continuously supporting their units with fire. Some models can be used to fire from the car body.
• Constant combat readiness. Mortars are distinguished by a high speed of bringing to a "working" state, due to the ease of assembly.
• Steep projectile trajectory. The gun is capable of hitting a closed target, protected from flat artillery and machine-gun fire. Thanks to this feature, the mortar is able to fire "on top" of its units.

Classification

Let's briefly consider the types of guns, taking Russian mortars as a basis. Since the days of the USSR, this type of weapon has been classified as follows:

1. Company guns (caliber 55-65 mm).
2. Battalion (80-85 mm).
3. Regimental (105-125 mm).
4. Divisional (large-caliber and jet).

Mortars are distinguished by the device of the barrel as smooth-bore guns and rifled ones. There are two ways to charge them - from the muzzle and breech. The degree of automation of reloading also differs. There are automatic guns, for example, 2B9M "Vasilek" - a mortar, the photo of which is presented below.

There are self-propelled mortars - mounted on a wheeled or tracked chassis.

Tool development

The most important stage in the development of mortars was the Second World War of 1939-1945. Only the industry of the USSR produced over 345,000 such guns! Naturally, it is necessary to recall the famous "Katyusha" BM-13 - the first Guards jet mortar. The firing range of this gun ranged from 4350 to 5500 m.

The main characteristics of the mortars of that time, which were in service with the countries participating in the war, are combined in this table.

Modern guns

Today's mortars, thanks to the rapid development of military-industrial technologies, have turned into ultra-modern rifle complexes. We will not describe in detail all the advantages of artillery pieces of the XXI century, but consider only one model. And by her example we will see how far progress has stepped forward.

At the military-technical exhibition MILEX-2011, held in Minsk, Russian engineers presented a silent mortar 2B25, called "Gall". The peculiarity of this product is that it has the most covert combat use. When a mortar is fired, the powder gases are "locked" in the ammunition, and the gun does not emit smoke, sound or

"Gall" hits targets at a distance of 1000-1300 m with a rate of fire of 15 rds / min. The weight of the mortar does not exceed 15 kg, and the mass of the projectile is only 1.9 kg. 2B25 is designed to support the work of special forces and has no analogues in the world.

Conclusion

The development of navigation systems and the computerization of fire control have turned the mortar into a precision weapon. Nevertheless, he retained his main properties - simplicity and convenience, inexpensive ammunition, a hinged firing trajectory and no need for long-term training of "maintenance personnel". The mortar is still one of the most reliable types of weapons that do not require special resources and numerous artillery crews.

Experience combat use mortar weapons in local conflicts of the late XX - early XXI in.

Mortars, as a class of weapons, became widespread during the Second World War. It was then that these weapons became one of the main artillery fire support weapons for infantry tactical units (platoon-company-battalion).

On the eve of World War II, virtually all participating countries are adopting various mortars. So on August 1, 1940. The Red Army had 5543 82-mm mortars, in parts of the Wehrmacht by June 1941. there were 11767 mortars (six 81-mm in the machine-gun company of each infantry battalion). Light 50, 60 and 81 (82)-mm mortars become the standard artillery system of infantry companies and battalions - infantry artillery.

What is the reason for the choice of infantry mortars?

Firstly, the mortar has a fairly high accuracy and firing range, which ensures reliable destruction of enemy manpower, weapons and unarmored vehicles in battle. Secondly, it makes it possible to relatively covert firing (closed firing position and the low power of the sound when fired makes it difficult for the enemy to detect the calculation).

Calculation of 82-mm mortar arr. 1938 During the Great Patriotic

Thirdly, high rate of fire - from ten to twenty rounds per minute provides a high density of fire in the critical minutes of the battle. Fourth, the relatively low weight of weapons and ammunition increases the maneuverability of infantry units and reduces their dependence on supporting artillery fire, which is not always effective due to the time spent on passing teams and the possibility of hitting friendly troops with a decrease in the radius of safe removal (SDR).

The average weight of an 81/82 mm mortar disassembled into three main parts (barrel, bipod and base plate) is about 50 kg. The mass of 81/82-mm high-explosive fragmentation mines ranges from 3.2 to 4.4 kg. special attention deserves the classification of 81/82-mm mortars by caliber. In fact, these are weapons of the same caliber, as will be discussed below.

The first episodes of the combat use of mortars

The first episodes of the combat use of mortars were noted during the defense of Port Arthur in 1904. (mortar designed by Lieutenant General of the Artillery of the Russian Army Leonid Nikolaevich Gobyato). During the Second World War, mortars were in service with the armies of all warring parties. The first Soviet 82-mm mortar was adopted by the Red Army under the name BM-36 in 1936. In Boris Ivanovich Shavyrin's SKB-4 (Leningrad), an 82-mm battalion mortar arr. 1937 (BM-37), which replaced its predecessor. Battalion mortars (this concept applies to all portable 81 and 82-mm systems) during the battle were directly subordinate to the commanders of infantry companies and battalions.

This made it possible to quickly and with high accuracy hit the infantry and machine-gun crews of the enemy directly in front of the battle formations of their troops, which is very problematic when using cannon artillery(guns and howitzers).

First baptism of fire The BM-37 passed in the area of ​​the Khalkhin-Gol River in battles with the Japanese invaders, providing infantry with indispensable assistance in destroying the enemy in the trenches and on the reverse slopes of the hills.

In 1941 and 1943. the Soviet battalion mortar was modernized. During the Great Patriotic War, battalion 82-mm mortars arr. 1937, 1941 and 1943 were in service with rifle battalions, serving as the main means of fire support for rifle companies. 82 mm battalion mortar mod. 1943 produced long time and in the post-war period and is still in service with the Russian army and the armies of other states.

In favor of the domestic 82-mm mortar is the fact that during the Great Patriotic War Soviet crews often used captured German 81-mm and Lend-Lease American 81-mm mines for firing. A unique example of the development of a domestic modern battalion mortar was shown to the world by the war in Afghanistan in 1979-1989. In the early 1970s the main 82-mm mortar of the Soviet army BM-43 model 1937/1943. was withdrawn from service with the Ground Forces. The leadership of the USSR Armed Forces until the end of the 1970s. did not find a place for 82-mm mortars in the "nuclear missile war". They remained in service only with the Airborne Forces, and in parts of the Ground Forces it was completely replaced by a 120-mm mortar, which was armed with mortar batteries of motorized rifle battalions. However, in the Design Bureau of the Gorky Machine-Building Plant, a new 82-mm mortar was being developed on its own initiative.

And not in vain ... With the outbreak of the war in Afghanistan, it became clear that only portable systems can provide effective direct fire support to infantry units operating autonomously at a considerable distance from towed and self-propelled artillery. Just by this time, factory tests of the 82-mm mortar 2B14 developed in Gorky (Nizhny Novgorod) were carried out. An order was received from the military for the urgent production of a batch of 100 pieces, which passed the polygon and military trials in Afghanistan.

In 1983 82-mm mortar 2B14 "Tray" was adopted by the Soviet army. Later, its modification was also created - 2B14-1, which had minor design changes. In Afghanistan, the 82-mm mortars BM-43 and 2B14 "Tray" were in service with mortar companies of motorized rifle, airborne and airborne assault battalions of the Limited Contingent of Soviet Forces.

From the beginning of the 80s. and Afghan rebels used 82mm mortars. Their main Type 53 mortar was essentially a Chinese version of the Soviet BM-43 mortar. In addition, the Afghan rebels used two identical Type 63 and MB 60 mm mortars of Chinese and Pakistani production, respectively, as well as an 82 mm M69 Yugoslav mortar, coming to Afghanistan from Arab countries. In addition to 60 and 82-mm systems, Afghan rebels since 1987. began to receive Spanish 120-mm Esia mortars through the United States.

The 60-mm company mortar deserves special attention. The division of mortars into company (up to 60 mm), battalion (75 and 81/82 mm) and regimental (106.7 and 120 mm) mortars came into practice on the eve of World War II. 60-mm systems and similar in caliber domestic 50-mm mortars mod. 1941 armed infantry companies. However, the domestic 50-mm mortar was discontinued at the initial stage of the Great Patriotic War. Nevertheless, company 60-mm mortars are in service with many modern armies of the world. Already in their very name it is indicated that these weapons belong to the company-level fire support weapons complex, i.e. weapons of direct fire support for platoons of infantry companies.

In modern combat operations, especially during local wars and armed conflicts, there is a steady trend of fragmentation of units and formations into smaller subunits of the tactical level. Under such conditions, small infantry units need their own effective means of defeating the enemy.

Systems developed in recent decades assault weapons(anti-tank and assault grenades, anti-tank rocket launchers and flamethrowers) and fire support weapons (heavy machine guns and sniper rifles, underbarrel and automatic grenade launchers, portable anti-tank missile systems and recoilless guns) are not capable of replacing a small-caliber mortar on the battlefield. It is indispensable in close combat when destroying the enemy in the trenches and folds of the terrain, behind the reverse slopes of heights, houses and fences. These are the tasks facing company mortars in modern combat. At the same time, the presence of mortars directly in the combat formations of infantry units simplifies fire control for commanders and contributes to a prompt response to a rapidly changing combat situation.

Carrying mortar mines by Soviet infantrymen in Afghanistan. 80s

The absence of small-caliber mortars in the arsenal of the Russian army is argued by the presence in the armament system of infantry units in the platoon-company link of 40-mm grenade launchers and 30-mm automatic grenade launchers. However, the power factor of a 60-mm fragmentation mine is several times higher than that of a similar indicator

30 and 40 mm fragmentation grenades, which significantly affects the reliability of destroying enemy infantry and fire weapons in field-type shelters, destroying enemy equipment and fire weapons. Company mortar covers the firing range by 3-5 times grenade launcher, and with the same range of fire with an automatic grenade launcher, it is several times superior to it in terms of weight and size characteristics. For example, the mass of a 30 mm AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher with a sight is 30.5 kg, and a 60 mm mortar is three times less.

Calculation of the "Tray" fires at the positions of the rebels. Afghanistan, 80s

Here is an example of the use of 60-mm mortar fire by a company tactical group of an airborne battalion of the Jordanian Armed Forces at one of the tactical exercises in 2003, where I managed to visit. The paratroopers were faced with the task of destroying the "terrorists" who had taken refuge in one of the camps.

With the support of fire from 20-mm cannons of the AN-1 Cobra fire support helicopters (USA) and the Ratel infantry fighting vehicle (South Africa), the Jordanian paratroopers dismounted from armored vehicles and blocked the "terrorists". When the fire of the helicopter and combat vehicles began to pose a danger to the paratroopers approaching the object of capture, fire was opened on the "terrorists" from a 60-mm Type 63 mortar, the firing position of which was located in the combat formations of a dismounted unit.

Under cover of mortar fire

Under the cover of mortar fire (combat rate of fire 10-12 rounds per minute), a pair of flamethrowers crawled towards the object and destroyed the "terrorists" with a volley of light infantry flamethrowers LPO-50 (USSR). By the way, for some reason, LPO-50 is ignored by domestic anti-terrorist units, although burning terrorism with fire is much more convenient than “soaking it in the toilet”.

About successful examples there is no information about the use of 60-mm mortars by the rebels in Afghanistan, this weapon was painfully rare among the Mujahideen. Where more problems for the Soviet and Afghan troops, it represented the fire of the most common artillery system among the rebels - 82-mm mortars. Former dekhkans, artisans and students studied the development of mortar weapons in training centers and camps in Pakistan and Iran. By the way, at one time they were taught this art by the same Jordanian non-commissioned officer who skillfully laid 60-mm mines 20-30m ahead of the flamethrowers during the anti-terrorist exercise, covering their advance to the firing line.

Luckily, I didn't have to deal with his students in Afghanistan... But our garrison, two weeks after my departure from it, was less fortunate in this regard. November 27, 1987 the garrison of Soviet and Afghan troops in the city of Asadabad was subjected to a massive fire raid using all the artillery weapons systems available to the Mujahideen. It all started with the defeat of the Mi-8 helicopter by the fire of the Stinger MANPADS in the air. Then the rebels opened fire on the garrison and residential areas of the city with 107-mm rockets and, under their cover, dragged 82- and 120-mm mortars to the firing lines. It was in Asadabad that the fact of the delivery of the 120-mm Esia mortar to the Afghan rebels was confirmed. The servicemen of the Asadabad garrison learned about the use of 120-mm mortars by the enemy by the characteristic aluminum plumage of exploding mines.

Like the Stinger, the Esia 120-mm mortar was of American origin, although it was produced by Spain. The fact is that at that time the United States decided to adopt a 120-mm mortar system into service with the Marine Corps in order to ensure the supply of the expeditionary forces with NATO-standard 120-mm mortar ammunition (only 60-, 81- and 106.7 mm mortars). Their choice fell on the Spanish mortar. It was he who had to be tested in Afghanistan in order to make the final decision on adoption. Our intelligence learned in advance that the Afghan rebels were armed with a new powerful weapon system, and the first confirmation of this was given by the scouts of 334 ooSpN (separate special forces detachment), when the reconnaissance group of Lieutenant Igor Matveychuk in October 1987 destroyed from an ambush in the Surubi district field commander of the Mujahideen, capturing from him firing tables from the 120-mm Esia mortar and other documentation.

120-mm mortars were also used in Afghanistan by Soviet troops, but the battalion 82-mm Tray mortars earned great popularity among our troops. The Soviet infantry, leaving for the mountains, did not part with them. The "tray" was much lighter than the Chinese 82-mm mortar, which was in service with the Mujahideen, but that weapon maneuver in battle was not particularly required. Unlike the Soviet troops, they used defensive tactics.

The rebels equipped stationary mortar positions in the highlands in the strongholds of fortified areas or in the greenery (irrigated valleys and gorges) near their bases. In the highlands and in winter, they often froze the base plate of the mortar into the ground. With this method of equipping the firing position, it was ensured that intense heap fire was carried out in series of several minutes without restoring the pickup. It is this method of firing, after preliminary zeroing and waiting for a convenient moment of opening fire, that provides the maximum effect of hitting an openly located manpower that does not have time to hide from fire. Subordinates of Major Solovyov from air assault battalion 66th Motorized Rifle Brigade on December 2, 1986 during the capture of the Ogz and Shpolkai fortified areas in the south of Nangarhar province. Only the next day, the paratroopers managed to knock the enemy off the ridge and capture an 82-mm mortar with a base plate frozen into the ground, then the reason for the high accuracy of fire of the enemy calculation became clear.

In the foreground are captured 60- and 82-mm mortars captured by our troops in Afghanistan. Left - Advisor to the Central Committee of the CPSU in the operational zone "Vostok" S. Bekov

In addition to regular 82-mm battalion mortars, our troops also used captured mortars in Afghanistan. First of all, 60-mm systems, but such cases were episodic and were not widespread due to the small number of these weapons and mines for them in the Mujahideen weapons system. So the scouts of the 3rd company of the 154th ooSpN during the winter of 1985-1986. used a 60-mm Type 63 mortar captured from the enemy until they ran out of mines.

The experience gained in handling non-standard weapons was useful to scouts in the battle on March 29, 1986. on the Afghan-Pakistani border in the Krer Gorge (transshipment base for caravans "Shahid Abdul Latif" and "Fatha"). At a critical moment in the battle, the scouts deployed the 82-mm mortar they captured in battle. Type 53 towards the enemy. Thanks to the fire, from it they managed to stop the counterattack of the superior forces of the rebels and ensure the evacuation of the wounded. Scouts of the 22nd Special Forces used captured 82-mm mortars, installing them in the bodies of military vehicles (captured pickups and full-time Urals),

Armed forces of the USSR in the 80s. they did not dwell on the "Afghan war".

In 1984 For the supply of the Ground Forces, separate air assault brigades (ODSHBR) and battalions (ODSHB) receive the 2I27 product, which is a UAZ-469 vehicle with a kit for installing, laying and transporting two 82-mm mortars and portable ammunition. In the UAZ-469 car, in addition to two 2B14-1 mortars and spare parts for them, there were: in the first version - 116 mines (36 in 12 trays and 80 in 8 park boxes), calculation with a driver - 2 people; in the second option - transportable ammunition 76 minutes (36 in 12 trays and 40 in park boxes), calculation with a driver - 4 people. However, this weapon was not suitable for the conditions of Afghanistan, it was suitable for raid operations during a large-scale war.

Mortars were actively used in the 90s. last century during the Yugoslav war

In Afghanistan, another method, or rather a technique, of using mortars on a car chassis has been developed - the use of nomadic mortars. The rebels used this trick. The Afghan mujahideen, using the nomadic firepower (KOS) tactic, transported their 82-mm mortars in the back of pickup trucks, and sometimes on pack animals or tractor trailers. At the same time, they created the necessary stock of mines in advance near the intended firing position and delivered only a mortar to it at the appointed time.

Moreover, the creation of caches of ammunition near firing positions concerned not only mortars, but also other weapon systems. This was the reason for the high mobility of bandit formations, unencumbered by the carrying of ammunition. Even machine gunners had their hiding places in the area of ​​​​responsibility or in places of ambushes and other armed actions.

Whoever knew this was no longer surprised that when examining the killed or captured rebels, they only had a minimum supply of cartridges from 30 to 180 pieces for an assault rifle and a carbine (rifle) and a little more for machine gunners, and grenade launchers rarely carried more than 2- 3 grenades. This circumstance was always used by spetsnaz scouts, catching the enemy by surprise during an ambush or raid.

Calculation of the mortar "Tray" of the SPN GRU unit. Chechnya, 2005

The Afghan experience in using KOS was also in demand by the domestic army special forces, but in another war. It is for reconnaissance and sabotage groups armed with mortars that the tactics of nomadic fire weapons are best suited. Mortar fire behind enemy lines, like no other (with the exception of sniper fire), affects the morale of the personnel of the opposing side.

So in Tajikistan in the early 90s. reconnaissance group special forces successfully applied KOS tactics using the Yugoslav 81-mm M69 mortar (M081LC), captured from the Mujahideen by scouts of the 15th separate brigade special forces back in 1987. The design of this mortar made it possible to mount a domestic mortar sight on it. The Yugoslav mortar was 11 kg lighter than the domestic 82 mm BM-43 mortar, and the firing table on a metal nameplate was attached directly to the barrel. The mortar was transported on a UAZ-469 vehicle, and deployed at the firing position from three people, not counting volunteers from the Popular Front of Tajikistan.

The tactics of nomadic fire weapons determine several stages of actions: the collection of intelligence information about the object of the raid; reconnaissance of the area and selection of firing positions; access to combat positions (firing, observer-spotter, subgroups of cover (support); fire defeat (target shelling); change of firing position or withdrawal.

The transportable ammunition of the 81-mm nomadic mortar consisted of ten to forty 82-mm mines of domestic production. Such a universal "omnivorous" 81- and 82-mm battalion mortars is explained by different approaches to determining the caliber. In domestic practice, the caliber of the barrel is indicated, and in the West - mines. The versatility of the 81 and 82mm caliber values ​​of the mortar allows the use of both mines in them. For example, the Mujahideen in Afghanistan successfully used Pakistani, British and American 81-mm mortars with 82-mm Chinese mortars.

In fact, the difference in the caliber of an 81/82 mm mine and an 81/82 mm mortar is the same and amounts to 0.7 mm. It is precisely the lack of contact between the mine and the walls of the barrel when fired, thanks to the annular grooves on the mine body that create an “air cushion”, that explains the high accuracy of the mortar. To ensure high shooting accuracy, in the first place, in addition to the correct aiming of the weapon at the target, the mass of the mine and the same temperature of the propellant charge (main and additional) come out. Due to the technological features of their production (casting and turning), it is quite difficult to make mortar shells that are accurate in weight.

Domestic manufacturers mark mines of different weights with a cruciform core. Mines with one, two or three "crosses" are classified into three different weight groups. This should be taken into account when firing with a series of mines and, especially, when hitting the enemy near friendly troops. Strange as it may seem, many Russian army mortarmen do not know about this, which is confirmed by their actions during the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus. Looks like the old Soviet artillery school and the experience of the Great Patriotic War, in which Soviet artillery, including mortar, was recognized as the best, were forgotten.

The mortar crew of the intelligence unit of the Special Forces of the GRU is preparing its mortar for firing. Chechnya, 2005

During the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus, 82-mm mortars 2B14 and BM-43 were widely used by both federal forces and gangs. The federal troops suffered especially significant losses from enemy mortar fire during the capture of Grozny in January 1995. Having an extensive network of informers and observers-spotters, illegal armed groups used the tactics of fire raids to concentrate Russian troops in courtyards and on the streets. In the "Second Chechen campaign", the militants, fortunately, "underestimated" mortars, but the federal forces used them quite widely.

So, during the destruction of R. Gelaev's bandit group in December 2003, thanks to the high professionalism of the mortar crew of the army special forces, the federal forces managed to completely block the enemy with fire. For two days, the calculation of the 82-mm mortar 2B14 "Tray" kept the encircled enemy in a gorge on the northern slope of the Kusa ridge with harassing fire, and later provided direct fire support to the assault groups. At the same time, the mortars were in a closed firing position 1.7 km from the assault groups, and the mines were laid 30-50m from the attackers.

The 82mm mortar appeared in the early 2000s. in service with the domestic army special forces is not accidental. Here, the combat experience of using mortars in Afghanistan and Tajikistan, the foreign experience of the Special Operations Forces, a number of publications in the domestic media and the enthusiasm of individual special forces officers affected.

Foreign experience Experience in the combat use of mortars

Foreign experience The experience of the combat use of mortars by special forces of the United States and Great Britain indicates that this type of weapon plays an important role in the course of special operations.

A typical example was the operation of the military personnel of the 22nd SAS Regiment (Special Airborne Service) of the British Armed Forces to destroy Argentine Air Force aircraft on Pebble Island during the Falklands conflict, which was carried out on May 14-15. The day before, on May 10, 1982, two patrols of four people each were landed from helicopters on the island of West Falklands with the task of conducting reconnaissance of the aircraft base.

Having crossed the strait in collapsible canoes, the patrols equipped two observation posts (OP) and established the presence of 11 Pukara attack aircraft at the reconnaissance airfield. On the morning of May 14, at the opposite end of Pebble Island, three Sea King helicopters landed a detachment of the 22nd SAS Regiment, armed with small arms, grenade launchers and two 81-mm mortars. Coming to the airfield, a detachment of 40 people divided into two groups and took up their original positions.

One group of 20 people was supposed to destroy the planes in the parking lots with mortar fire, and the other was to cover their actions and cut off reinforcements from the nearest Argentine garrison. The operation took place at night with the use of lighting mines and shells from the destroyer Glamorgan. During the special operation, all Argentine aircraft were destroyed. British losses were two wounded.

It is difficult to find a more effective weapon than a mortar of a reconnaissance and sabotage group when destroying enemy aircraft and helicopters at airfields and landing sites. A wealth of experience in this kind of combat against enemy aircraft has been accumulated by various rebel formations in Africa, Latin America, South-East Asia and Afghanistan. From mortar fire, the protection of airfields with an extensive network of outposts and posts, minefields and engineering barriers often turns out to be powerless.

Armed with portable 60- or 82-mm mortars, small reconnaissance and sabotage groups, operating behind enemy lines at a considerable distance from the main forces, can always count on effective fire support from their own mortar. Even in Afghanistan, where there was an effective air support system for special forces, in the presence of a relatively primitive air defense of the rebels, the special forces could not always rely on the help of army and attack aircraft.

In addition to air defense, the work of aviation is limited and weather. Artillery support is devoid of such shortcomings, but its capabilities are limited by the firing range of cannon and rocket artillery of the Ground Forces. In such a situation, the issue of increasing the firepower of special forces is solved very simply - with their own mortars.

The main advantages of the 82-mm mortar as a special forces weapon are not only its high firing accuracy, but also the possibility of covert firing, as well as the high mobility of this artillery weapon system.

In the early 2000s By order of the GRU GSh, domestic designers developed an 82-mm silent mortar complex BSHMK 2B25. However, due to the short-sightedness of individual officials of the military department, the work was curtailed, and the adoption of a silent mortar into service with the Russian Armed Forces is not planned in the near future. But in vain. The mortar, which has no analogues in the world, has a mass of about 12 kg and a firing range

about 1200m. At the same time, its fragmentation mine is several times more effective than a conventional 82-mm high-explosive fragmentation mine, and the sound of a shot is no louder than a hammer hitting a tree ...

Alas, what kind of silent mortars for domestic special forces can we talk about if its very number is reduced, while the United States and our other "sworn friends" give paramount importance to the development of special operations forces.

High mobility of 60- and 82-mm mortars is ensured by the possibility of carrying them personnel, parachute landing (in cargo containers), deliveries by helicopters, light vehicles and armored personnel carriers. The kit of the domestic 82-mm mortar 2B14 includes pack devices that allow it to be carried by three servicemen (barrel - pipe, base plate, bipod and sight). The fourth calculation number transfers the mines themselves, but if necessary, they can be transferred over short distances by other numbers. During the actions of a mortar crew in infantry combat formations or as part of a reconnaissance and sabotage group, other military personnel are involved in carrying mines.

In China, where the infantry is one of the largest military branches in the world, universal pack devices are used to carry 82-mm mortars and recoilless rifles, heavy machine guns and other fire support weapons. Our servicemen had the opportunity to get acquainted with them in Afghanistan. The versatility of the packs is achieved by the presence of a standard back cushion with mounting brackets, straps and shoulder straps with shoulder pads. With the help of such a pack, you can carry any types of heavy weapons in standard cases or fasten them to packs with belts, as well as other loads.

It is clear that the battalion mortar has not lost its importance in modern high-tech warfare. Portable 82mm mortar armed forces Russia cannot be replaced by an automatic mortar of the same caliber 2B9 "Vasilek" or mortars of a larger caliber. Other infantry support weapons of the 21st century, including high-precision ones, cannot fully replace it.

Alexander MUSIENKO, Colonel of the Reserve

Weapons of counter-guerrilla warfare
For SOBR instructors
In our time, junior officers appointed as commanders of special assault groups try not to take a mortar with them, motivating this by the large weight of the system. The real reason is that now the principle of working with a portable mortar is forgotten even in the troops, and in systems law enforcement this topic has always been a "blank spot". At the same time, the unique combat capabilities of mortars for conducting counter-guerrilla warfare remain unclaimed.
Once, about 50 years ago, it was portable mortars of 50-82 mm calibers that turned out to be practically indispensable weapons in conditions of closed, rugged and difficult terrain with a complete lack of landmarks. A portable mortar is, first of all, a rational combination of the power of a projectile (feathered mine) and the lightness of a movable throwing device - the mortar itself. The most valuable quality of the mortar is its light weight with the great power of the mine, which gives a colossal effect of fragmentation and high-explosive action at the target. Suffice it to say that the effectiveness of breaking one 82 mm fragmentation mine is equal to the combat work of five or six F-1 hand grenades. In this case, the ratio of the weight of the mortar to the weight of the mine will be? 1/16.
A mortar is a smooth-bore gun that fires non-rotating feathered projectiles, that is, mines. The mortar differs from other artillery systems not only in its low weight, but also in the simplicity of the device, ease of use, steep trajectory (elevation angles from 45 to 85o). The large steepness of the mines' flight trajectory makes it possible to destroy closed targets that are not affected by flat fire of artillery and grenade launchers, facilitates the closeness, selection and camouflage of their own firing positions, provides firing from deep shelters and shooting "over the heads" of their units. A mobile mortar is indispensable as a means of direct support for its orders, both advancing and defending or ambushed.
Mortar systems have a very high accuracy and accuracy of fire. This allows you to effectively and quickly destroy enemy snipers, machine gunners and grenade launchers directly on the scene. The mortar is flexible and powerful weapon, capable of resolving a tactical situation of local importance like no other. high altitude lifting mines also allows you to effectively knock down the enemy from tactical heights.
In short, a mortar is a tool that allows you to actively control the course of combat events.
The purpose of this material is to give law enforcement officers, officers and soldiers internal troops an initial idea of ​​what a mortar is and how to handle it if you have to deal with it.
The design of a portable muzzle-loading mortar of the classical scheme is simple.

Photo 1. The mortar barrel (1 in the Photo) is a smooth-walled pipe without rifling, on which a breech is screwed in the rear (lower) part. At the bottom of the breech there is a drummer, on which the primer of the main (tail) charge of the mine is broken when it is lowered into the barrel. From below the breech ends with a ball heel. Through this part, the barrel is connected to the base plate (2 in the Photo). There is a hole in the ball heel, into which any mount is inserted for screwing and unscrewing the breech from the barrel when cleaning the mortar.
In 82 mm mortars, the striker is hard, screwed into the bottom of the breech. This ensures simplicity of design and increases the rate of fire.
The barrel rests on a two-legged carriage, which gives it the angles of vertical and horizontal guidance.

Photo 2. It has lifting (4 in Photo 2), swivel (5 in Photo 1) and leveling (6 in Photo 1) mechanisms. The bipedal carriage is detachably connected to the barrel through a shock absorber (7 in Photo 2) by means of a clip (8 in Photo 2) and a basting. All screw-type mortar guidance mechanisms.

Photo 3. The leveling mechanism, which has a transverse level (9), is designed for accurate leveling of the mortar in cases where the sight is rigidly mounted on a bipedal carriage. The scope is usually mounted on the left side of the swivel mechanism. The need for precise leveling is eliminated when a swinging sight is used, which levels itself.

The base plate serves as a support for the barrel. It consists of a main sheet, to which stiffeners (coulters) are welded from below. The distribution of the recoil force over a large area helps to reduce the pressure on the ground.
When fired, due to the elastic deformation of the plate and soil, the barrel moves along the axis by an insignificant amount and then returns to its original place again. To prevent damage to the mortar mechanisms during a sharp movement of the barrel, the two-legged carriage is attached to the barrel by means of spring shock absorbers.
Mortars of caliber 82 mm of post-war production are equipped with fuses from double loading. This device prevents the laying of a second mine when the mortar is already loaded.

Photo 4. Schematically with the designation of the main parts of the mortar is shown in photo 1-2-3-4.

Photo 5. Mortar sights are optical and mechanical. Each mortar sight has a goniometer circle (10) for horizontal aiming. The horizontal guidance of the mortar is carried out by directing the sight line of the goniometer to the point of guidance. The mortar sight, like the artillery compass, has a scale on the horizontal circle of the goniometer, divided into large divisions of 1-00 (one hundred thousandths) for an optical sight, and small divisions of 0-20 (twenty thousandths) for a mechanical sight. In addition, the sight has a turret for measuring angles with an accuracy of 0-01 (1 thousandth) (11 in Photo 5). Recall - one thousandth is 1/1000 of the distance to the target, deployed "along the front." Therefore, a correction of 1/1000 to the side at a distance of 1 km will give a deviation of 1 meter, at 2 km - 2 m, respectively. Guiding the mortar horizontally is carried out by a rotary mechanism.
The scope itself with the level is used to measure vertical angles and vertical guidance in range. For aiming at a distance, the necessary sight is set on its scale (13 in Photo 5), and then the barrel is raised or lowered by the lifting mechanism until the air bubble at the level of the sight takes the middle position and the target hits the aiming element. This trunk is given the required elevation angle.
The sight is transported (transferred) separately from the mortar. When installing the sight on the mortar, the number 30 on the goniometer circle and the risks on the base of the sight are combined. According to the technical device, the mortar is simple and does not require much effort to master. The 82 mm mortar is transported disassembled over long distances. The calculation usually consists of 4 people.
A mortar shot consists of a projectile (mine) and a powder charge.

Photo 6. A mine is a non-rotating feathered projectile designed to be fired from a mortar. It is intended mainly for hitting a target with shrapnel or to smoke the target, or to illuminate the area.
A fragmentation mine consists of a drop-shaped body, an explosive charge, a fuse and a stabilizer.

The body of the mine is designed to connect all the details of the mine, to place an explosive charge, and to form fragments when it breaks. The body is made of steel or cast iron. A fuse is screwed into the head part of the body, and a stabilizer is screwed into the bottom part. On the outer surface of the housing there is one or two centering bulges. They are necessary so that the mine does not “walk” in the bore, but goes along it evenly and with a small gap. Centering ledges are made on the wings of the stabilizer. All this ensures the correct movement of the mine along the bore.
To reduce the breakthrough of powder gases between the mine and the inner surface of the barrel, annular grooves are made on the centering thickening of the barrel. In these grooves, the powder gases expand, swirl and slow down, while losing pressure and speed. Therefore, the amount of escaping gases is small - 10-15o.
The stabilizer gives the mine stability in flight and serves to accommodate the main and additional propellant charges (beams), and also centers the mine as it moves along the barrel. It consists of a tube with holes and feathers welded to the tube. Mines are six-finned and ten-finned. After ignition of the main (tail) propellant charge placed in the tube, powder gases rush into the bore through the fire transfer holes. When this occurs, the ignition of additional charges located on the stabilizer tube or placed between its feathers.
Explosive charge is intended to break the mine. Explosive- usually tol.
The fuse is designed to ignite the explosive charge of a mine when a mine collides with an obstacle after a shot.
The propellant charge of the 82 mm mortar consists of a tail cartridge (main charge) and additional charges.
The tail cartridge (main charge) is a cardboard sleeve with powder charge. A capsule is inserted into the metal bottom of the sleeve. From above the charge is closed by wads.
Additional charges (beams on artillery slang) of 82 mm mortars are assembled in packages (caps) that have the shape of boats for six-finned mines, which are fixed between the stabilizer fins. Charges for ten-point mines are ring-shaped and mounted on the stabilizer tube.
A shot from an 82 mm mortar occurs as follows: a mine lowered into the bore falls down inside the barrel and is pricked by a primer of the tail cartridge on the protruding striker (firing pin) of the breech, which ignites the primer, the flame from which ignites the main charge (tail cartridge). The resulting powder gases cardboard walls of the sleeve and through the holes in the stabilizer tube break into the breech breech. The power of the main charge is enough to give the mine an initial speed of 70 m / s. and throw it at a distance of 85 to 475 m. With gas pressure, the mine moves at increasing speed along the bore, sliding with a centering thickening along its walls, and is thrown outward in the direction of the axis of the bore. If there are additional charges on the stabilizer tube, the hot gases of the main charge ignite additional charges through the holes in the tube, as a result of which the gas pressure in the barrel increases and the firing range increases.
Features of a shot from a mortar - due to the lack of rifling in the barrel, the mine does not receive rotational motion. The point of application of the recoil resistance force (ball stop) coincides with the direction of the recoil force, as a result of which the departure angle practically does not appear. Due to the low pressure in the barrel (compared to cannon), mortars do not have a barrel height, which ensures its unlimited survivability.
When a mine falls and collides with any obstacle, the mine fuse is triggered and ignites the explosive charge of the mine. The resulting gases break the body of the mine and the fragments scatter very flatly in all directions. Depending on what material, in what historical period and what technology the hull was made of, fragments are formed from 200 to 1000. The reality of hitting a target with fragments depends on the height of the target and is determined by the radius of fragments that hit a target of a given height. The radius of the actual destruction of lying targets of 82 mm fragmentation mines is not less than 18 m. At the same time, the grass is completely mowed out on the affected area. The radius of the capital destruction of growth targets with the same mine is 30 m with the obligatory defeat of the target by 2-3 fragments. The spread of fragments is up to 350-400 meters. The fragmentation effect of a smoke mine is 35-40% less compared to a fragmentation mine, but the target is also affected by flying pieces of burning phosphorus.
Smoke mines are a useful thing both in the field, and in the forest, and in the mountains. With their help, the positions of the enemy are smoked, which practically blinds them. In addition, smoke mines provide target designation, shooting, and in the mountains - determining the wind speed at altitude. The density and stability of the smoke cloud depends on the number of exploded mines, the state of the atmosphere, the strength and direction of the wind.
Of the features of mortar ballistics, the following should be noted: the angle of maximum (limiting) range for 82 mm mines is about 45o. Such an angle is given to the barrel of the mortar, horizontally aligned "by zeros" in the horizontal and vertical planes. When firing from mortars, only hinged trajectories are used, obtained at elevation angles greater than the angle of greatest range. Therefore, the scale of the sight on the mortar has a reverse thread. The so-called "narrow" sighting fork for an 82 mm mortar is 50 meters.
The shape of the mine's hinged trajectory depends on the elevation angle and on the initial speed imparted to the mine by one or another amount of additional charges. The greater the elevation angle and the lower the initial speed, the smaller the horizontal range. Conversely, the lower the elevation angle and the greater the initial speed, the greater the horizontal range. By simultaneously changing the initial speed and elevation angle, you can get several hinged trajectories with the same horizontal range, but different heights. Large elevation angles and angles of incidence of the hinged trajectory of the mine almost completely exclude the presence of dead spaces and provide the possibility of firing from behind high shelters and hitting targets in any terrain fold. Due to the lack of rotation of the mine, derivation in flight is completely absent.
Attention! When fired, a mortar mine rises very high, and, accordingly, is significantly blown away by the wind, which at different heights has a much higher speed than near the ground. This is especially felt in the mountains, where winds at different altitudes blow in different directions with different strengths!
In counter-guerrilla warfare, mortars are very often used to ensure the attacking advance of our battle formations by firing "over their heads." This is permissible only under the condition of complete safety of firing for their subunits, excluding the possibility of their accidental defeat. Security is ensured by the presence of such a distance between the target and the location of its own combat formations closest to it, which excludes the possibility of hitting them with fragments of its own mines. When calculating this distance, the following is taken into account:
a) the half of the full dispersion of mines closest to the location of their own, increased by one and a half times;
b) the radius of expansion of fragments of mines (30 m); c) possible deviation of mines due to inaccurate accounting for the influence of wind.
In the case of firing at an unsighted target, the distance between the target and friendly units must be greater than the specified distance by the value of the “narrow fork” (see earlier). In this case, you should shoot with the initial installation of the sight, obviously increased by possible error in determining the firing range and taking into account the influence of weather conditions - in general, 25% more than a certain distance to the target.
Example. For the safe opening of fire from an 82 mm mortar from a distance of 600 m on the first charge at an unsighted target located in front of their units, between the latter and the target, it is necessary to have the smallest distance of about 150 m (according to the calculation table, plus the value of a narrow fork of 50 m). The initial setting of the sight should correspond to a distance of 750 m. If events take place in a forest or on rough terrain, where the distance of fire contact is usually 150-200 m, then this is just what you need.
If friendly subunits are hidden in the folds of the terrain from being hit by fragments of their own mines, then the distance between them and the covered target can be reduced by the value of the radius of fragmentation, i.e. at 30 m.
As follows from the above, the precise measurement of the distance from the mortar to the target plays a decisive role in such firing. At one time, German rangers had mortar spotters in their combat advancing chains during the fire displacement of partisans. Adjustment of mortar fire was carried out by telephone, the wire length of which was always equal to 200 meters. The sights on the German 50 mm “tray” mortars, which, together with the control cells, advanced behind advancing targets on a permanent telephone wire tether, were set at a distance of 300 m.
In this case, adjustments were usually made in the course of events ± 30 m closer / farther.
Later german experience without changes, it was used by the special battalions of the MGB in suppressing the resistance of the OUN-UPA. It was the Soviet 82 mm mortars that turned out to be the ideal weapon for forest combat - they were given target designation on the spot, the distances were close, the targets were group, the mortars were front-line trained, the mortars were transferred, installed and aimed quickly. And most importantly, the mines were triggered by contact with foliage and tree branches and exploded in the air. At the same time, the ambush positions of Bandera on the trees lost all meaning. It was impossible to hide below in the folds of the terrain. The losses were horrendous.
For firing mortars on the plain, the plain firing tables should be followed. The firing tables for six-fingered and ten-finned mines are not the same. The ring charge is approximately twice as strong as the “boat” charge.
Attention! When firing, it is imperative to take into account the corrections for the deviation of the weight of the mine from the normal one (sign H). To do this, algebraically multiply the tabular correction with its sign by the deviation of the weight of the mine (the number of signs on the mine) and raise the result with its sign to the range.
Example! Tabular correction (+6m), three minuses (---) are marked on the mine. We multiply: (+6) x (-3) \u003d -18 m. Amendment - 18 m. Reduce the range by 18 m (from the firing table of TS No. 102).
The mortar is perhaps one of the few types of heavy weapons that can be disassembled to be carried over rough terrain. Therefore, it is indispensable in the mountains. In the mountains, the target will not be as mobile as on the plains, but it will always be above or below the level at which the mortar position is located. Therefore, mortar firing in the mountains is carried out according to flat firing tables, adjusted for target elevation tables in relation to the mortar horizon.
At the same time, in order to obtain the sight setting, it is necessary to algebraically add a correction for the elevation/decrease of the target to the plain tabular sight setting.

Attention! On rocky ground in the mountains, shooting is carried out without a base plate! The base plate in such conditions is not only useless, but also harmful - it is not fixed on the stone, and after each shot it shifts back. At the same time, the mortar has to be installed and aimed again for each new shot. At the same time, precious time is lost, the effectiveness of the fire is reduced and the consumption of ammunition increases. To install a mortar on rocky ground with a pick or an ice ax, two recesses are cut out for a two-legged gun carriage and one deeper recess for the ball heel of the breech. In this case, the mortar barrel rests directly on the stone with the ball heel. Instead of a base plate, which weighs 15-18 kg, it is more profitable and better to take 4-5 additional mines - while they are simply thrust into the waist belt with stabilizers.
But in such cases it is forbidden:
a) hold the ball heel with your foot - more than one fool has crushed his foot;
b) shoot, resting the barrel not on a biped, but putting it on the back of another fool - more than one spine has been broken from such practice, and no one at all considered shell-shocked from the shock wave of a shot.
When firing on gravel soil, the mortar barrel rests on the gravel with the lower part of the breech and the ball heel immersed in the gravel.
If the enemy is located much higher than you on a slope of 40-50o, but not on a height ridge, it will be more profitable for you to shoot so that the mines fall 20 meters above the enemy’s positions. In addition to being hit by shrapnel, it will also be covered by rockfall caused by a mine explosion. The advantage of a position at a tactical height is reduced to zero. Therefore, having a mortar, one can easily refute the well-known postulate: "He who is higher in the mountains is right!" Having a mortar, you can fend off an ambush, ensure the offensive advancement of your “bottom-up”, as well as cover the partisan mortar, firing from top to bottom from a closed position. It has already been confirmed that a skilled mortar, firing from an 82 mm mortar in the mountains at distances of 1-1.5 km with a large number of targets hit, consumes less ammunition “by weight” than a machine gunner and even an easel automatic grenade launcher.
Two checkpoints or strong points, located at a distance of 400-500 m from one another, equipped with 82 mm mortars, are practically inaccessible to capture by partisans. Why? Because when attacking a checkpoint, the territory adjacent to it with "dead" spaces where the enemy accumulates can be easily treated with mortar fire from a neighboring checkpoint. Having a mortar battery of two or three 82 mm mortars can bring down the enemy from tactical heights as effectively as using combat helicopters.
For effective mortar firing in the mountains, it is necessary to know the military topography very well and navigate the map.
Of course, the partisans will also have mortars. But in practice, this means little and is not decisive. For accurate, fast, effective firing from a mortar, especially at non-obvious and unobservable targets hidden behind reverse slopes of heights, it is necessary to be able to make accurate mathematical calculations very quickly. This can only be done by a professional artillery officer, who usually immediately destroys the target with the first or second mine. Partisan mortarmen take aim for a long time, by trial and error, overshoots and undershoots, according to the principle "2 bast shoes to the right, 10 fathoms forward." The validity of fire on a moving target in this case is equal to zero. This is the essence of the use of the mortar as a counter-guerrilla weapon. An army mortar will always (always!) be incomparably stronger than partisan mortars.
The mortar is an unusually powerful tactical weapon. Therefore, during the war, the Germans had 50 mm “tray” mortars in every platoon, and we suffered the same losses from them as from German machine guns. Our gunners were the best in the world, but the German mortars were unsurpassed. Our partisans also got a lot from them.
The Soviet military leadership thought in terms of large-scale strategic categories. The calibers of Soviet mortars had a strong tendency to increase. Mortars of caliber 50 mm, and then 82 mm, were gradually withdrawn from service, as unsuitable for large-scale combat operations. Their release was discontinued. The events in Afghanistan made us remember the tactical need for 82 mm mortars and resume their production.
In Western armies, small-caliber mortars have never been abandoned. On fig. 5-6 show the French MO-6OL and the American M-224 DE - light mortars of 60 mm caliber and mines for them. Weight, respectively, 14.8 and 20.4 kg, firing range, respectively, 2060 m and 3500 m. The French MO-6OL mortar was developed back in 1934 and has not changed since then. Both of these mortars have proven to be unusually effective remedy in the fight against drug guerrilla formations in the mountainous jungles of Latin America.
In this section, the choice of charges for the Soviet 82 mm battalion mortar and the firing tables from it are given for distances of no more than 2300 m. As practice shows, this is the distance of the observed target, and only trained virtuoso artillerymen can shoot further in a counter-guerrilla war. Further distances in mountainous wooded areas correspond to shooting at unobservable closed targets, require the most complex calculations, the highest level preparation, as well as adjustment of fire, carried out by special methods. In your case, this is unrealistic, and in order to improve your mortar skills, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the firing tables of the GRAU No. 102 for an 82 mm mortar. It contains detailed information on the mortar system, sights and ammunition.
It should be noted that mountain crossings force you to abandon excess weight. Therefore, it is preferable to take old-issue mortars without a double-loading fuse with simple lightweight sights into the mountains.
Shooting a mortar is a dangerous occupation, so the following rules should be observed:
- shooting through the crest of the shelter is possible if the distance from the crest to the mortar is not less than "one and a half heights" of the shelter along the horizon;
- when installing a mortar on the ground, the slope of the base plate to the horizon should be 25-30o;
- the base plate must rest on the ground with its entire surface and be deepened into it no less than? coulter heights;
- bipedal coulters must be sunk into the ground to the plates and be approximately at the same level with the ball heel of the breech;

Photo 7. before firing, the cap of the fuse M-5 and M-6 is removed and the integrity of the membrane (14) is checked;
- additional charges (beams) are printed only at the firing position immediately before firing, additional ring charges are put on the stabilizer nozzle only in the lowest position (until it stops on the plumage); charges - boats of six-finned mines are fixed securely so that they do not fall out when loading; do not leave mines with additional charges in the open air, do not lay them on uncovered ground, grass, snow, etc.; in summer, protect additional charges from dampness and sun rays; in winter - from snow, frost, frost.
It is forbidden to: Shoot with damp charges, which have poorly sewn caps, and on all charges of the ABPl 42-20 or VTM brand of gunpowder, manufactured before 1945 inclusive (these gunpowder can detonate), shoot mines, in which the fire-transmitting holes are clogged with snow, ice, oil, dirt, etc., mines with stabilizer defects, mines with a damaged fuse membrane and body defects.
Loading order.
When loading, the mine is inserted by the stabilizer into the muzzle of the barrel, recessed into the barrel to the centering thickening and released. After that, immediately remove your hands and especially your head away from the barrel, bend down to the side of the mortar and close your ears! If you do not have time to do this before the shot, at best - a shell shock, at worst - an accident.
When firing, do not allow a rate at which a collision of a departing mine with a mine brought for loading is possible (as a rule, a high rate of fire is not needed in the mountains). It is necessary to ensure that there are no even light obstacles in the path of the mine's flight - snow cornices, tree leaves, etc., which can cause premature detonation due to the high sensitivity of the fuse.
In case of a misfire, wait at least 2 minutes (maybe a long shot), then sharply push the barrel with a banner or any wooden object, at worst - with a butt, this can trigger the primer of the main (tail) charge. If the shot did not occur, wait at least 1 more minute, then unload the mortar.
To unload, loosen the shock absorber clip, carefully and without jerks turn the barrel 90 ° in the hinge plate support, separate the barrel from the plate and, supporting the biped, raise the breech breech to a horizontal position. At the same time, one of the numbers of the calculation holds the palms of the "ring" near the muzzle, so as not to touch the fuse, carefully takes the mine and removes it from the barrel. With all these manipulations, do not stand in front of the muzzle! To prevent a shot during discharge, it is strictly forbidden to lower the raised breech until the mine is removed! After that, the tail cartridge of the mine changes, and it is used for its intended purpose.

Tactical and technical data of 82 mm battalion mortar model 1937-1941 (THE USSR)
Caliber - 82 mm
Barrel length - 1220 mm
Weight in combat position - 50 kg
The greatest firing range - 3040 m
Fragmentation mine weight - 3.1 kg
Smoke mine weight - 3.46 kg
The weight of the explosive charge of a fragmentation mine is 0.40 kg
The weight of the propellant charge of the tail (main) - 8 g
Additional propellant weight (boats) - 7 g
The weight of the ring-shaped propellant charge is 13 g
Rate of fire - 15 rounds per minute.

Min markings:
Lighting - S-832s
Campaign six-pointed - A-832-A
Fragmentation ten-feathered - 0832D
Fragment ten-point improved design - 0832DU
Fragmentation six-feathered - 0832\smoke ten-feathered - D-832
Smoke six-pointed - D-832
Fuse M-4, M-5, M-6.

Alexey Potapov
Special forces of the 21st century. Elite training. Volume 1. SPC "Health of the People", LLC "VIPv"

left entirely. highlighted in red .
the most important
1) mine flies from subsonic speed along a steep path. It means that you can hear a shot and a characteristic whistling sound from a mine to its explosion.
mine 82mm flies for 6km 30-60 sec (initial speed 100-200m/s) from here
mine 120mm flies for 6km 22-50 sec (initial speed 119 - 270 m/s) from here and from here
the sound of a shot at 6 km will reach in 18 seconds (sound speed 330 m / s).
total reaction time 4-12-32-42 seconds (inaccurate, because the speed depends on the charge). TOTAL seconds 5-10 is.
2) you can determine where they shot from
3) DK Kuibyshev, apparently, was fired with a mine 82 mm(or less)
4) the maximum firing range of a mortar is no more than 6-7 km (regardless of caliber). Real (sighting) 4-6 km.

SURVIVE UNDER MORTAR FIRE.

Characteristics of mortars and mines, rules of conduct under fire.

82 mm mine: Effective damage radius lying targets of 82-mm fragmentation mine, not less than 18 m. At the same time, the grass on the affected area is completely mowed. The radius of the capital destruction of growth targets - 30 m with the obligatory defeat of the target by 2-3 fragments. The spread of individual fragments can be up to 100-150 meters.
82 mm mine able to destroy only a light overlap , for example, a visor made of poles over a trench.
The funnel, when it breaks, even if the mine goes into the ground to the most favorable depth, will be small: 1 meter in diameter and about 50-60 centimeters deep. But usually such a funnel does not work, because the 82 mm mine is not designed for destructive shooting, but designed only for fragmentation , and it breaks before it penetrates the ground ...
82mm mortars are not particularly long-range weapons, but very common. Maximum firing range up to 4 kilometers. The minimum firing range is 85-100 meters. Therefore, for the purpose of camouflage, the mortar and ammunition are usually carried by hand. The mortar weighs more than 40 kilograms, a standard box with 10 mines weighs more than 30 (total 70 kg !!!) . Therefore, mortar attacks are usually sudden and short-lived: an experienced crew fires ten shots in a matter of seconds, and the last mine exits the barrel before the first one explodes. After that, the mortars immediately disassemble the mortar (up to a minute) and change their position in order to get away from return fire.

120 mm mine: The radius of the actual destruction of the lying targets of a fragmentation mine is not less than 25m. Radius of capital destruction of growth targets - 60m . The spread of individual fragments can reach up to 200-250 meters. The weight of an explosive charge in a 16 kg 120 mm high-explosive fragmentation mine is 3.93 kg. A high-explosive mine, penetrating to the most favorable depth, creates a funnel with a diameter of 3-4 meters and a depth of about 1 meter. This mine destroys trenches and light dugouts well. A single mine hit destroys a standard two-room apartment. And three, four mines - bring down the ceiling of the floor of a panel house. Also, heavy fragments of this mine can seriously damage armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles and other light armored vehicles with bulletproof armor. Incapacitate on a direct hit.
A 120 mm mortar can hit 7.2 km. Effective on range up to 7 km. Minimum range (dead zone) - 480 meters. Rate of fire - 10-15 shots. Portable ammunition - 80 min.

Towed or self-propelled 120mm rifled mortar type " Nona"(in service with 25 VBR) Rate of fire - up to 11 rounds per minute. It is used against manpower located in open areas, in trenches or light shelters.
Ammunition "Nona": The main ammunition of the gun includes high-explosive shells 3OF49 with contact fuse and radio fuse. The projectiles have an initial velocity at full charge of 367 m/s and a maximum firing range of 8,855 km. When a contact fuse is set to a fragmentation action during the break, the 3OF49 projectile forms about 3500 lethal fragments weighing from 0.5 to 15 g, with an initial velocity of about 1800 m / s. The reduced area of ​​destruction of openly located manpower in the "standing" position is 2200 m², the armor penetration of homogeneous steel armor is 12 mm at a distance of 7 to 10 m from the epicenter of the projectile burst. When using the AP-5 radio fuse, the effectiveness of defeating openly located manpower increases from 2 to 3 times. When installing a contact fuse for high-explosive action, the 3OF49 projectile is capable of forming funnels up to 5 m in diameter and up to 2 meters deep. Also, “Nona” hits with all types of 120-mm mortar mines.

The mortar has several features that you must know. In-First, the mine flies at subsonic speed along a steep trajectory. This means that you can hear a shot and a characteristic whistling sound from the mine to its explosion. Experienced fighters use the sound to determine in which direction it is flying, approaching (the sound changes from low to high frequencies), or is already moving away during the flight. In combat conditions, such skills need to be acquired as quickly as possible.

Secondly, the mine explodes on impact with the ground, and fragments fly up and to the sides. Therefore, a car or a standing person is a very vulnerable target. If the fighter is lying at the time of the mine explosion, the probability of falling into him with fragments decreases sharply. Therefore, when you hear the sound of an approaching mine (or the warning cry of an experienced comrade), immediately fall to the ground and press yourself into it harder, covering your head with your hands.

Fragments of 82-mm mines are light and very "bad". When a three-kilogram mine explodes, 400-600 fragments are formed. Any obstacle - a brick, a tree, a concrete pillar - can unpredictably change the direction of their flight. For the same reason, mine fragments do not penetrate more or less serious obstacles. A stone wall, a parapet, a sandbag, a fallen tree trunk, a hard hat, body armor can all help.
If the enemy is not targeting the area, then it is advisable not to stick out for 5-10 minutes, the destruction package is usually 60-80 minutes per square.

Sometimes mortars release one sighting mine (smoke or incendiary) towards the target and at the place of its rupture, introduce amendments and turn on rapid fire with the entire battery to kill. So after the first gap in the side, there is a little time to find cover and lie down.

According to experience, they fire from a mortar in "series": 6-8 shots, a pause of several minutes, then again 6-8 shots to finish off. Usually there were no more than three such series. It is possible to fire from one, two or three mortars (three mortar crews are part of a platoon).

During the shelling, do not even think about getting up. Lie down where you fell. During a pause, you can inspect the area, move to a slot, pit, funnel. The lower you lie, the more likely you are to survive the shelling without consequences. Trenches, dugouts, structures made of concrete blocks, solid brick walls - quite reliable protection against a mortar. Even in an open field, you can come up with a shelter.

Not good good idea sit out shelling in a rare landing or bushes. The mine fuse will work when it hits branches and an air explosion of the mine will result, which will increase the area affected by fragments.
In a pause, be ready for the next "series" of shelling, the approach of which will warn you all the same whistling sound.

So, the basic rules for survival during a mortar attack:
1. Listen to the sounds of flying mines, learn to recognize and analyze them.
2. When firing, immediately fall and press into the ground. Learn to do this before the mines start to fall - it's to your advantage.
4. Don't forget to open your mouth, this will save your eardrums.
5. No matter what happens, in no case should you rise, let alone stand up. Do not try to run away from the firing zone - mines and fragments are still faster than you. Wait for an example of 8-10 breaks, then wait at least three minutes, then quickly change position and go into cover. Even if someone nearby needs help, provide it after shelling and in cover, otherwise you will most likely need help soon.
6. Use artificial and natural shelters and terrain folds. You can hide in them in between series of shots.
7. Move only by crawling. If you come under fire in the field and wait it out, crawl out of the fire zone so as not to be noticed and not cause a second fire.
8. If you are in a zone where mortar shelling is possible, do not take off your body armor and helmet - if you have them, of course. Bulletproof vests of the third or fourth class stop mortar fragments quite reliably. Even a simple second-class vest and an old Soviet-style helmet will not be superfluous.
9. It happens that some of the mines do not burst (soft ground, the fuse did not work) and brazenly stick out of the ground with their tails. In no case do not touch them, do not take them out and do not beat them. The probability of an explosion is extremely high.
10. Dig trenches and build dugouts with strong ceilings. The message paths should be zigzag. In the event of a mine hitting a trench, the fragmentation will be limited to a straight segment only.
11. Feel free to train and work out your actions in case of shelling in advance. Remember: hard in teaching, easy in the affected area.
12. If you come under mortar fire during the march on the “armor”, dive inside. The task of the APC driver is to get out of the fire zone at full speed. Stopping and dismounting, you turn into a perfect, motionless target for mortars.
13. Keep snipers on the ground where a mortar spotter might be. These are usually ruins, tall houses and trees in the line of sight from your location, which offer a good overview of the area. A man with binoculars and a walkie-talkie (telephone) is goal number 1.

How to determine where the mortar or gun was fired from?
By the nature of the crater from a projectile or mine, you can determine where the shooting was carried out from. The fact is that the projectile falls at an angle, and not strictly vertically, it breaks, as if on its side, so the funnel is uneven. The side facing the point of the shot will be flatter than the opposite. There are more fragments in the ground from the side where the projectile came from, since most of the fragments from the opposite side went into the air during the explosion. Usually, after removing loose soil, you can find the trace of the projectile in the ground and determine the general direction of fire.

To determine the range to the place where the shot was fired from, you can be much more accurate if you determine which ammunition formed the funnel. By measuring the angle of incidence of the projectile, it is possible, using the firing tables, to determine from what range the shot was fired. The angle is measured as follows: the earth loosened by the explosion is carefully removed, the center of its deepening (hole) is located. A stick is taken, which is placed on the edges of the funnel, freed from the soil poured by the explosion (this is how the ground plane is determined). After that, in the middle of the sloping slope of the funnel (the one on the side of the shot), a peg is driven in, reaching the ground plane. Thus, we determine the average point of contact of the projectile with the ground, after which we draw a straight line from the hole to this point - the easiest way is to put a stick or rail, getting the “trajectory” of the projectile on the last meter of flight. By measuring the angle of incidence, we can determine the angle of departure, and, consequently, the range according to the tables for firing.

When you first come under fire from a mortar, it may seem that nothing could be worse. Actually - maybe. After a week of shelling with Grads, mortar fire seems more annoying than intimidating.