M2 4.2-inch Mortar (107 mm)
History, technical sheet and photo
M2 4.2-inch Mortar history
Before the Second World War, the Americans renovated their aging M1 4.2-inch (107 mm) mortar, which entered service in 1928 and developed from the 4-inch (102 mm) Mk I English mortar. The new model, of unchanged caliber and christened M2, sees its reinforced structure and can fire new shells capable of reaching the 4 kilometers of range with the addition of propelling charges on the empennage.
Very heavy with its 151 kg of total weight, it comes in three loads: an all-round base plate, a bipod and a smooth core tube. It can fire explosive shells (model HE M3 of 11.11 kg with 3.64 kg of TNT), smoke (model WP M2 of 11.57 kg) and chemical (model H M2 of 13 kg).
The M2 mortar of 107 mm is used for the first time in Sicily where nearly 35,000 shells are fired from July to August 1943. It is then used during the Battle of Normandy where it provides valuable support for the benefit of the American infantry .
After the Second World War, it was used during the Korean War before being gradually replaced by the M30 heavy mortar from 1951. The 4.2-inch M2 remained in service in the US Army until 1953. It enters In other armies in Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Greece, Guatemala, Japan, Laos, Tunisia and Paraguay.
M2 4.2-inch Mortar specification
Creator/User: United States of America
Denomination: M2 4.2-inch Mortar
Caliber: 107 mm
Effective firing range: 515 m
Maximum firing range: 4,023 m
Rate of fire: 15 shells/min
Total weight: 151 kg
Barrel length: 122 cm
Traverse: 360°
