2 inch mortar

[Whitehunter]

Well done!


Steve, i once found 50 of those caps all in the same hole, but what is that bigger one used on?

[banny]

Thanks for the photo Adrian,
I think you may have misread Similar for Smaller in my post, but I'm grateful for your input. In fact since seeing your photo I think I have identified another piece of debris we found the other day as the rear fin cap.
I was trying to find out if any other 2 inch mortar shells had the same cap over the top, I have seen them on Smoke & Illumination rounds, but they would not have lugged those shells when your under heavy fire and retreating up to the top of a Mountain with waves of suicidal Japanese trying to bayonet your arse.
Lovely stabilizing Fins, That is the next item on my wish list (well the most practical). Unfortunately I think it may be the last outing until after summer, its was ridiculously hot and a the mozzies where out in force.
Cheers

[martynv4]

Hello all, will dig out my camera and post a picy of my projectile (2" mortar but not stumpy), later on this morning. Also, there's still alot of these (fired but unexploded), on an old range in Wales. Found with interest but much sweating and discomfort!

Martyn.

[martynv4]

2" Illumination round. Date on head cap: 9/42, tail: ADC 9/42 Z and a 41 tail cap (shame that). Not one from Wales as they were a little scary.

I like the original post based on the 3". You'd be a tad worried if you pulled one of them out of the ground!

Martyn.

[banny]

Your right!
The Welsh are scary! something to do with being down the mines all those years.

[martynv4]

Now now.

The amount of loose explosive on the floor at this range was surprising too though deemed "safe" having been exposed to the elements for so many years. Never heard any "WHUMPs" in the night so I guess the sheep knew what they were doing.

Martyn.

(Not a racist comment as I'm German / Irish myself!)

[jimpy]

Your right!
The Welsh are scary! something to do with being down the mines all those years.

The Welsh can be VERY scary, I know...............My daughter-in-laws Welsh and VERY proud of it, (but I still love her!)
She only let my son put an England sticker on the car on condition a Welsh one went on as well!

[navyman]

I thought this cap was left on and the hole in it was for the firing pin to go through?

Hello Pete,
The base cartridge cap does indeed stay with the projectile.
I'll add some pics of the 2 inch ones which I have, inert of couse.
1; L>R WW2 dated 1, 42 [S&W] AB /42 Z, (para illum)?
2; 2" HE. Base 42, body 42, Fuze 161 Mk 3/2. Fin marks; Z 13 FD Ltd 1941-1.
3; 2 IN M, ILL, MK 2/2, P1. This one has a 'P' pressed tin plated top cover, hard to find now as they generally rusted away before they could be recovered.
I'll add a couple of pictures of a relic 2" HE fin which I've started to section. I found this one interesting as the primer and first wad have been pushed forward by the inertia on impact despite the HE charge working as intended. The base cap was also intact so must have resisted both charges?
Has anyone got a spare coarse thread base cap, the only spare I have is a 1979 finer thread which of course wont fit the 1942 fins.
Cheers,
navyman.

[zwerge]

Hi,those are nice rounds you have,a lot better than my mockup,thanks for the info on the cap...Pete

[navyman]

Hello Pete,
Glad that the info was of use to you, also glad to see that you are still at work with your excellent skills.
Very best wishes,
Guy.