M1938 mortar
Encyclopedia
The Soviet M1938 120-millimeter mortar was the first modern 120 mm mortar developed by any country, entering production in 1939. The Red Army
made significant use of its heavy caliber by treating it as an artillery piece in World War II
. The Germans were impressed by the weapon and adopted it for their own use, and developed a copy—the Granatwerfer 42
. Romania also produced a copy, designated Reșița Model 1942. The mortar was kept in production long after the war and sold to Soviet allies.
Its last significant use in battle was seen in the Vietnam War
, used by the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam
. Users have particularly liked the weapon for its uniquely-designed towing carriage, which made it easy to limber up in a single movement, using hooks on the weapon's base-plate. It is typically deployed to support infantry units, and is the heaviest weapon that can be reasonably transported by soldiers on foot.
The weapon weighed 285 kg (628.3 lb), and could be separated into three parts. Its maximum range was 5700 m (6,233.6 yd) (its German version can fire the shell to 6050 m (6,616.4 yd)).
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
made significant use of its heavy caliber by treating it as an artillery piece in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Germans were impressed by the weapon and adopted it for their own use, and developed a copy—the Granatwerfer 42
Granatwerfer 42
The Granatwerfer 42 was a mortar used by Germany during World War II....
. Romania also produced a copy, designated Reșița Model 1942. The mortar was kept in production long after the war and sold to Soviet allies.
Its last significant use in battle was seen in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, used by the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam
National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam
The Vietcong , or National Liberation Front , was a political organization and army in South Vietnam and Cambodia that fought the United States and South Vietnamese governments during the Vietnam War . It had both guerrilla and regular army units, as well as a network of cadres who organized...
. Users have particularly liked the weapon for its uniquely-designed towing carriage, which made it easy to limber up in a single movement, using hooks on the weapon's base-plate. It is typically deployed to support infantry units, and is the heaviest weapon that can be reasonably transported by soldiers on foot.
The weapon weighed 285 kg (628.3 lb), and could be separated into three parts. Its maximum range was 5700 m (6,233.6 yd) (its German version can fire the shell to 6050 m (6,616.4 yd)).