Mortira is an artillery gun that is equipped with a short barrel (mainly 15 gauge), designed for mounted type firing. The gun is focused on the destruction of particularly strong defensive structures, and is also aimed at destroying targets that are sheltered behind strong dugouts or trenches. Consider the features of this product, as well as its development from the time of creation to the present moment.
History of creation
Mortira is a weapon that has been used since the 15th century. In the modern interpretation, this term is sometimes called mortars of a certain caliber. In military slang, the word in question is a designation of short-barreled guns that are not equipped with a thrust plate.
The term "mortar" in Russia was used under Peter the Great with respect to artillery in the configuration of long-barreled guns, as well as their short-barreled counterparts. Then, such guns were divided into howitzers, mortars, and guns for floor fire.
The main purpose of the weapon:
- defeat of the enemy’s manpower;
- liquidation of hidden trenches and walls of fortifications;
- destruction of buildings and fortifications during sieges.
The multi-barrel mortar usually used iron cores. The metallurgy of that time was not able to produce shells with thin walls, which could not make it possible to withstand a shot from a gun without breaking at the same time.
The mortar filling, the photo of which is presented below, could be equipped with different explosives, affecting the speed of the core, as well as the distance of movement during the shot. Given the parameters of effort during the shot and ultimately, the effect of volley fire corresponded to a howitzer. This option was an intermediate one, facilitating the possibility of recharging the nucleus during charge overload, even with an excess size. Ancient modifications reached enormous size, transported on special individual carts, after which they were unloaded to the ground to move in the stowed position.
Increase mobility
The first attempts to put a mortar gun on railway platforms were made in 1861 (the period of the Civil War in the USA). This decision allowed to accelerate the delivery of artillery to remote parts of the southern army. Similar experience in transporting guns has been used repeatedly. In 1864, analogs with a caliber of 13 inches were based on the platform. They were involved in the siege of Pittsburgh, fired with charges weighing about 100 kg at a distance of up to 5 kilometers. In the European part, such modifications began to operate in 1871 (the siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian war). This arrangement of artillery allowed shelling the city from different directions.
Development at the end of the 19th century
The word "mortar" surfaced at the end of the 19th century, when Germany decided to organize mobile mobile units of the siege units. These units included 21 mortars and six howitzers with a caliber of 150 mm. They were remade from bronze cannons by inserting a steel pipe into them. A similar method was widely used at that time in the modernization of cast-iron and bronze tools.
This weapon was not particularly maneuverable, but it allowed delivering the kit relatively quickly to the desired section of the front. Following the Germans, Poland, Austria and some other European countries followed the same path. As a rule, ammunition, except for mortars, included howitzers. When fired, the recoil speed was very significant, which caused strong jumps and movement of the guns to the sides. In this regard, the restoration of the initial position of weapons required additional physical and time costs.
20th century
At the beginning of the 20th century, the design of howitzers and mortars practically coincided with analogues of other artillery pieces of a similar type. Differences were only in barrel length and caliber. Among the mortar modifications, one can distinguish such variations:
- "Skoda" - was equipped with shells weighing 384 kg (1911 model).
- "Kruppa" - operated by the Russian army in the First World War, had a range of about 4 kilometers.
- Mortar mortars, which appeared during the war of 1914 and combined the power of guns and the rate of mortar fire.
Disadvantages of the gun: low rate of fire, difficulty in delivering ammunition, rapid fatigue of the gun crew due to the same factors.
In the same period, mortar howitzers were developed, which served to destroy particularly strong fortifications and objects of increased strength. The guns had an elongated barrel and a lower elevation angle.
The Second World War
Closer to the 40s of the last century, mortars were 280 mm howitzers. Another option (German mortar) is the Karlgeret 600. Subsequently, such tools were replaced by mortars. In the German army, the mortar design was not forgotten without a trace, despite the fact that the short-barreled versions were inferior to standard guns. After the battle of Stalingrad, Hitler ordered the development of modernized analogues designed for siege operations. At the same time, the problem of rate of fire has not disappeared. Many experts note that the use of such tools was an unnecessary waste of time and money. Bombing gave a more effective result, given the fact that Germany had a decent supply of large bombers.
Popular modifications
The following is a list of the most used mortars at all times since the creation of this gun:
- German modification "16" with a caliber of 210 mm.
- Malbork.
- Russian version of the 1727 gun Caliber - 0.68 feet, weight - 705 kg.
- "Dictator" - the American version, used during the Civil War.
- “Skoda” (1911).
- Karlgeret is a German mortar from World War II.
Modernity
Among modern analogs of the considered weapon, one can note an Israeli product called "Sherman". The gun is placed on a caterpillar track. The technique was used in the middle of the last century. The caliber of the weapon was 160 mm. After the end of World War II, mortars finally went out of use. They were replaced by mortars, howitzers and multiple launch rocket systems. In the Red Army during the military campaign of 1941-1945, guns of this type were used under the name BR-5. They were released a total of 47 copies.
