The Development and Capabilities of The Chemical Mortar
The 4.2 in (107 mm) chemical mortar was developed from the British World War I 4 inch Stokes mortar.
A Stokes mortar could fire twenty shells a minute and had a range of 1,100 yards (1,006 m) and in this way was capable of overwhelming enemy trenches. The 4.2 in (107 mm) mortar, which by then had a rifled barrel installed and was firing shells with fins attached, had a range of 2,300 yards by 1924. After modifying the bore, improving the two-legged support and the recoil mechanism, and producing barrels made of seamless nickel steel, the M1A1 model was capable of sending shells 2,400 yards (2,195 m) during the 1930s.
By 1942, after authorization had been sought and granted to use high explosive shells, the new M2 model was being built with stronger barrels.
Read more about this topic: Chemical Mortar Battalion
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