107mm M1938 mortar
{{Short description|Soviet mortar}}
{{Infobox weapon
|name=107mm mortar M1938
|image= 107 mm mozdzierz wz 38 tyl.jpg
|image_size=300
|caption= 107mm mortar M1938 in White Eagle Museum
|origin=Soviet Union
|type=Heavy mortar
|is_ranged=
|is_bladed=
|is_explosive=yes
|is_artillery=yes
|is_vehicle=
|is_UK=
|service=1943–1975 (Soviet Union)
1938–present
|used_by=
|wars=World War II
Korean War{{cite book|title=Korean War Order of Battle: United States, United Nations, and Communist Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, 1950–1953|first= Gordon L. |last=Rottman|page=198|date=December 2002|publisher=Praeger|isbn=978-0-275-97835-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NpOp2OO1-DAC&pg=PA198}}
Vietnam War
Laotian Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
Afghan Wars
2011 Libyan civil war
|designer=
|design_date=1936
|manufacturer=
|production_date=
|number=
|variants=
|weight={{cvt|170|kg|lb}}
|length=
|part_length={{cvt|1.67|m|ftin}}
|width=
|height=
|crew= 5
|cartridge={{cvt|9.1|kg|lb}} bomb
|caliber={{cvt|107|mm|in}}
|action=
|rate= 15 rpm
|velocity={{cvt|302|m/s|ft/s}}
|range={{cvt|6.3|km|mi}}
|max_range=
|feed=
|sights=
|breech=muzzle loaded
|recoil=
|carriage=
|elevation= 45° to 80°
|traverse= 3°
|blade_type=
|hilt_type=
|sheath_type=
|head_type=
|haft_type=
|diameter= 107 mm
|filling=TNT
|filling_weight= {{cvt|1.0|kg|lboz}} (OF-841A)
|detonation=
|yield=
|armour=
|primary_armament=
|secondary_armament=
|engine=
|engine_power=
|pw_ratio=
|suspension=
|vehicle_range=
|speed=
}}
The Soviet 107mm M1938 mortar was a scaled-down version of the 120mm M1938 mortar intended for use by mountain troops and light enough to be towed by animals on a cart.Ian Hogg (ed.), Jane's Infantry Weapons 1984-85, p. 636, London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1984
History
In World War II, the 107mm mortar saw service with Soviet mountain infantry as a divisional artillery weapon.Steven Zaloga and Leland Ness, Red Army Handbook 1939-1945, p. 47, Phoenix Mill: Sutton, 1998 Weapons captured by the Germans were given the designation 10.7 cm Gebirgsgranatwerfer 328(r).{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/mortarsrockets0000cham/page/31|title=Mortars and rockets|last=Chamberlain|first=Peter|date=1975|publisher=Arco Pub. Co|page=[https://archive.org/details/mortarsrockets0000cham/page/31 31]|others=Gander, Terry|isbn=0668038179|location=New York|oclc=2067459}} Its last significant use in battle was in the Vietnam War. The ability to break down the weapon made it particularly suited to the rugged terrain of Vietnam.[http://www.skysoldier17.com/vc_weapons.htm skysoldier17.com]
The mortar fired a light HE round (OF-841) and a heavy HE round (OF-841A). The lighter HE round actually carried a larger bursting charge than the heavier HE round.Defense Intelligence Agency, Projectile Fragment Identification Guide, pp. 201-202, Washington: GPO, 1973 Both rounds used GVMZ-series point detonation fuzes.
Recently, the weapon has been seen in use by rebel forces during the 2011 Libyan civil war.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211210/nwdqzTlXvl8 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20140630065651/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwdqzTlXvl8 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwdqzTlXvl8| title = الثوارعلى مشارف البريقة (01) Ajdabiya 2011.07.17 .MP4 | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
Users
{{Div col}}
- {{flag|Afghanistan}}{{cite book|title=Afghanistan, Arms and Conflict: Armed Groups, Disarmament and Security in a Post-War Society|first1=Michael Vinai|last1=Bhatia |first2=Mark |last2=Sedra|publisher=Routledge|editor=Small Arms Survey|editor-link=Small Arms Survey|isbn=978-0-415-45308-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P4N9AgAAQBAJ|page=66|date=May 2008}}
- {{PRC}}
- {{flag|Nazi Germany}}
- {{flag|Laos}}{{cite encyclopedia|title=National inventories, Laos|encyclopedia=Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002|url=https://archive.org/details/Janes_Infantry_Weapons/page/n3085|page=3085|date=22 November 2000|first=Terry J.|last= Gander}}
- {{flag|Kazakhstan}}{{cite book|url=http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/publications/by-type/yearbook/small-arms-survey-2012.html|chapter-url=http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/A-Yearbook/2012/eng/Small-Arms-Survey-2012-Chapter-04-EN.pdf|chapter=Blue Skies and Dark Clouds: Kazakhstan and Small Arms|title=Small Arms Survey 2012: Moving Targets|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2012|author=Small Arms Survey|author-link=Small Arms Survey|page=131|isbn=978-0-521-19714-4|access-date=2018-08-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831002411/http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/publications/by-type/yearbook/small-arms-survey-2012.html|archive-date=2018-08-31|url-status=dead}}
- {{PRK}}
- {{flag|Russia}}
- {{flag|Soviet Union}}
- {{flag|Vietnam}}{{cite encyclopedia|title=107 mm M-38 mortar|encyclopedia=Jane's Infantry Weapons 2002-2003|url=https://archive.org/details/Janes_Infantry_Weapons/page/n3685|pages=3685–3686|date=4 June 2001|first=Terry J.|last= Gander}}
{{Div col end}}
and many others
See also
=Weapons of comparable role, performance and era=
- Ordnance ML 4.2 inch Mortar - British equivalent
- M2 4.2 inch mortar - US equivalent
Notes
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120311202925/http://ordatamines.maic.jmu.edu/displaydata.aspx?OrDataId=789 OF-841 round]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120311202939/http://ordatamines.maic.jmu.edu/displaydata.aspx?OrDataId=790 OF-841A round]
{{SovMortarsGPW}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:107mm M1938 Mortar}}
Category:World War II infantry mortars of the Soviet Union
Category:World War II mountain artillery
Category:Soviet chemical weapons program