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M1 mortar file photo [21892]

M1 Mortar Launcher

Country of OriginUnited States
TypeLauncher
Caliber81.000 mm
Length1.190 m
Rate of Fire18 rounds/min
Range3.010 km
Muzzle Velocity210 m/s

Contributor:

ww2dbaseThe US Army M1 infantry mortar design was based on the French Brandt mortar. An infantry battalion in the US Army and US Marine Corps would usually receive four of these weapons. Each weapon was usually carried in three separate loads, which were the barrel (44.5 pounds or 20.2 kilograms), the base plate (45 pounds or 20.4 kilograms), and the bipod (46.5 pounds or 21 kilograms). They were usually coupled with M4 sights. The standard ammunition used with M1 mortars were the M43A1 light high explosive rounds, which weight 6.87 pounds (3.11 kilograms) each, with a range of 200 to 3,290 yards (183 meters to 3,010 meters). Also used were M45 and M45B1 heavy high explosive rounds (10.62 pounds or 4.82 kilograms), M56 heavy high explosive rounds (15.01 pounds or 6.81 kilograms), M57 white phosphorus rounds (10.74 pounds or 4.87 kilograms), M57 smoke rounds (10.74 pounds or 4.87 kilograms), and M301 parachute illumination rounds. In WW2, while they were used in all major theaters of war, they were particularly important to the infantry fighting on Pacific islands and atolls, where the terrain did not always allow larger land-based artillery pieces. They remained in use through the Korean War, and they were replaced by the ligher and longer ranged M29 mortar starting in 1952.

Source: Wikipedia

ww2dbase

Last Major Revision: Oct 2014

M1 Mortar Launcher Interactive Map

Photographs

US Marine M1 mortar team putting together the weapon in exercise, Camp Pendleton, California, United States, 1943US Army troops training with 81mm M1 mortar, Camp Carson, Colorado, United States, 24 Apr 1943; note M1 Carbine
See all 13 photographs of M1 Mortar Launcher



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M1 Mortar Launcher Photo Gallery
US Marine M1 mortar team putting together the weapon in exercise, Camp Pendleton, California, United States, 1943US Army troops training with 81mm M1 mortar, Camp Carson, Colorado, United States, 24 Apr 1943; note M1 Carbine
See all 13 photographs of M1 Mortar Launcher


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