Contributor :
Charlie Clelland     
     
     
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Location :
Australia
Narrogin, WA
War Memorial
Coordinates :
Lat : -32.93412 / Long : 117.17510
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General comments on this surviving gun :
Identical items in the same location :
1
Items covered by this file :
1
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Historic context :
The operational success of the light minenwerfer introduced in 1914, '7.58 cm lMW a/A', did not prevent it to be modernized in 1916, like its heavy brothers, mainly in order to increase its range by 30 %, and make its manufacturing easier and less expensive.
This new version, the '7.58 cm lMW n/A' ('lMW' = 'leichte Minen Werfer' =light mine-thrower, 'n/A' = 'neue Art' = New version) received a longer tube than its predessecor, mad in a steel less alloyed with nickel. It was also easlily recognizable by its new base plate, semi-circular, replacing the first version rectangular shape plate. The important weight increase (more than twice !) caused by these modifications was not really changing the good mobility of this weapon.
In 1917, these mortars were transferred from the pioneer units to the infantery, who received from 4 to 8 such pieces per battalion.
At the same period, the 7.58 cm lMW n/A was equipped with a tail and spade that allowed the infantery to use this small mortar as a flat trajectory fire weapon , particularly useful in an anti-tank role.
This polyvalence and its systematic use within the infantery units made it so useful that the quantities available went from 1230 such mortars in May 1916 to ... 12329 in November 1918 !
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Technical data :
- Complete description : Light 7.6cm trench mortar new mark
- Design year : 1916
- Calibre : 75.85 mm
- Weight in firing position : 215 kg à 275 kg depending on the carriage type
- Weight for transportation : Transport in separate loads (tube, carriage, platform, trail)
- Tube length in calibres : 5.86 (445 mm total, 385 mm grooved part)
- Grooves : 6 7 degrees angle
- Projectile weight : 4.6 kg
- Initial speed : 77 to 121 m/s depending on the propulsive load
- Fire rate :
- Range : 325 to 1312 m
- Elevation range : +45 to +75 degrés (0 to 31 degrés in flat fire)
- Direction range : 360 degrees range
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