Spanish mortars

[Sturm78]

Thank you very much for these images, Ironmachine.

How this mortar was loaded?
The mouth of the barrel is too high so that a soldier can load the grenade in the traditional way.

Sturm78

[Ironmachine]

But still they were loaded in the traditional way.
Yes, the 120mm "Franco" mortar was a standard muzzle-loading weapon. But you are right, the barrel was too long and consequently there were fire angles in which the muzzle was too high. That's why a ladder was provided with the carriage, in order for the loader to reach the muzzle in that cases. As it is said in the Carnet del Instructor - Descripción del mortero "Franco" de 120 mm. y su granada:

Sobre el armazón antes citado se articula una escala de inclinación variable, para permitir la carga del mortero por la boca.

Regards.

[Sturm78]

Thank you very much for your answer, Ironmachine.

A method a little strange and quite dangerous for the loader.

I think this mortar was used by Division Azul in Eastern Front and it also was evaluated by Italian Army during WW2

Sturm78

[Ironmachine]

I think this mortar was used by Division Azul in Eastern Front and it also was evaluated by Italian Army during WW2

Yes, it was used (more properly, evaluated in combat) by the Blue Division. AFAIK, the division only had one "sección" (2 mortars?).
Regarding its evaluation by the Italian Army, I can't say anything. I have never seen a reference to that.
Regards.

[Ironmachine]

Sturm78, are you sure that the "Franco" mortar was evaluated by the Italian Army during WW2? Do you have a source for that?
Could it have been the Ecia-Valero 120mm, and not the "Franco", the model that was evaluated by the Italians?
Thanks.

[Sturm78]

Ironmachine wrote
Sturm78, are you sure that the "Franco" mortar was evaluated by the Italian Army during WW2? Do you have a source for that?
Could it have been the Ecia-Valero 120mm, and not the "Franco", the model that was evaluated by the Italians?

My source is the book "Le Armi della Fanteria Italiana (1919-1945)" of Nicola Pignato and Filippo Cappellano.
In page 174: "Nel corso del conflito furono sperimentati a lungo diversi tipi di mortai da 120mm sia di concezione nazionale che straniera: due modelli Brandt.......; un modello spagnolo Franco a traino meccanico con affusto a treppiede e freno recuperatore a molla contenuto nella culatta;"

In page 170 there is an image of this mortar. I will try scanned it.


Do you have any image of Ecia-Valero 120mm mortar?

Sturm78

[Ironmachine]

Thanks, very interesting info.
Can't help you with the Ecia-Valero 120mm, I don't remember having seen an image of it.
Regards.

[karlik]

Possible 120mm Valero?

[Ironmachine]

Ah, this is the one in the Museo Militar de Valencia, isn't it? I have forgotten about it. IIRC it is an Ecia-Valero 120mm, yes.
Now that I remember, there also another picture of an Ecia-Valero 120mm, but it is rather small. Probably Sturm78 already knows it, as it comes from the elgrancapitán webpage:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/339/p7200013.jpg

[karlik]

Yes, it is from here
http://www.amigosmuseovalencia.es/visit ... 9&planta=1