Type 89 grenade discharger effectiveness

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stg 44
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Type 89 grenade discharger effectiveness

#1

Post by stg 44 » 01 Jul 2016, 17:37

I've not found a lot of information about this weapon in combat, just its technicals and info about the knee mortar myth. Was it actually an effective weapon in combat, how was it used at the squad/platoon/company level, and if it were effective why did the Allies field their own version?

ROLAND1369
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Re: Type 89 grenade discharger effectiveness

#2

Post by ROLAND1369 » 02 Jul 2016, 00:44

The allies already had their own tactical equivalents, the British 2 inch mortar and the Us 60 MM M 1 mortar used without the bipod, base plate, and traverse mechanism. I have used the 60 mm in a handheld manner and it is quite accurate and effective.


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stg 44
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Re: Type 89 grenade discharger effectiveness

#3

Post by stg 44 » 02 Jul 2016, 07:52

ROLAND1369 wrote:The allies already had their own tactical equivalents, the British 2 inch mortar and the Us 60 MM M 1 mortar used without the bipod, base plate, and traverse mechanism. I have used the 60 mm in a handheld manner and it is quite accurate and effective.
AFAIK the modern equivalent is not what the US had in WW2. The handheld option wasn't one for the WW2 60mm mortar.

Gary Kennedy
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Re: Type 89 grenade discharger effectiveness

#4

Post by Gary Kennedy » 03 Jul 2016, 22:08

I'm not sure if I've seen a particular reference to the Type 89 in terms of effectiveness. From my own readings the usage was at Rifle Platoon level, with a distinct Grenade Discharger Squad operating three of four such weapons in direct support of the Rifle Squads, dependent upon the type of Battalion involved.

As such it was probably closer to the British 2-inch mortar than the US 60-mm mortar, which tended to be a Rifle Company level support item. There was, seemingly, a modification of the US 60-mm, discussed at length in a thread here;

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 3&t=169891

In a few USMC reports for 1945, possibly all Okinawa, there is a reference to a mortar, 60-mm (Garret), but couldn't find out if that's the same thimg. I also understand there was an airborne model of the 60-mm, the M19, which deleted the base plate and bipod to save weight (9-kg versus the 19-kg of the M2). I've no idea if the M19 made it to the Pacific.

Gary

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Re: Type 89 grenade discharger effectiveness

#5

Post by ROLAND1369 » 03 Jul 2016, 23:58

re Post by stg 44 » Yesterday, 07:52. I was not refering to the modern US 60 MM morta, which I have also fired both handheld and conventionally, which I feel is over developed and looses the portibility of firepower needed by a small unit. The weapon I used was the original 60 MM M1 mortar tube. My Cambodians threw down their steel M1 Helmet as a baseplate and and adjusted by fall of sight. I doubt we were the first to use a handheld 60 MM so the handheld 60 was certainly an option in WW II. There was even a breechloading shoulder fired experimental version tested but not adopted.

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