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

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Here a better image of an 120mm Ecia-Valero mortar (from http://www.panzernet.com).
Does somebody have any information about this mortar?
Technical specifications, year of entry into service, number manufactured,.....and wartime images.

Thanks in advance.
Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Nobody ??

Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Nobody for 120mm Ecia-Valero mortar ??

Well, here an image of a 240mm M1940 Placencia mortar (from http://www.panzernet.com).
Any information and wartime images will be wellcome
years of manufacture, number,....

See also:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... a#p1410054

Sturm78

[Ironmachine]

Well, here an image of a 240mm M1940 Placencia mortar
Any information and wartime images will be wellcome

This mortar was produced after the SCW, so it is going to be very difficult to obtain a wartime image...

[Sturm78]

Ironmachine wrote
This mortar was produced after the SCW, so it is going to be very difficult to obtain a wartime image...

I know this howitzer was manufactured after the Spanish Civil War. I meant a picture taken in the 1940s, in service with spanish Army

Do you have any oinformation about this mortar or the 120mm Ecia-Valero mortar of my previous image??
Nobody seems to have any information or "wartime" images of these weapons.

Wartime = in service with spanish Army, not museum images.

Sturm78