| Accession Number | RELAWM33577.001 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Technology |
| Object type | Artillery Accessory |
| Maker |
State Arsenal, Japan |
| Place made | Japan |
| Date made | 1938 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
50 mm Type 98 (1938) Spigot Mortar Barrel & Bipod
Description
The Type 98 (1938) 50 mm Mortar was designed to fire a spigot bomb or a bangalore torpedo with fins to detonate barbed wire. The mortar consists of three parts: a rectangular, sectioned base plate, barrel and fixed position bipod. The barrel has a fixed elevation of 40 degrees and at its base has an offset primer seat. Two links, one on each side, extend from the barrel collar. Provision is made for limited traverse. The mortar is loaded by dropping one or more silk charge bags containing black powder increments down the tube. The charge bags are ignited by friction pull igniters which are fitted into the offset primer seat. The mortar is painted matt black.
A full description of the weapon is in AWM52 1/5/27 - 12 Australian Division General Staff Branch Northern Territory Force (12 Aust Div GS Branch NT Force), folio 68.
History / Summary
The Type 98 (1938) mortar was used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second World War to detonate barbed wire by firing a spigot bomb or a finned bangalore torpedo.