| Place | Oceania: Australia, Queensland |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | RELAWM27245 |
| Collection type | Technology |
| Object type | Munition |
| Place made | Japan |
| Date made | 1938 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
50 mm Type 98 Mortar Wooden Spigot
Description
Charge container and wooden spigot for 50 mm discharger Type 98. Consists of a wooden spigot 1 and 7/8" in diameter, onto which is attached a welded steel box 4.87 " on each side and 8.6" long. The explosive charge was added in the field, with 24 standard Japanese HE demolition blocks, each of which were 2" x 2" x 1".
History / Summary
The spigot charge was propelled by charges packed in silk bags, with up to 100 grams of propellant being used. This gave a maximum range of 455 yards. The propellant was ignited by a friction tube inserted into an aperture in the breech of the projector.. A firing lanyard about 10 feet long led ot a firing position. When the weapon was fired, tension was exerted on string attached to two pull fiction igniters contained in the charge. These ignited a length of safety fuze, which gave a suitable element of delay. The safety fuze was cut in the field by the user to suit the range or the point of burst.