Mortar Battery - FWI (1 Viewer)

[Fraxinus]

Many of the manufacturer's have pieces here ----- Britain's, Frontline, K&C, but principally JJD. Mortars are Manes Marzano. The mortars are solid metal and decidely heavy. Without any evidence to support it beyond a quick look at an Osprey volume, I have decided that the larger mortar is a 12-inch mortar, and the smaller a 10-inch mortar.

Because mortar shells were fused and you needed some length of fuse to protrude beyond the shell in order to light the fuse, the target for a mortar add to be at least 700 yards away from the battery. Maximum distance with some degree of accuracy was about 1,200 yards.

 

[marco55]

I would like to get a mortar or 2.Who carries them?
Mark

 

[Fraxinus]

I got the mortars off e-bay. Sierra Toy Soldiers and Treefrog have Manes Marzano tabs, but they are normally out-of-stock.

 

[marco55]

Yeah I just got done checking both.
Mark

 

[mikemiller1955]

Ken...I like it...it really looks heavy...

 

[catul]

Thanks for sharing this great setup - really nice to see something new

Niels

 

[Obee]

Just what I love to see,

Sweaty Gunners working their guns (mortars)..

This gives me some idaes for a Napoleonic Mortar crew....

John

 

[Uncas]

They look superb.

It is incredible to imagine the largest 13 inch sea-service mortars effectively firing 200lb shells a couple of miles - devestating and deafening.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Fraxinus]

As hinted by Uncas, the bigger mortar in the photos is probably best described as a British 13-inch. During that period, the largest french mortars used in an artillery train may have been 12-inches. My guess is Montcalm's biggest mortar at FWH or Ticonderoga was a 10-inch (at least 2). As I was doing a french battery scene, I labelled the photos as depicting 12 and 10 inch mortars, but a fellow frogger caught me in my white lie - but just a small one guys, so I ask for forgiveness!!!

However, even the big 13" mortar is legitimate for FWI scenes. Abercromby had 1-iron 13" mortar, 2 brass -10" mortars, 2 brass -8" mortars as part of the siege train for Ticonderoga (1758).

In a letter to the Duke of Cumberland from Lord Loudoun in October 1756, Loudoun lists the artillery then
in place at Fort William Henry and Fort Edward. Included for the inventory at Fort William Henry are:

2 – 8 Inch Mortars
2 – 10 Inch Mortars
3 – 7 Inch Mortars
1 – 13 Inch Mortar
2 – 8 Inch Hautsbitzers (modern spelling Howitzer)
1- 7 Inch Hautsbitzer (modern spelling Howitzer)

I think this big bad 13-Inch mortar, several of the 18-inch cannon and several other mortars were moved to another location prior to August 1757 (Siege of Fort William Henry).

http://www.archive.org/stream/militaryaffairsi00cumb#page/238/mode/2up

Bottom of page 239

If someone thinks the bigger mortar looks Spanish to them ---- no argument from me!!!