Live Firing Civil War Siege Artillery, Part 2, Mortars

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James D. Julia Auctioneers will be offering Session 2 in the 16 March 2015 Firearms Auction, the extraordinary Springfield Arsenal LLC Collection of rare antique cannons. Here's the online illustrated catalog of our nearly 100 fine cannons, cannon models, and accouterments--scroll about 1/10 way down the page to item 2038 and start there: jamesdjulia.com/auction/373-ma...
This collection in its entirety will represent what is believed to be the finest, largest, and most diverse offering of antique cannons to ever come to auction (to our knowledge). This auction will include approximately 28 tons of these cannons. Over the years, John Morris (one of the world's leading authorities on antique cannons) has prepared a number of RU-vid videos depicting these cannons. Please see the list of 100 cannons to be sold, including a US 8" mortar M1861, here: www.springfieldarsenal.net/mai...
Mortars were very important weapons for use in and around fixed fortifications and entrenchments during the Civil War. In this outstanding educational video, you will see an 8-inch siege mortar fired with live (explosive!) ammunition. You will learn how to aim, load, and service the mortar after firing it. The duties of the crew are detailed as well.
This video may use material, both audio and video, that is subject to the Fair Use provisions of section 107 of the copyright act of 1976.
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976: Allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
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Опубликовано:

11 мар 2012

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Комментарии : 576

@JRT176 6 лет назад

It's interesting to think of how all of these steps in this intricate firing procedure were likely born from the lethal mistakes of hundreds of years of cannon use.

@Francois_Dupont 5 лет назад

actually its because its a reactment. IRL they were quickly wiping the bore with a wet towel on a stick. dump and reload to fire in less than 30sec.

@Rickety3263 3 года назад

Except gunner 1 is no doubt deaf in his right ear

@martinswiney2192 11 месяцев назад

Just think of it like this. How many crew members were left alive to explain what went wrong in early cannon failures? Im pretty sure the first guy to dump a powder charge onto a burning ember in the bore had a few suggestions about safety.

@mahbriggs 10 месяцев назад

@@Francois_Dupont While I agree that they are deliberately taking their time, in a real battle, they would still be following those same steps, just highly speeded up! You cut corners and accidents happen!

@kevinriffey9970 10 месяцев назад

@@mahbriggs the sweeping of a clean platform probably not

@flashers.5212 4 года назад

It’s impossible to imagine the horror of being on the receiving end of this kind of ordinance but it gives you an idea & people like these American civil war enthusiasts are a history students dream. Absolutely brilliant stuff🇬🇧

@scottclinton2061 9 лет назад

It only takes a second to think about how careful they were scraping and wiping this out after firing to realize how freaking dangerous these things were and can still be.

@philgiglio7922 5 лет назад

They are using loose black powder, it is NOT bagged which would make it a trifle bit safer. During the war the cannons were loaded with the powder inside a linen bag, but the gunners would still swab the bore with a wet sponge prior to loading to prevent n early discharge. An experiment was done during the war using tinfoil wrapping for the powder with no swab between rounds...a large number of rounds were fired before one round cooked off and killed the loader by taking his arm off at the shoulder.

@dementedbowine8681 5 лет назад

source ? and who was stupid enough to use tin foil

@ardvarkkkkk1 5 лет назад

@@philgiglio7922 That would have been extremely stupid. Testing to failure. Failure means death. It's a safe bet that no one liked the guy very much.

@Jreb1865 9 месяцев назад

Are y'all blind? There's no powder in the mortar while scraping...lol

@defnotthekgb8362 Месяц назад

@@dementedbowine8681 stupid enough? what? lead and tin charges were a huge advancement in weapons technology. they kept powder dry much better, and were even better at preventing premature discharge of a piece.

@marshfield01 11 лет назад

The mortar shell contains a timed fuse inserted in the side placed against the powder(can be seen @10:19) its the hole with the slotted plug facing up. The gunner then inserts and pricks the fuse for the desired flight time. The fuse has time markings for repeatable timing. Number one fires the cannon, firing the cannon lights the fuse, and next thing you know the bombs bursting in air.

@charlessaint7926 9 лет назад

I do Civil War reenactments and what gets most people's attention are the weapons demonstration. We can't do live fire while at events, so I'm glad to see such live fires here so that people can have a better understanding of why the battles and sieges were so gruesome.

@philgiglio7922 4 года назад

@blackkey1976 labor was cheap, so was coal and iron, at least in the North. South had huge problem with the latter 2. Coal and iron in birmingham, but transport was a real problem. So was quality control, timed fused would either burn too quickly or slowly.

@jackspizza8155 6 лет назад

Imagine hundreds of these exploding above you while you walk slowly forward, all the while large lead mini balls wizzing by your head and hitting people next to you. You are under orders to keep going, man what a terrifying feeling that must have been for those boys who were new recruits on both sides. We think of the civil war as slow fire because of the weapons, but there were so many that it was a continuous volly, intense black powder smoke everywhere. I almost have to say I'd rather have been on Omaha Beach than a large battle in the Civil War. No offense intended to that by the way I hope any vets understand what I meant, it's just the lack of medical and chance you won't be helped for a very long time vs. a fantastic medical machine we had for ww2. Total respect to all those who have fought for us, I thank you.

@TheGrenadier97 5 лет назад

Mortars weren't field artillery by this time.

@DanGoodShotHD 5 лет назад

Due to the use of black powder which gives off an immense amount of smoke brought forth the term "fog of war".

@philgiglio7922 5 лет назад

Visit a Civil War battle renactment, I've been on the field, the shear cacophony of sound: not to mention the volume and shock impact on the body a nearby cannon has on you, will confuse and rattle a first timer

@ballsflying 3 года назад

Near Maastricht where I live we found fragments of 18th century coehorn mortar balls. Impressive large chunks of metal that will kill anything in its path.

@Bravo-Too-Much 3 года назад

Well this was siege artillery primarily, and it wouldn’t have been hundreds at one time. Not as many cannons firing in sync as you might think.

@cannonmn 12 лет назад

The cannon owners go to foundries to have their shells made. I think this was filmed at Camp Ripley, MN, a facility of the MN Nat. Guard.

@mrsillywalk 4 года назад

I am grateful to have been able to see this happen.

@vanguardactual1 3 года назад

I was wondering how that transpired considering they were using exploding shells with timed fuses on the rounds and that it detonated in the air. Very neat indeed, I am thankful that some group has done the demonstrations accurately at least down to the shells that were not just solid shots.

@model-man7802 3 года назад

Wonder what the foundry charges for the shells?They cant be cheap.

@samuelhowie4543 9 месяцев назад

Spent two winter camps at Camp Ripley in the early 80's .

@stephencressey1 9 лет назад

These were originally called bombards and their function was to lob a large stone or cannon ball over a castle wall.

@hank6887 10 месяцев назад

I was a artilleryman in the Marines , nothing really basically charged, and I was in freemans battery 2007 -2009 reenactment I remember firing the 1853 bronze tube thar was original, it was captured and recaptured , with the spiked holes , it was such a learning experience in a small glimpse in the life of a civil war soldier, glad I did it .

@alexfaudel5245 5 лет назад

Home intruder: show me where the valuables are and no one gets hurt Mortar gunman: hold that thought

@decodeddiesel 9 лет назад

Rate of fire measured in rounds per hour.

@JuanRojasfallout4 7 лет назад

decodeddiesel they were much quicker in battle they weren't fast at all

@decodeddiesel 7 лет назад

They mention a ROF in rounds per hour in the video.

@decodeddiesel 7 лет назад

Did you watch this video?

@PalomboDylan 7 лет назад

garuburn the raging pheonix gotta love the glorious WW2 KV-1 Russian army tank. I've been trying to acquire an airsoft remote controlled KV-1 by a company called vstanks but the airsoft KV-1 is so popular it is hard to get your hands on it.

@bluemarshall6180 6 лет назад

decodeddiesel 😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😀

@bobconnor1210 10 месяцев назад

The velocity was slow enough, and the projectile big enough that more often than not, you could see its entire flight. At night, the burning fuse would mark the trajectory. Spectacular sight during the Mississippi Campaign when federal mortar barges fired thousands of shells on rebel defenses.

@JohnDoeTheTroll 4 года назад

2:23 this guy looks like Fletcher from The Outlaw Josey Wales... (The BEST movie EVER made!!!)

@deanml83 4 года назад

Right down to the hat

@tomsawyer9403 3 года назад

He's a dead ringer!

@gasengineguy 3 года назад

Yes

@michaelpierson7256 10 месяцев назад

My recently passed buddy has one of these coehorn mortars, his is 8 3/4" we used bowling balls. They could go a hell of a long way at only 15-16lbs. Mine are made from K size oxygen tanks, WW2 style😊

@rocksteady9826 9 месяцев назад

Keep that to yourself or gov will come knocking! Not during this administration my friend

@michaelyates5976 7 месяцев назад

What isn't shown clearly here is how the powder charge is ignited. It just shows a cord being pulled. Anyone know?

@michaelpierson7256 7 месяцев назад

@@michaelyates5976a friction primer is used, it take 35lbs of pilling force on the lanyard to ignite it. My cannons & mortars use shotgun primers and a couple use musket caps with dixie gun works cannon locks & lanyards😊

@jeffbrower7006 4 года назад

these guys know what they're doing. I can imagine them speeding up and finding a rhythm. Impressive

@alexprokhorov407 2 года назад

Try to imagine doing all that operation under live fire

@NaYawkr 6 лет назад

Mortars are deadly weapons used to kill the enemy in their defensive positions. In the modern military we can load and fire them easily and with greater distance and accuracy. The 81 MM Mortar is carried into battle along with many rounds for close combat. The Larger' 109 MM mortars have Much larger and longer tubes, around 6 ft high and are used as long range artillery. On firebases in Vietnam these were one of two weapons used in a Battery, usually six Mortars or Six 105 MM howitzers. The newer howitzers that began arriving in 1969 were even mounted on base plates just like the mortars. This new configuration made the cannons more easily portable and much faster to set up and aim. I assume that the baseplate design has continued to be used till today. I would not be surprised if the US Army did away with the large mortar batteries and replaced them with the baseplate mounted cannons.

@dementedbowine8681 5 лет назад

yep you could set up a modern mortar far faster and take it down just the same this would take 1-2 h to set up for the first shot

@BADALICE 5 лет назад

That was great. To know this sound from the past. Thanks for maintaining this history.

@Metal-Detecting-NC 9 месяцев назад

Very informative and educational. I have found shell fragments while out metal detecting. The range of those mortars is amazing.

@robertengland8769 10 месяцев назад

Lots of those used in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Never knew stuff like that still exists. Very educational.

@cannonmn 11 лет назад

Just show, in old days the fuzes were cut so the projectile would burst where it would do the most damage to a particular target. I think in most cases that would be bursting just above ground level.

@beardo52 11 лет назад

Sometimes with those old wooden plug fuzes, the burn rate of the filler was not consistent, so a premature detonation was always a possibility. Same for a delayed detonation, or just plain poor cutting of the fuze when installed.

@Belano1911 10 лет назад

Very interesting and unusual video. These guys really bring history to life.

@user-hb8be5wb4q 5 лет назад

Cannot imagine how 16 to the elderly soldiers (60+)felt during the war. And this thing is just horrifining, to say the least.

@Climpus 3 года назад

The speed of the narrator's delivery matches the mortar's rate of fire.

@andrewpestotnik5495 3 года назад

Quality comment

@frankobrien1371 4 года назад

This was a fantastic display of how these weapons were manned and fired. Wonderful how these guys are able to live fire this weapon after hundreds of years. Good casting in MA.

@PRH123 9 месяцев назад

Only ~150 years ago at this point in time

@Minnesota.Highlander 11 лет назад

The "missing column" in casualty lists is largely due to artillery. Troops disappeared after being hit by it.

@philgiglio7922 5 лет назад

Pink mist when hit by canister at close range, only thing left...shoes, buckles, parts off their weapon and not much else.

@themainproblem 10 лет назад

That was an excellent demonstration! I learned a lot and I can just imagine how bad things would be on a battlefield with many of these mortars being fired. I also thought that your voice sounded like Tom Berriengers. Greetings from Apache Junction, Arizona.

@MrJacksaces 11 лет назад

Excellent video and comments, learned a lot. I appreaciate that.

@x2malandy 10 лет назад

My family is from South Carolina and I have seen these barrels since I was very young but never have seen one fired. At Charlston SC, there are quite a few forts that have these on display. Also downtown Charlston, there are many on display on Battery street with pyrimid piles of canon balls cemented together so people don't take them. Some balls had grape shot, lot's of little balls inside. I suppose on the time fuse that a chisel may be used to cut the fuse at the desired time. I remember a few years ago that a man died from trying to unload a canon ball. Good video.

@x2malandy 10 лет назад

Moultrie was where a uncle of mine took us one day about 35 years ago and that is where I saw these on display. So, there was a Revolution war and a Civil war also in Charlston? I still have pictures from that trip. I remember some dungens down under the fort. They burned a lot of black powder in those wars.

@brucelytle1144 11 месяцев назад

I was stationed in Charleston from 71-76. I spent some time at the Battery. I was told that with the mortars there, they held the shells in fires, heated up red hot, then dropped down the barrels with those hoists that were attached to the mortars. The hot shell would set off the powder, when the shell landed on Fort Sumner they would set fires and blow up any powder magazines they happen to hit. Those are much larger than the one used on this demonstration

@keithbrown2458 2 года назад

Wonderful video of him working thank you so much for sharing it I’ve never seen one so big before the example I have seen was much smaller

@Barnekkid 7 лет назад

Firing that mortar was a highly organized affair.

@KempSimon 3 года назад

If any of you folks ever visit England, come to the "great waterfront city of Portsmouth" and have a look around Fort Nelson (free admission) which was built during the 1860's to protect the navy base from an attack by the French Army from the landward side. The concealed mortar batteries within the fort are impressive!

@s.leemccauley7302 3 года назад

Thanks for the information. Appreciate it.

@slowpokebr549 9 лет назад

Amazingly efficient weapons. It throws that heavy of a shell with a relatively small main charge. It's really interesting to see such a large one fired. I've seen several fired at black powder meets but they were golf ball sized bores.

@Tr1Hard777 9 лет назад

How is it effective

@oldmanpatriot1490 10 месяцев назад

This technology is still used today but most people have no idea even though they go to firework shows at least once a year

@USMarineRifleman0311 11 лет назад

They were aiming for the elements of the Confederate Air Force

@philgiglio7922 5 лет назад

A mosquito is a pretty small target.

@calugarulvlad6226 4 года назад

Best joke in this comments.. sorry for long reply

@jjonestowne 8 лет назад

really cool. thank you, Sir(s)..

@cannonmn 11 лет назад

see 1862 ord manual, a Google book: "Charging Shells" pp. 271, too long to paste here. Shells were filled before taking them to the mortar battery where they'd be fired. Shell capacity listed also elsewhere in the book.

@johnathandavis3693 10 лет назад

Star Spangled Banner: "the bombs bursting in air"....this is what they were talking about....a very nasty weapon....

@mickcoomer9714 4 года назад

Johnathan Davis. No, the bombs bursting in air was the British attack using Hale rockets.

@terrorfire8505 4 года назад

@@mickcoomer9714Glad someone knows

@mickcoomer9714 4 года назад

terrorfire tank. The American anthem is a very accurate description of a British attack (sorry I can’t remember which port, but I’m English and I think Americans should know the story better than me), and the very brave and spirited defence by the colonialists ( not at the Americans, as they didn’t exist at this time, they were all British). It was originally a poem and was later set to music.

@mickcoomer9714 4 года назад

terrorfire tank. This vid was about the civil war ( 1875 ish) not the war of independence ( 1812 ish). Some people should learn the history of their country. If you don’t lean by history the mistakes will be repeated ( they seem to be anyway).

@thrifikionor7603 4 года назад

@@mickcoomer9714 The war of 1812 wasnt the war of indepence, nor were the americans still considered british. The bombs bursting in air were fired from mortar ships. Rockets were fired too, both are mentioned in the poem

@brianfuller7691 5 лет назад

Very interesting video and very solid information. I love artillery and the story of artillery in the Civil War. The Union began the war with an artillery advantage that only became more one -sided as war continued.

@lembriggs1075 8 месяцев назад

Strange how the live round, timed fuse footage from all three shots shows the same video footage. Lol! So spectacular I must say.

@rifleman17hmrshooter 9 лет назад

another good video! thanks for posting

@ivanmr359 6 лет назад

excelent yob crew!bravo !

@corashae2185 3 года назад

Id love to see how they load the projectiles to time the delayed report from the rounds fired. That's an impressive feet of its time in history to delay the rounds report above the target with such accuracy.

@moparmadness1 12 лет назад

That was VERY interesting... Where did you get the cannon balls? Also where was this done?

@driver2909 4 года назад

That so cool from a historical point of view.

@yergaderga 8 лет назад

How they did all of this in a short time in actual battle I can't imagine.

@bendavis3442 7 лет назад

first shot is at 8:25

@hollysiler613 5 лет назад

Thanks for saying that

@johnmoore8016 4 года назад

how long to reload on in real-time on the battlefield? Thanks for a very outstanding video. I always wondered about the odd-looking cannons

@BIG-DIPPER-56 Год назад

Very interesting - Thanks ! ! ! 🙂😎👍

@ChicharonyPresidente 11 лет назад

Good video. One thing i don't understand is at what point is the explosive charge for the round prepared? Is the exp. charge placed inside the round right before inserting it inside the cannon? How much powder is used? I don't understand the mechanism for making the round explode in mid air.

@johnr4898 5 лет назад

knowing how it was done, interesting, thank you

@jasip1000 3 года назад

Awesome video 👍🏼

@Vox-Populi 10 месяцев назад

Mortars today still essentially work the same way. 11C veteran.

@Chebva 5 лет назад

Stunning power for the time period.

@Chebva 5 лет назад

@Citizen S Absolutely amazing

@ytugtbk 7 лет назад

Would this be good to scare grackles out of my yard?

@berniecom728 3 года назад

I may be wrong but they have to be very careful not to drop that ball into the mortar or the impact will cause a spark when it hits the power, like hitting caps with a hammer. Keep your face clear

@reedsilvesan2197 4 года назад

Okay in reality this was a really good video very educational very well done I'd like to see it in person sometime

@ColRAPR 6 лет назад

Outstanding !!

@MpowerdAPE 5 лет назад

Perfect for home defense.....

@jimkaipanen6577 5 лет назад

How is the explosive charge loaded in the mortar ball, looked like a very small hole for the fuse.

@bogiewheelman71 3 года назад

If not , possibly the earliest flak weapon made .

@Markishere15 11 лет назад

good use of the quadrant, you are not using the regulation spoon and scraper. when the command READY is given the 1 , 4 and 2 man will post themselves 12 yards behind the piece with the 4 man between the 1 and 2, gunner to the windward side. 3 will step in with the right food and place friction primer in vent attached the the lanyard. move 3 paces perpendicular to the piece waiting for the command FIRE from the Gunner. This would look much more proper with a full crew.

@philgiglio7922 4 года назад

Crews trained to work short handed...losses happen in combat, and if the enemy could they would counter battery fire.

@harolddiaz4555 Год назад

Was the shell exploding too high? Or it normally exploded at that height?

@mikeloghry9521 5 лет назад

Always the Damn Yankee. Our CONFEDERATE TROOPS. USED THEM TO. [>

@xzqzq 3 года назад

I noticed, during loading the shell, that no wadding to minimize escaping gasses around the round ball were used, as with muzzle-loading rifle / pistol using patched round ball...

@rocksteady9826 9 месяцев назад

If one will notice that the Gun Commander is already dropping into the kneeling position to load the charge as Gunner Number 2 is delivering the round. These guys are good.

@ValMartinIreland 11 лет назад

How is the ball charge ignite when it is up in the air?

@UKGameShock 6 лет назад

What is the fire rate for this thing like 10 rounds an hour

@pauljames9738 10 лет назад

Quite the sweetheart, aren't we? No youngster is gonna come to YOU for answers. Way to go. Sadly, some of us weren't born with all this information already pre-packed.

@scottrichardson8158 5 лет назад

I have always wondered how they fired and what they did after they fired. Thanks for posting this.

@doctaylor6492 9 лет назад

The Age-of-Sail Royal Navy used to mount its own version of mortars on reinforced ships they called "bombs." Typically they would anchor the ship at bow and stern and loosen or tighten the anchor cables to swing the ship and thus aim the mortars, usually at immovable land targets.. These mortars were different from "carronades," another short-barreled, smooth-bore cannon that some men of war carried for close-range destructive power.

@mikegrossberg8624 5 лет назад

The mortar was mounted on an immovable platform, to direct the force of the recoil downward, whether to the ground(if on land), or to the reinforced deck under it(if on a ship). The carronade was a short, wide-mouthed barrel mounted, horizontally, on a SLIDE rather than a wheeled carriage, as most naval guns were. The weight of the gun, plus the resistance of the slide, helped to absorb the recoil.

@richardofoz2167 3 года назад

Would be interesting to know the design principles of the fuse.

@mauriceupton1474 7 лет назад

Well done.

@sharonsharon2604 6 лет назад

What is the reason for putting that wooden plunk at the rear before shooting? To protect the gunners from hot gases coming out the fuse hole?

@welshskies 4 года назад

I honestly thought I was going to see a video about another Civil War that happened some two hundred years earlier! The title should say Live Firing American Civil War Siege Artillery, Part 2, Mortars.

@yetanotherjohn 2 года назад

OUTSTANDING! But... I wonder: was the fuse ignited when the gun was fired?

@scotts.2624 11 лет назад

Yes if they were long and being fired at a 45 angle they would have to stand taller. The barrel would have to pivot or the gunners would have to have a platform. Long barrels provide accuracy since they are lobing a frag shell over a wall they cant see behind shot accuracy is moot. There fore the extra pain in the A to have a long barrel would add nothing and would detract in the extra effort required.

@Der_Kleine_Mann 3 года назад

I wonder how this ball can explode in the air. Is there a hole in the ball on the side that goes into the barrel? Or how does this work?

@johnr5252 9 месяцев назад

Did the enemy wait around until they were ready to fire the next shot? If not, I suspect they would be about a mile away from the original targeted area when the next shot was fired?

@nunyabizness199 5 лет назад

Very nice !

@robinharris2818 11 лет назад

Good video. A lot more work involved than a modern quick firing breach loader. These mortar batteries would themselves have been priority targets for enemy batteries.

@mikegrossberg8624 5 лет назад

You brought the mortars in after the enemy's artillery had been silenced by your long guns

@tomoyboy 11 лет назад

Maybe because the mortar is shallow so the sound is quickly spread out when fired?

@mikeprell2747 8 лет назад

Question about the shell. The video shows the fuse hole loaded facing up and away from the main charge. How is the projectile fuse ignited? Very interesting video. Thanks for producing and sharing.

@Mishn0 8 лет назад

+Mike Prell The shell doesn't fit very tightly in the bore. When the propelling charge is fired, enough hot gas escapes around the shell to light the fuse.

@mikeprell2747 8 лет назад

That makes sense. Thanks!

@anomalyp8584 5 лет назад

They had misfires ofcourse.

@whereismymind223 6 лет назад

This looks like it was from the 90s!

@jmsmaxwell 5 лет назад

Would have been more interesting if you had show them bringing the piece up to the firing position, unloading, setting up the weapon in battery before firing it. then firing and actually impact upon a designated target.

@dementedbowine8681 5 лет назад

i guess it would be a 2h long video and with no modern equipment there is gonna be major back problems

@rlewis1946 6 лет назад

Could some please explain how the fuse worked? Was it a timed fuse, some how adjusted for trajectory factors? Fascinating process/Drill. Thank you for posting this historic element of Civil Warfare technology. RL Buffalo, NY

@v1vGAMERTAGv1v 5 лет назад

civilwarartillery.com/fuzes/default.htm

@georgespear8899 4 года назад

Roy Lewis even back then a fuse could be made to burn at a specific rate. By cutting it to the correct length based on distance and trajectory it would set off the shell at say 10 feet in the air, therefore killing anyone in that area based on the size of the siege mortar. General Grant had mortars on specialized ships with reinforced decks when he took Vicksburg

@ccjohncc1 4 года назад

I have in my posession a 6" diameter 30 pound iron cannon ball that was found in shallow water in The James river in Richmond Virginia in 1973. It looks like it would be a possible match for the howitzer in this video?

@davidjones-vx9ju 4 года назад

these shells exploded

@Odin029 6 лет назад

We had 2 Civil War era motars in front of my high school. I don't know their specs but they're much bigger than these 8" ones. I heard they moved them to another part of campus so they aren't pointing outward anymore.

@mikegrossberg8624 5 лет назад

There are pictures of mortars mounted on railroad cars, with bores that looked to be like 3-4 feet across

@piatpotatopeon8305 3 года назад

That was a fun little jaunt down History Lane.

@peterwallace9764 4 года назад

Yeah, I’m thinking, hoping, they move a little quicker between shot when on siege, but I guess on siege the speed of firing can be quite calm n no speed hassles.???

@timothybageant7429 3 года назад

Neat video... though camera person cant seem to capture the sky before and during the explosion

@Puzzoozoo 12 лет назад

Given a well trained and experienced crew, what was the rate of fire?

@dannyh8288 5 лет назад

Oh my gosh!!! At 5:08......the guy that was after Josey Wales in that Civil War movie!!!

@USNVA11 5 лет назад

Danny Hudack - Yes, he has an amazing resemblance to actor John Vernon. Mr. Vernon passed away in 2005, rest in peace.

@tompanek7511 3 года назад

I see that many mortar crews got overrun. What a timely ordeal. Let alone moving the thing.

@lorenr3276 6 лет назад

people talk about how long it takes to load these. realize youd have 100 of them all firing and exploding at the same time for a massive effect so it wouldnt matter the time really

@dirkdiggler1242 5 лет назад

The fuse on the clamshell is lit by the gas blowby?

@philgiglio7922 5 лет назад

Fuse goes in a plugged hole, and yes, it is lit by blow by from the propelling charge. The windage on these pieces is huge, you can see how easily the round slid into the bore.