How to Fire a Mortar?

[@thanasisrks4944]

I always struggled to understand how mortars are aimed and particularly in what angle they are set and how do they calculate the range to the target over a hill. To me that range scale made perfect sense, thanks for the information!

[@Aitelly]

Always Welcome

[@tyronecomblast1078]

This is the ONLY video on KZbin that’s shows you how to aim a mortar!👏🏾

[@Aitelly]

Thanks!

[@danielpickrell8311]

As GWOT 11C I can vouch for this

[@tyronecomblast1078]

@@Aitellyno thank you guys!

[@gamers-r_cool]

LOL

[@fgtrbhwerth3w]

no, it doesn't. It ain't that simple. An 82mm mortar (=the real thing) works differently.

[@Nghilifa]

As a former mortarman myself, this warms my heart! ♥👍🏿

[@Aitelly]

Thank You

[@HouseDracul]

Why is it a subhuman hand? Disgusting!

[@Random_guy2468]

@@HouseDracul Don't be rude

[@AngelGonzalez-pd4cn]

0341 in the Marines.

[@sausage-x3p]

@@HouseDracul For all rednecks like you, I suggest practicing the 2nd amendment right on Yourself!

[@justinwaller7081]

Having spent time as a mortarman in both the USMC and US Army, I found I preferred the 81mm mortar. It's more stable than the 60mm and I always found it easier to aim with its offset bipod. The 120mm is just too heavy to deal with, so I didn't like it as much. That being said, no one expects to to hike a 120mm mortar, so that counts for something. Also, the FO sends the call for fire to the FDC who then works up the data with the plotting boards or mortar ballistic computer. The FDC sends the firing data to the gunline. I look at it like this: the FO is the eyes, the FDC is the brains, the gunline is the muscle. Cool video. I can use this to show people what I used to do because they always ask and it's a bit difficult to describe without the visual.

[@haiderphone6892]

@@justinwaller7081 I need help

[@thakur-pp5ob]

@@justinwaller7081 81 mm mor firer from India

[@007romryan]

Did you ever get to use the really small mortar the Brits use? I forget its name, it's literally pocket arty.

[@MrMulleteer]

I was part of the mortar team (81KRH) and responsible of aiming . Mortar is almost never used with line of sight. Usually team leader positions a rod to give aiming direction, wind correction and voices distance estimation that I dialed in. Then we adjusted based on impact observation. Mortar is surprisingly accurate weapon when used correctly. Most common dangers are accidental double loading and mortar falling over when the egg is still inside the tube. Latter happened us once and we hit nearby road outside our firing sector. Fortunately nobody was hit.

[@SteamWolf320]

Did you actually crouch over the mortar to aim it like in the animation? That looks like a very uncomfortable position to be in while aiming!

[@MrMulleteer]

@@SteamWolf320 Larger 81mm mortar so sights was higher and position on knee. Much worse part is carrying the tube, baseplate and tripod that weight about 20kg (40lbs) each. Always for several miles per day. I was like 19y and fit at the time so it wasn't that bad though.

[@derrickbailey9821]

What keeps the tail from blowing off if the charge is around the shaft part?

[@MrMulleteer]

@@derrickbailey9821 Charge is slower explosive so pressure in the tube raises gradually over the whole time grenade is still inside the tube. Also the shaft is hollow so pressure inside and outside it is the same, it's not really stressed that much.

[@Trust_but_Verify]

Wouldn't different loads of explosive rings have different flight path at the same tube elevation? Didn't see the video talk about how to adjust for that difference.

[@ArmyDog11C4]

As a for BN MTR PSG HHC 1/38th INF, 4TH STRYKER BDE, 2ND ID FORT LEWIS, WA. I’ve always on the lookout for videos of the job I loved with all your heart, so I could show family and friends what I actually did in my time in the U.S Army thank you guys

[@KgaogelokhumoMojalefa]

Every video is highly informative I'm also impressed by the quality of the videos keep it up

[@Aitelly]

Glad you like them!

[@Quadgaming-l7t]

Agreed

[@mikeroach3301]

I was 11C on a 60mm mortar crew from 1990 to 1994 in the US Army, this is the gun system we used. Great video! One correction, the baseplate digs itself into the ground. The gunner stands on the baseplate for the first round to help embed it. You actually dig it out, not in.

[@saiga12forme88]

Cool vid, thanks for taking the time to make it. Stuff like this is always interesting.

[@killstriker347]

Relatively correct video I love it coming from a mortarman myself some notes the delay fuse for a 60 is actually 0.05 not .5 and the elevation knob is located on the bottom of the vertical tube going up the bipods. your minor adjust knob is what is actually located there and you have another cross leveling knob across from the sight unit. Also sight data is given first before getting up on steaks and you match the distance between the near and far steak is on the side you far steak is from the near. 👍

[@davidhager3650]

As a former 13F40 Forward Observer I can say your depiction of the FO. are wrong. He does not use a plotting wheel. He simply sends in the grid coordinates and the direction to the target and elevation if relevant. To the Fire Direction center. The FDC uses the plotting wheel to convert grid coordinates to deflection, elevation and charge. But overall a well made and informative video.

[@Aitelly]

Thanks you for your service.

[@geoffhughes225]

I'm sure computers have replaced the plotter board now. But the theories remain the same

[@justinwaller7081]

@@geoffhughes225 We had the mortar ballistic computers in the USMC 1994-2003 and a newer computer when I was Army 2009-2013. I could still be quicker on the old plotting board than on the computer. In the time I was in, the computers didn't necessarily replace the plotting board, but was an additional tool. When I was an FDC chief, my plotter usually used the computer and I ran the plotting board as the check. I usually had the computation first and the plotter would then say check or hold, though almost always check. One thing about the plotting board is that if an issue does come up, it's usually quick and easy to see why. Not so with the computer. I would run two plotting boards or one of each, but never two computers. But that was my FDC and how I chose to run it. Don't know about how they do things now.

[@Jewclaw]

This is an amazing video. I’ve been asking military members how mortars work since I can remember. No one really knew bc most military members don’t mess with mortars

[@nicolaizafra9705]

As a 3D artist myself, I am impressed by your demonstration and animation! well brief and concise too! Subscribed and keep it up! :)

[@bodyperfect1]

Excellent animation and simple explanation 👍

[@Aitelly]

We tried to make it as simple as Possible

[@nirodharupasinghe2288]

flying path is wrong

[@johnslagboom1836]

From 1982 to 1984 I was Company C, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines 60mm mortar section leader stationed in 29 Palms. We were still using the Korean vintage M-2 60mm mortars when the M225 first came out and replaced it. Talk about a night and day difference! Close to twice the range and 360-degree sighting system. Basically, the same system that was used with the 81 mm mortar. One correction to this video. There as a small, rectangular base plate that was used in the handheld mode.

[@jonpaarlberg]

Nice video! Don’t forget the 81mm mortar which is probably the most common one used by US Army infantry.

[@stephenpowstinger733]

I was wondering how he omitted the 81.

[@DaytonaState-b8t]

The squad leader and the gunner are on the same side of the tube in the animation yet are described as being on different sides by the narrator. Also, the ignition tube isn't sandwiched between the explosive filler. That implies a 2D arrangement. The ignition tube is in the center of the charge that surrounds it on all sides axially. Another thing is what you're calling the burster charge, the ignition tube, is really the booster charge. The burster charge is the main charge that is used to damage, or kill. The booster charge is what takes the weak initiation charge contained in the fuze as an initiator and then sets off the burster charge. The propellant rings are not high explosive and do not create "high explosive gasses" they are propellant. As such they burn at a much slower rate so they can fill the chamber/barrel with expanding gasses and not destroy the tube as the detonation of high explosives would in a confined space. The propellant used is designed to best suit the parameters of the mortar system. High explosives would see such a spike in pressure immediately upon detonation it would destroy the tube, kill the crew, and likely detonate the burster charge in the warhead.

[@VALMOX]

Thank you for this tutorial!❤️ Now I gonna use this knowledge in Battlefield 4👍

[@YahooFiles]

I always wondered how this worked. Keep it up!!!

[@Aitelly]

Thanks

[@mahi98goodguy]

This video will be very helpfull for those who dozed off in artillery class😊😊

[@Aitelly]

:)

[@mr.fazler7611]

U have been did more hard works for done this episode dude...great job

[@Aitelly]

thanks!

[@Kismis12350]

This is one of the weapons that confuse me about how soldiers aiming this thing without using satellite but still hit the target. Tq for the explanation

[@bradyjohnson8400]

math using a map and knowledge of how azmiuths and mils work

[@pzthree]

A little bit to much textbook info but still correct. Good job whoever did the animations.

[@stephenpowstinger733]

Former 81 mortarman Army 1968-69. I like the new design. Those adjustable impact shells are clever though of course debatable practical value. The video didn’t quite capture the technique of sighting it in with the aiming stakes, which also had little red or green lights on them for night firing. The accuracy is mostly up to the forward observer’s map reading but maybe today they use GPS. So much relies on GPS but the Chinese or Russians have plans to knock out GPS satellites. Anyway, the 81 is indeed a powerful weapon, the 60 doesn’t have much more bang than a hand grenade. The old steel baseplates were the devil to carry in the field. If you didn’t cover your ears when firing “charge nine” you could damage your hearing.

[@Aitelly]

Awesome 👍🏻 thanks you for your Service

[@bradyjohnson8400]

we have optics now that can laze targets without satellite but are much more effective when using the satellite

[@nandofgh]

Absolutely amazing vídeo ! Loved the explanation and animations. Now I'm interested in these fuzes, they're very flexible for a purely mechanical device that probably works on timing mechanisms. Plus, if you consider the massive foces acting on it and the vibrations, it's quite a miracle of engineering.

[@deraltekaiser6361]

Really love what you guys do, I've learned so much just binging on your videos.

[@Aitelly]

Thanks 🙏🏻👍🏻

[@mahiramvevo]

@@Aitelly hello awesome work and i have a question how the shell ? WORKS is there electronic things ? inside .? as we can set explotion as we want

[@fidelcatsro6948]

My cat loves u too🐱♥️♥️♥️

[@tomdelvetto9906]

The things around the stem of the mortar aren’t charges, they’re just there to protect the stem during transport

[@RICKY-RIKON]

Nice vídeo! I remember one friend of mine serving at the army of nicaragua between the "contras" war told about that use of the mortar without the tripod, more easy and allways on the run ( improvised) they called using it with a tripod was a hesitate but more fun in " Tiro Vietnamita"( in Vietnamese mode) against the contras guys 😂🎉 he told me was a very funny moments, cheers.

[@LouinVB]

I too wondered how mortars are aimed. Interesting concept

[@racialconsciousness6996]

Forward Observers are colloquially referred to as "fisters". But they're currently being phased out due to drones. Drones make way better spotters and fisters.

[@Aitelly]

Yoe are Right 100 %

[@robertklimczak5630]

W polsce rak pracuje z systemem topaz Topaz to system pracy wielu broni z dronami wlacznie.. Masz dane rzeczywiste w tym momencie o celu. W raku wpisujesz dane lub przysyłają ci je ustawia się automatem i strzelasz serie ..A po 15 sekundach odjeżdżasz. Bateria rak jest rozsypana po wielu miejscach i może pracować mimo wszystko razem. Jak ukraincy nie zapomną że to tylko moździerz mogą zrobić wiele złego rosjanom.

[@bradyjohnson8400]

yea no

[@kennycubensis8152]

So we always had three guys per gun and the FDC was a separate position and theu were the ones to use the ploting board in our unit and in hand held mode, if using the trigger fire, you wont want to go over charge one as anything higher could likley break you hand or wrist. Love this video, brings back memories. The select fire HE round was the M720, my favorite, but we later switched to point of impact of M888 HE rounds

[@wimverhaegen9065]

Very informative as always. Love this format.

[@Dannysoutherner]

Less further? Interesting term. Good explanation.

[@MichaelLabriola-f8s]

I was an M-109A2 howitzer crewman. We had forward observers, FDC, and our powder chargers launched our 155mm rounds miles away! It was fun watching deuces, APC's and old sergeant yorks fly 100 feet in the air! Kept first sergeant off our butts!😅😂

[@JohnnyLawBMC]

Excellent video. Fantastic information. Thank you

[@Dr_Larken]

US Marine here “5811”. Using the Mark 19. I’ve always saw that as a mortar. I am proud of my fellow Marines that held down the March 19 and angled it just like a mortar! Now I understand why they call us a few the proud..

[@Aitelly]

Thank you for your Service!. as Keanu Reeves would say "You're AWESOME "

[@fyrchmyrddin1937]

I often worked with Uncle Sam's Misguided Children... 😉 During TOW trainer school, I didn't make any friends because for a "morale building" game I split the class between Army & Marines: all the Army were E6-7 and around 10 years older than the Marines. Needless to say, the younger Marines, most of whom were E4 or buck E5's, smoked the Army guys.

[@CrystallineGreen]

Gracias! Por fin veo y entiendo como funciona la mira de un mortero. Excelente video 👌

[@Nazir-t3x]

In 2008 I was stationed at a patrol base in kandahar Afghanistan. The Afghan national army had a mortar which they were using it against the Taliban, one day as they were using it a round got stuck inside, the commander needed someone to assist him taking it out. Everyone was hiding and not daring to get close to it and help him. Me being a rookie interpreter stepped in and assisted him taking it out. Later on I realized how dangerous it was to take out a stuck mortar round. This is a memory that I wanted to share.

[@jorgeadolfobasualdo5072]

Creo que es una de las dos únicas armas de avancarga que puede usar la infantería de hoy. El mortero y el lanzagranadas que se carga por la boca.

[@sird135]

I will apply this to my lesson plan as a performance task for my students.

[@shaik.m.abdullah027]

Most probably it is the simplest war machine but most used one. ❤

[@TerryCheever]

Yeah, remember firing M29 81mm mortars as well as M-60 MGs in Army ROTC during Vietnam at Ft Lewis, WA. Was pretty good at it too. Though I joined the Air Force instead the Army ROTC was a good eye opener.

[@michaeldang8189]

3:50 picture is very wrong. As narrator mentioned before that step, the bubble scale has only 0 charge or 1 charge for hand held fire. The picture shows that the round has 4 charges loaded. This is going to severely injure the gunner's hand. Once he pull the trigger, the 4 charged round is going to create a super strong recoil, so strong that the handle is going to cut into the bone of his hand.

[@fyrchmyrddin1937]

Interestingly enough, the Army started to remove their previous 60mm mortar, the M2, from service. As I recall, they weren't even back in the same numbers as was the case in Korea. The thinking was apparently that 40mm grenade launchers would provide the essential indirect capability at short range, with the 81mm being the smallest mortar needed. However, there's a gap between the maximum grenade launcher range and the regular minimum range of the M29 (which is also significantly heavier), and the VC rapidly learned to seek out that "sweet spot" prior to assaulting U.S. units.

[@remy9858]

Great content,I hope this channel hits 1m subs

[@Aitelly]

Thanks! hoping for the Best

[@marcomodena8076]

Me lo ricordo bene , alzo direzione tiro carica cadenza ...Fantastico ! 106^ Compagnia Alpini Mortaisti , Battaglione Saluzzo 2 Reggimento Brigata Taurinense

[@BittleXanime]

Best home defense weapon!

[@ogreunderbridge5204]

Rather good field manual, in video format ! Nice :)

[@sheldoniusRex]

At least in the US Army, the initial a in "azimuth" is pronounced with the same vowel sound as the a in "pass." The 120mm mortar is not a cannon. It is a mortar. It's just bigger. There is a 120mm cannon. That gun is significantly heavier and more powerful.

[@leftblank131]

Life skills worth knowing.

[@Aitelly]

😉🙏

[@user-abu_qahir_kraa]

This is what I was missing and I found it on this channel thanks to the owner of the channel

[@ruzgaryildirim5655]

video idea: how an harrier jump jet works?

[@Aitelly]

But Harrier Jump Jet is Retired i guess

[@greighwulf]

Its awesome that AI can teach people stuff now

[@noname28282]

Thank you for your work 🙋

[@randyjennings3075]

Very good instructional animation, but I have never heard a mortar referred to asa cannon, as this video constantly states. Rather weird, but again good info on mortar ops.

[@oneshotme]

I very much enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@Aitelly]

Thanks

[@royrice8021]

Very handy when neighborhood disputes flare up. Get them through your local HOA at a discount.

[@richardbartley5906]

Marine instructor at 29 palms told us (CBees ), if we were going to be over run, drop several rounds down a vertical tube and then run like hell.

[@videocreator-wj6ul]

Nice explanition

[@emsapangaier3229]

Thanks for the knowledge. God bless you brother.

[@Aitelly]

God Bless you too

[@jrbrasil_sc]

Nice explanation.

[@amr0017]

Great content

[@Aitelly]

Thanks 🙏🏻👍

[@seventeenshaun6424]

Always very informative

[@Aitelly]

Thanks Shaun 🙏🏻

[@stevelee6283]

Very good design….I like the way 2 soldiers fire team…in Vietnam War sometime in “broken arrow”…soldiers can hit the mortar round to the base and throw over the VC attack charge…

[@Aitelly]

Only One Soldier can Operate it if it's fired Trigger

[@stephenpowstinger733]

It seems like one-man firing would be a desperate act as with mortars you need a constant supply of ammunition and accuracy. Former mortarman. We didn’t have the 60mm in the Army in VN though.

[@novusaldynn8121]

Loving it, Great and informative too.

[@Aitelly]

Much appreciated!

[@Ashmodai]

This was excellent.

[@NobleDorito8698]

Thanks for this video! I learned it just in case world war 3 breaks out

[@Aitelly]

👍🏻

[@NastyAngel]

just found a mortar in the bin, the neighbors won't know what hit em'

[@Caketoco]

If there is a grip…. it should be able to be a handheld chainsaw grip mortar to directly fire at tanks.

[@bradyjohnson8400]

not how that works but okay

[@sakibaminsanim]

Wow nice explanation

[@Aitelly]

Thanks and welcome

[@Profitikosministry5761]

In the British Army it's called the mortar tube,which is used to load and propel this mortar bomb into the air onto the target.

[@geoffhughes225]

Nope, it's called a barrel

[@surendratudu9531]

Awesome bro awesome. You complete my Fantasy

[@MjV-jd2lo]

Great. I am ready to go put in the front lines.

[@Akol56Peter]

The basically good video gets a bit confusing when it talks about aiming. He just mentions that the mortar sight is off target most of the time. He doesn't talk about looking for an auxiliary support point that both the mortar sight and the forward pushed sight can see. And then both of them will then orient themselves relative to that.

[@oleksiirudyk83]

Comment for more than seven words for support you and your team. Thanks for the video.

[@randellharris7541]

excellent video! more please!

[@jeffkidwell783]

Thanks for another awesome video

[@bruhism173]

During battle of stalingrad, when german broke through to the volga north of the southern pocket they were forming a Mortar team along side the volga saw them overrunning their fellow comrades positions further up and started shooting the mortar almost straight up to fight the germans at point blank range with the mortar

[@jakedee4117]

i also remember reading a story about soviet mortar crews firing so fast that they had 6 shells in the air at one time.

[@ardobintangramadhan4015]

Very nice video. I like it so much

[@Aitelly]

Thanks Bro

[@guyweisbeck3258]

High diddle diddle far pole in the middle. 11C 81mm and 4.2 .

[@rminott962]

Light infantry as i was in the pass, usually use the 60mm mortar.dont forget it needs to be carried on a soldiers back, airborne unit move fast .81mm seldom used them it's alot heavier to run with

[@khaled4nxt]

Great 👍🏻 job

[@Aitelly]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@juan_matus]

gracias por el tutorial, hay que estar preparados ...

[@Preinstallable]

Thanks, will be needing this

[@TheM7016]

Great video as always

[@penta123100]

Very informative.

[@Aitelly]

Glad you think so!

[@georgelopez8810]

Great video!

[@falcon4548]

😊well first I have to acquire one

[@Kamal_AL-Hinai]

The IOF HATES this weapon

[@maximusmeridius3380]

OK Please make one on how to aim a mortar. You touched on it briefly which is way more than anyone else on KZbin. Please go into detail on how the sighting and the stakes work. Thanks

[@عرفاتزياد-ض5ن]

عندكم الصناعة بسيط ...إلا الدول العربية والإسلامية...سبحان الخالق..علم الإنسان مالم يعلم

[@mabiniansfarmer1989]

Wow nice explanation...

[@shoktroop]

Awesome video..

[@Aitelly]

Thank you

[@pavlematovic2116]

I would like to see how those settings on the grenade work, what happens that it detonates half a second earlier and later that is very interesting.

[@arthurcrego8297]

Super interesting for sure

[@thegioiongvat-animal9383]

such a great video, thank you very much

[@merlinch4256]

Interesting, but some flaws: - 2:03 the squad leader is on the left of the gun (not on the right) - 3:46 the gunner squeezes the trigger only once the shell has come down the tube, and not as seen in the video 4:00 what comes out of the tube is a shell, not a mortar (= the tube) Merlin, former M113 based 120 mm mortar gunner

[@SM-rc6dx]

Just became the 1,000 person to like this video

[@Aitelly]

@SM-rc6dx You are Awesome - we love you guys

[@tranhai8895]

Can you make a video about "How an ejection seat works?" with full animation?

[@Aitelly]

I saw this request 7 times. Will people Watch it

[@tranhai8895]

@@Aitelly Yes, I think a lot of people are interested in aviation topics

[@ShawnGS300]

Hi, can you please make a video on how a ICBM works?

[@leegillow3475]

Great content, thank you

[@Aitelly]

Always welcome 😁