9 cm Minenwerfer M 14 explained

9 cm Minenwerfer M 14
Origin:Austria-Hungary
Type:Light trench mortar
Is Artillery:yes
Service:1914–1918
Used By:Austria-Hungary
Wars:World War I
Designer:TMK
Design Date:1914
Production Date:1914–17?
Variants:M 14/16
Weight:72kg (159lb)
Crew:3
Cartridge:2kg (04lb)
Caliber:90 mm
Range:199m (653feet) (M 14)
Max Range:345m (1,132feet) (M 14/16)
Breech:interrupted-screw or cylinder lock

The 9 cm Minenwerfer M 14 (trench mortar) was a light mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. Originally named the '1-kg Minenwerfer',[1] it was designed by the Army's own Technisches und Administratives Militär-Komitee (TMK) in an effort to quickly satisfy the demand from the front for a light mortar.

It had a number of issues with its ammunition, namely the black powder used as a propellant, which gave off copious smoke clouds on firing that revealed the tube's location and the mortar bomb fuses had a high rate of failure. The breech-loading mortar tube was mounted on a framework that didn't allow for any traverse, which meant that it was impossible to engage different targets without relaying the mortar. In turn the frame was mounted a rectangular firing platform.

The M 14/16 was a modernization of the M 14. It had a circular platform to provide a 360 degree traverse and weighed only 65kg (143lb). A later model allowed the mounting to be collapsed for ease of transport. A new M 16 mortar bomb that used the German Poppenberg fuze system generally cured the dud problem, but it still used black powder as its propellant. This was a severe tactical disadvantage and it was decided to purchase replacement mortars from the German firm of Heinrich Lanz from 1917.[2]

Russia developed captured mortars into the 9 cm Mortar Type GR.[3]

References

External Images

https://picryl.com/topics/9+cm+minenwerfer+m+14?page=1

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Plumier. Bernard. Surviving Gun File #1095 - 9cm MinenWerfer M14. live. 2021-07-14. Passion & Compassion 1914 - 1918. https://web.archive.org/web/20160112205520/http://www.passioncompassion1418.com/Canons/Eng_AfficheCanonGET.php?IdCanonAffiche=1095 . 2016-01-12 .
  2. https://www.passioncompassion1418.com/Canons/Eng_AfficheCanonGET.php?IdCanonAffiche=1096
  3. http://web.archive.org/web/20170424030807/ww1.milua.org/9minGR.htm