List of heavy mortars facts for kids

Heavy mortars are like giant slingshots used by armies! They are big guns that shoot a special type of bomb, called a shell, high up into the air. These shells then fall down on targets. Mortars are good for hitting things that are hidden behind hills or buildings because their shells fly in a high arc. They don't shoot as far as other big guns (called field artillery), but they are usually simpler to use.

During World War I, some of the first heavy mortars were called "Trench Mortars." They were very big and heavy, which made them hard to move around quickly. Because of their size, they weren't used by soldiers moving on foot, but rather from fixed positions.

Muzzle-loading Mortars

Muzzle-loading mortars are weapons where the shell is loaded into the front, or "muzzle," of the barrel. This was a common way to load cannons and mortars for a long time. Here are some examples of muzzle-loading heavy mortars used throughout history:

Caliber (mm)	Weapon name	Country of origin	Period
50.8	2 inch Medium Mortar "Toffee Apple"	United Kingdom	World War I
58.3	Mortier de 58 T N°1	France	World War I
58.3	Mortier de 58 T N°1 bis	France	World War I
58.3	Mortier de 58 mm type 2 "Crapouillot"	France	World War I
90	20 cm leLdgW	Nazi Germany	World War II
91.5	9.15 cm leichtes Minenwerfer System Lanz	German Empire	World War I
105	10.5 cm Luftminenwerfer M15	Austria-Hungary	World War I
105	10 cm Nebelwerfer 35	Nazi Germany	World War II
106.7	Ordnance ML 4.2 inch Mortar	United Kingdom	World War II, Korea
107	4.2-inch mortars M2 and M30	United States	World War II, Korea, Vietnam
140	14 cm Minenwerfer M 15	Austria-Hungary	World War I
148	Coehorn mortar M. 1841	United States	1841
150	Mortier de 150 mm T Mle 1917 Fabry	France	World War I
152	Newton 6 inch Mortar	United Kingdom	World War I
160	160 mm IMI Mortar	Israel	Cold War
160	Soltam M-66	Israel
160	Vafa mortar	Iran
160	Patria Vammas M58	Finland
169	38 cm sLdgW	Nazi Germany	World War II
170	17 cm mittlerer Minenwerfer	German Empire	World War I
200	20 cm Luftminenwerfer M 16	Austria-Hungary	World War I
203	8-inch siege mortar M.1841	United States	1841
203	Livens Projector	United Kingdom	World War I
225	22.5 cm Minenwerfer M 15	Austria-Hungary	World War I
240	Dumezil-Batignolles Mortier de 240 mm	France	World War I
240	9.45 inch Heavy Mortar "Flying Pig"	United Kingdom	World War I
240	24 cm schwere FlügelMinenWerfer Albrecht	German Empire	World War I
240	24 cm schwere FlügelMinenWerfer IKO	German Empire	World War I
245	24 cm schwerer LadungsWerfer Ehrhardt	German Empire	World War I
250	25 cm schwere Minenwerfer	German Empire	World War I
250	Mortier Negrei calibrul 250 mm Model 1916	Kingdom of Romania	World War I
250	Albrecht Mortar	German Empire	World War I
254	10-inch siege mortar M. 1841	United States	1841
254	10-inch seacoast mortar M. 1841	United States	1841
260	26 cm Minenwerfer M 17	Austria-Hungary	World War I
320	320 mm Type 98 mortar	Japan	World War II
325	Mortier de 12 Gribeauval	Kingdom of France	1781
330	13-inch seacoast mortar M. 1861	United States	1861
914	Little David	United States	World War II
914	Mallet's Mortar	United Kingdom	1857

Breech-loading Mortars

Breech-loading mortars are loaded from the back, or "breech," of the barrel. This design often allows for faster and safer loading compared to muzzle-loading weapons. Here are some examples of heavy mortars that use breech-loading:

Caliber (mm)	Weapon name	Country of origin	Period
90	9 cm Minenwerfer M 14	Austria-Hungary	World War I
90	9 cm Minenwerfer M 17	Austria-Hungary	World War I
105	10 cm Nebelwerfer 40	Nazi Germany	World War II
120	120 mm howitzer Model 1901	German Empire	Balkan wars / World War I / Finnish Civil War / Hungarian–Romanian War
120	12 cm Luftminenwerfer M16	Austria-Hungary	World War I
150	15 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 M. E.	Austria-Hungary	World War I
160	160mm Mortar M1943	Soviet Union	World War II
160	M-160 mortar	Soviet Union	Cold War
200	20 cm Luftminenwerfer M 16	Austria-Hungary	World War I
209	21 cm Mörser M1880	German Empire	World War I
210	21 cm GrW 69	Nazi Germany	World War II
211	21 cm Mörser 99	German Empire	World War I
211	21 cm Mörser 10	German Empire	World War I
211	21 cm Mörser 16	German Empire	World War I
211	21 cm Mrs 18	Nazi Germany	World War II
220	Mortier de 220 mm modèle 1880	France	World War I
220	Mortier de 220 mm TR mle 1915/1916	France	World War I / World War II
240	M240 towed mortar	Soviet Union	Cold War
260	Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16	Italy	World War I /World War II
270	Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1885	France	World War I
270	Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889	France	World War I / World War II
280	280 mm mortar M1939 (Br-5)	Soviet Union	World War II
280	Mortier de 280 Schneider	France	World War I / World War II
293	Mortier de 293 Danois sur affut-truck modèle 1914	France	World War I / World War II
305	12-inch coast defense mortar M1886, M1890, M1908, and M1912	United States	World War I / World War II
370	Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 Filloux	France	World War I / World War II
420	2B1 Oka	Soviet Union	Cold War
540	Karl-Gerät 041	Nazi Germany	World War II
600	Karl-Gerät 040	Nazi Germany	World War II

See also

• List of the largest cannon by caliber
• List of infantry mortars