MT-13 (M1943)

History

Mortar weapons date back to the 12th century or even earlier and are largely attributed to the Chinese. The design concept is simple in nature and is based on the shape of an apothecary mortar - a heavy flat bowl. Mortars were then manufactured in various sizes, first large and then small hand-held devices for fighters who needed a personal weapon for short-range bombardment. Over time, more powerful gunpowder and explosives were developed, along with improvements in barrel metallurgy.

Generally speaking, mortars are smaller than artillery pieces, but can meet the needs of firing fixed enemy positions and strongholds.

The Soviet army used mortars of various sizes during the Great Patriotic War, the heaviest of which was the M1943 (MT-13), which fired 160mm shells. A major problem encountered during development in 1943 was the 90-pound shell falling out of the 9-foot (3 m) tube while trying to load the desired gun.

This arduous effort proved impractical and forced a redesign of the weapon. This required conversion allows the barrel to be tilted to a horizontal position for breech loading. The loading system also requires a new high-performance recoil system to absorb the shock of firing a 160mm shell, an action that pushes the baseplate deep into the ground. To counter this force, a large concave thick steel plate was used to disperse the downward energy created by the muzzle velocity. The gun was mounted on a tripod consisting of two tugs and a base plate, making the M1943 a stable firing platform.

In order to reload the gun, the barrel had to be unhooked so it could tip forward and expose the breech from the base plate. Then load the 90-pound shell and close the breech.

The barrel or tube is then cranked to the desired mission altitude and can be fired at 10 rounds per minute by a trained and rested crew of four. The muzzle velocity was reported to be 804 feet per second. Effective range is about 5,600 yards.

The Soviet Army assigned the M1943 to their brigade-level units due to the M1943's range. Larger, longer-range guns were assigned to division-level military units.

The brigade was divided into four smaller units called battalions, each armed with eight M1943 mortars, bringing the brigade's strength to 32 M1943s, including associated crews and tractors.

Soviet troops used the M1943 against Germany and effectively attacked Berlin in the fierce street fighting that followed. After the war, the M1943 was sold to countries and countries allied with the Soviet Union, including Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania and Ukraine, as well as Syria abroad.

The M1943 was eventually replaced in Soviet postwar service by the M-160 heavy 160mm mortar.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

with any other entry in our database)

Armor

Depends on operator. Shell: 90 lbs; Caliber: 160mm; Type: Split; Smoke; Revelation; Chemical

Changes