Can Anyone ID this Mortar Bipod and Baseplate

[rob love]

I picked these two items up at my (and Derk's) favorite surplus yard a few months ago. I am guessing by the size it is for the 4.2. The opening of the collar is around 4.750. Despite the rust, the elevation and traverse screws work fine. But the bipod does need a good cleanup. I am including a shot of the buckle on the strap. It is unlike anything I have dealt with before. Maybe someone recognizes it, or what country used this style of buckle?

The baseplate has me puzzled however. It is rectangular in shape with two large springs and clamps to hold the tube into the baseplate. It also has a couple of leather straps. Derk had a tube that came from this yard a decade or so back, and it had two large pins that the clamps would grab onto.
So does anyone recognize what mortar and what country these were from? My internet searched have been without fruition.

[Ed Storey]

I suspect what you have are the baseplate and bipod from a Type 94 Japanese Infantry Mortar.

[rob love]

Not so sure Ed. The rope handles are different, the top of the baseplate is wrong, and the two spring clamps aren't on any photo of the Japanese mortar. Add to that there is two letters and a part number that do not appear to be Japanese.

[Harry Moon]

the bipod looks very much like my 3 inch mortar. same feet and mechanics, measurements look to be bigger though. are we sure the base plate goes with it?

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

The tripod is almost certainly 4.2" mortar. The base plate may or may not be the same as it doesn't match the typical. That said, 3" mortars had a variety of different baseplates so maybe the 4.2" did too.

Somewhere recently I saw a 4.2" mortar for sale less the tripod. Wouldn't it be nice if the two could meet up.

[James P]

Page 432 of the book Weapons of the WWII Tommy by David Gordon confirm what Bruce P says about the Tripod being for a 4.2 inch mortar and it just stands to reason the rope handled base plate is a variation to go along with said tripod. Cool find you made.

More on Mortars.

https://milart.blog/2014/09/07/canad...ment-projects/

[derk derin]

Here is a photo of when I bought my 4.2 inch mortar, bipod and baseplate.
And a couple photo’s of when I restored it. Just a memory now, sold that stuff to pay for house renovations.
Still happily married so was worth it!
Derk

[rob love]

Your photos show the two little projections that I must find on a tube.



Jeezus you had a lot of stuff back then. Aren't you glad you are cured of your OCD now? (btw, you aren't. It may have been suppressed for a few years, but you are in no way cured)

[derk derin]

I agree, but the difference is I’m married now, so a happier collector than I was before.
The problem is I was away from collecting for a few years and now I’m trying to catch up (and buy back) items I missed the last few years!
Derk

[rob love]

There are a few pieces in your photos that now grace my gunroom. Sorry, but buybacks are not an option at this time. See Linda later in the afternoon of my funeral in order to give her sufficient time to grieve.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by derk derin

I agree, but the difference is I’m married now, so a happier collector than I was before.
The problem is I was away from collecting for a few years and now I’m trying to catch up (and buy back) items I missed the last few years!
Derk

You're suggesting you scored a good find with the wife, and all the stinky army stuff in the world doesn't compare to her?

[derk derin]

Meeting my wife was like winning the lottery!
I was a pretty grumpy person for many years before I met her.
Rob gave me some good advice before I brought her back to my place, put all the mannequins and army stuff in the basement. Don’t let her see full size mannequins in the living room. I argued the point with him for awhile that there was nothing wrong with it but then he got backing from his wife to tell me to put the stuff in the basement so I did.
She was curious what was in the basement for over a month but I told her Rob and his wife said to wait awhile before she experiences the basement. I guess it paid off cause she stuck around!
It also helped that her grandfather was with the Regina Rifle Regiment during the war so understood my collection.
As for the house, it was run down and needed a renovation so had to sell off some of the collection to pay for it. Now that the renovations are over I seem to have gotten the collecting bug all over again!
And so it begins, round 2!
Derk

[Wayne Hingley]

Originally Posted by derk derin

Rob gave me some good advice before I brought her back to my place, put all the mannequins and army stuff in the basement. Don’t let her see full size mannequins in the living room.

Well who would have known... not only does Rob have a wealth of knowledge on military vehicles, but he is also a "go to" expert when it comes to relationships. A handy guy to have around.

[rob love]

More of a fisherman actually. You jiggle the bait, but hide the hook and don't set it until they are really onto it.
In this case, Derk had a full size RCMP mannequin in red serge standing in his living room. I warned him it would not be conducive to romantic endeavors, and move it downstairs for a bit. Same thing with the basement. Not unlike silence of the lambs, or the lady with the dragon tattoo...you don't bring them into the lair until they understand you, or you mean to finish them.

[rob love]

Now back to the 4.2 stuff.

I have 3 sight units for the 3" and 4.2 inch. They seem to be pretty much the same units except there is a different scale for elevation on the 4.2. One sight has no markings, the next one was marked 3" but it was Xd out and 4.2 stamped in it's place, and the last one is marked 3" and for a bonus has a few C/l\s on it as well. However, instead of the usual lensatic top, it has had some kind of ring installed. Anyone seen this before?

[Claude VILLENEUVE]

Although I am not a 4.2 inch mortar specialist, I own two complete 3 inch mortars (with CES): Mk II (Cdn 1942) and Mk IV (British 1944). So, I would suggest that we have to go back to the base, therefore to the main source. In this particular case, the reference is “WO 1645, Maintenance Manual for the ML 2-Inch, ML 3-Inch, and SB 4.2-Inch Mortars - Land Service, 21st September 1946”. On page 76 of the document, it is clearly recognized the Mounting Mk I.

IAW “57 Vocabulary 1407 - Vocabulary of Army Ordnance Stores, Section M 1, Miscellaneous Weapons, Bomb-Throwers 2-In, Flame-Throwers Wheeled, Mortars Spigot 29-mm, OML 2-in Mortar, O.M.L. 3-in Mortar, O.M.S. 3-in Gun, O.S.B. 4.2-in Mortar, and Projectors 2 1/2 -in, 22nd April 1944” the Mounting Mk I Part Number was "MR 40GA" and cost 42£.

Regarding the Base Plate, the number "MR 1520" does not appear in the VOAS. The only numbers found are:

- MR 49GA – Plate, Base, 4.2-in S.B. Mortar No. 1, Mk. I
- MR 51GA – Plate, Base, 4.2-in S.B. Mortar No. 2, Mk. I
- MR 62GA – Plate, Base, 4.2-in S.B. Mortar No. 3, Mk. I

Perhaps a post-war Base Plate? There is a VAOS dated 1962 however, sadly, I don't have a copy.

Claude

[rob love]

The MR1520 is actually on the cradle of the tripod. At this time I have not found a number on the baseplate. I'll sandblast it in the spring and see what comes up. In the last few weeks, I have seen photos of another 4.2 here in Canada with this same baseplate and managed to purchase a deactivated barrel for mine. Not knowing when to stop, I also purchased another 4.2 with a short barrel and tripod but no baseplate, and the sight collar is missing.

[David Dunlop]

Rob! The OD Train HAS no brakes!

David

[Wayne Mayo]

Not sure if it's the same base plate. 4.2 " mortar.

[rob love]

It sure looks like it, with the exception that the springs are covered by cylinders. Thanks for the photos...nice to see what the hooks on the tube look like.