The most efficient mortar of the Russian arsenal, in the era of WW2.
The 2-wheeled trailer was simple in design but very efficient, providing high mobility and speed in putting the piece in the firing position. The efficiency of the trailer also facilitated that the gun could be quickly towed or pushed by the men of the garrison into a new firing position.
The kit is from Zvezda and comes with the oldest model of wheels, but can also be fitted with the wheels model 1942 (GAZ-AA truck wheels). This mortar model has a conventional manufacturing with parts consisting of pipe, circular baseplate and bipod. The Transport Trailer is based on a model that existed in the 1930s in the French Army, made of steel tubes.
The mortar is set for entry into the firing position. What the crew of the gun performs is similar to the process of the lever: Lowering the front of the trailer, remove the bipod and the mortar tube, then two trim members, holding in the carrying handle, lift the front Of the trailer, allowing the heavy base plate to be placed on the ground with minimal effort.
Once the base plate is fixed to the ground, the mortar assembly is quick: The mortar tube is attached to the base plate and to the bipod. It is in the bipod where the mechanisms of elevation and direction of the weapon remain. The aiming apparatus is not fixed in the mortar. It is stored inside the metal coffers, located between the wheels of the trailer, where we saw the cleaning rod of the mortar tube. In the other boxes, or metal coffers, they were used to store the tools, oils, cloths and other utensils necessary for the maintenance of the mortar, and in the case of Russian things, he had to arrange a space to store a bottle of Vodka, "maintenance "of the Russian gunners !!!!
The piece ready for firing. Zvezda has another mortar kit on the market (ZV3583), but the trailer is in the German model. The kit is interesting because the kit box comes with 2 trailers to mount.
