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Infantry Small Arms / The Warfighter

M1943 120mm (120-PM 43)


Heavy Field Mortar [ 1943 ]



The 120-PM-43 series 120mm mortar was introduced to Soviet ground forces during 1943.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 02/09/2023 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]
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The Soviet Army of World War 2 (1939-1945) fielded a wide variety of mortar-class weapons during the conflict - ranging from light infantry-level types in the 50mm and 82mm range to heavy-minded forms in the 120mm range and siege-type models reaching 160mm caliber. The Model 1943 (120-PM 43) was a 120mm heavy form firing a 4.7 inch projectile out to ranges of 6,200 yards. As its designation would suggest, it was introduced during 1943 and was based on the Soviet Model of 1938 appearing during the pre-war years. The M1943 soldiered on into the Cold War years, seeing some of its last notable combat service during the Soviet-Afghan War of 1979-1989.

As designed, the Model 1943 was conventional with its launch tube, bipod support assembly, baseplate, and integrated optics. The weapon was muzzle-loading - the projectiles dropped through the open muzzle end, striking a firing pin at the base, and exiting the launch tube at a velocity of 890 feet per second. The weapon was cleared to fire both a general High-Explosive (HE) and special High-Explosive, FRAGmentation (HE-FRAG) projectile primarily for anti-infantry actions, particularly those foes well dug-in. The launch tube's mounting hardware allowed for an elevation span of +45 to +80 degrees of indirect fire. A well-trained and experienced crew could fire up to nine rounds-per-minute in a sustained manner. A typical crew numbered six personnel - required due to the weapon's size and ammunition.

As with other mortar systems, the M1943 held the ability to be broken down into its key components to facilitate transport by the crew. If required to displace rather quickly, the mortar could be set atop a two-wheeled Soviet Army carriage and towed by a mover vehicle to its new destination. On the whole, the M1943 gave good service when it was needed most and persisted into the Cold War years with several Soviet-supported nations and military customers (Afghanistan, China, Egypt, and Finland among others). It was eventually, itself, succeeded in the inventory of the Soviet Army by more modern forms when its battlefield usefulness had been expended - this during the 1980s.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
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Specifications



Service Year
1943

Origin
Soviet Union national flag graphic
Soviet Union

Classification


Heavy Field Mortar


State Arsenals - Soviet Union
(View other Arms-Related Manufacturers)
National flag of Afghanistan National flag of Bangladesh National flag of China National flag of Egypt National flag of Finland National flag of Poland National flag of the Soviet Union National flag of Ukraine Afghanistan; Bangladesh; China; Egypt; Finland; Poland; Soviet Union; Ukraine
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Fire Support
Capable of suppressing enemy elements at range through direct or in-direct fire.


Empty Wgt
1,150.81 lb
522.00 kg
Sights


Included Optics.


Action


Muzzle-Loading; Reusable Launch Tube

(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)


Caliber(s)*


120mm

Sample Visuals**


Graphical image of an infantry mortar projectile / shell
Rounds / Feed


Single-Shot; Reusable Tube
Cartridge relative size chart
*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources.
**Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.
Max Eff.Range
10,250 ft
(3,124 m | 3,417 yd)
Rate-of-Fire
9
rds/min
Muzzle Velocity
890 ft/sec
(271 m/sec)


120-PM-43 - Base Series Designation.
Model 1938 - Alternative Designation.
Type 55 - Chinese designation of local copy.
UK2 - Egyptian designation of local copy.
120 Krh/38 - Finnish Army Designation.


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
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Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2


Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Images Gallery



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Image of the M1943 120mm (120-PM 43)
Image courtesy of the United States Department of Defense imagery database.


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