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The M2 4.2 inch Mortar was a U.S. rifled 4.2-inch (107 mm) mortar used during the Second World War and the Korean War. It entered service in 1943. It was nicknamed the "Goon Gun" (from its large bullet-shaped shells, monopod, and rifled bore - like a rifle for shooting Goons) or the "Four-Deuce" (from its bore size in inches). ==History== The first 4.2-inch mortar in U.S. service was introduced in 1928 and was designated the M1 Chemical Mortar. Development began in 1924 from the British 4-inch (102 mm) Mk I smooth-bore mortar. The addition of rifling increased the caliber to 4.2-inch. The M1 fired chemical shells to a range of . It was meant to fire smoke shells, as the postwar peace lobby opposed military spending on explosive or poison gas shells. The M2 could be disassembled into a three parts to allow it to be carried by its crew. The mortar tube weighed , including a screw-in cap at the bottom. The cap contained a built-in fixed firing pin. The standard, a recoiling hydraulic monopod that could be adjusted for elevation, weighed . The baseplate had long handles on either side to make it easier to carry; it weighed .〔http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/4pt2M2.htm Infantry Weapons of the KOREAN WAR ''Mortars: 4.2-inch M2 Mortar''〕 Upon the entry of the United States into World War II, the U.S. Army decided to develop a high explosive round for the mortar so that it could be used in a fragmentation role against enemy personnel. In order to extend the range to , more propellant charge was used and parts of the mortar were strengthened. Eventually, the range of the mortar was extended to . The modified mortar was redesignated the M2. The M2 was first used in the Sicilian Campaign, where some 35,000 rounds of ammunition were fired from the new weapon. Subsequently, the mortar proved to be an especially useful weapon in areas of rough terrain such as mountains and jungle, into which artillery pieces could not be moved. The M2 was gradually replaced in U.S. service from 1951 by the M30 mortar. Starting in December 1942, the US Army experimented with self-propelled 4.2-inch mortar carriers. Two pilot vehicles based on the M3A1 halftrack were built, designated 4.2-inch Mortar Carriers T21 and T21E1. The program was cancelled in 1945. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「M2 4.2 inch mortar」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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