Difference between revisions of "Type 89 "Knee Mortar""

Revision as of 08:22, 26 February 2019

Type 89 "Knee Mortar" - 50mm.

The Type 89 "Knee Mortar" (jap. 八九式重擲弾筒 Hachikyū-shiki jūtekidantō) was the launcher used by Japanese forces during World War II. In reality, it was translated as "Leg Mortar" but poor translation changed it to Knee. This resulted in many GIs trying out captured ones by firing them from the knee, which led to multiple injuries.

The mortar was an unconventional design, more reminiscent of a stick than a conventional mortar. The height adjustment range was not changeable and was always at + 45 °. The range could be reduced by a rod which can be screwed into the pipe. As a result, the propellant charge of the grenade was ignited earlier, the gases had more expansion margin and the range decreased. In addition to the usual fin-stabilized bullets, it was also possible to shoot ordinary hand grenades, which were provided with an extra propellant charge.

Since the mortar had no bipod, the shooter had to hold the tube while firing. Therefore, the shooting was usually done so that the shooter knelt behind the gun. The knee mortar was mounted on a base plate and while squatting on it could come through the massive recoil to bone fractures. Even if the mortar could be operated by one person, usually a three-man team was used.

Specifications

Calibers: 50mm
Barrel Length: 24.0 inches
Weight: 4,7 kg
Maximum range: 732,72 yards
Rate of fire: 25 rounds per minute

The Type 89 "Knee Mortar" and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Film

Title	Character	Notation	Date
Daughters of China (Zhong Hua nu er)	Japanese soldiers		1949
Windtalkers	Japanese soldiers		2002
The Great Raid	Japanese soldiers		2005
Flags of Our Fathers		Seen among dead Japanese soldiers	2006

Television

Title	Character	Notation	Date
Baa Baa Black Sheep	Japanese soldiers		1976-1978
The Pacific	Japanese soldiers	Part 6	2010

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Forgotten Hope				2003
Red Orchestra 2: Rising Storm				2013

Anime

Title	Character	Note	Date
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team	Anti-Zeon guerrillas	"The Time Limit on Trust"	1995-1999

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Gun Title|Type 89 "Knee Mortar"}}
+[[Image:Type89KneeMortar.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Type 89 "Knee Mortar" - 50mm.]]
+The '''Type 89 "Knee Mortar"''' (jap. ''八九式重擲弾筒 Hachikyū-shiki jūtekidantō'') was the launcher used by Japanese forces during World War II. In reality, it was translated as "Leg Mortar" but poor translation changed it to Knee. This resulted in many GIs trying out captured ones by firing them from the knee, which led to multiple injuries.
-The Type 89 "Knee Mortar" was the launcher used by Japanese forces during World War II. In reality, it was translated as "Leg Mortar" but poor translation changed it to Knee. This resulted in many GIs trying out captured ones by firing them from the knee, which led to multiple injuries.
+The mortar was an unconventional design, more reminiscent of a stick than a conventional mortar. The height adjustment range was not changeable and was always at + 45 °. The range could be reduced by a rod which can be screwed into the pipe. As a result, the propellant charge of the grenade was ignited earlier, the gases had more expansion margin and the range decreased. In addition to the usual fin-stabilized bullets, it was also possible to shoot ordinary hand grenades, which were provided with an extra propellant charge.
+Since the mortar had no bipod, the shooter had to hold the tube while firing. Therefore, the shooting was usually done so that the shooter knelt behind the gun. The knee mortar was mounted on a base plate and while squatting on it could come through the massive recoil to bone fractures. Even if the mortar could be operated by one person, usually a three-man team was used.
-[[Image:Type89KneeMortar.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Type 89 "Knee Mortar"]]
+==Specifications==
+* Calibers: 50mm
+* Barrel Length: 24.0 inches
+* Weight: 4,7 kg
+* Maximum range: 732,72 yards
+* Rate of fire: 25 rounds per minute
+<br clear=all>
+{{Gun Title|Type 89 "Knee Mortar"}}
 === Film ===
@@ Line 19: / Line 28: @@
 | ''[[Windtalkers]]'' || Japanese soldiers ||  || 2002
 |-
-| ''[[Flags of Our Fathers]]'' || Japanese soldiers ||  || 2006
+| ''[[Great Raid, The|The Great Raid]]'' || Japanese soldiers ||  || 2005
+|-
+| ''[[Flags of Our Fathers]]'' ||  || Seen among dead Japanese soldiers || 2006
+|-
 |}
@@ Line 29: / Line 41: @@
 !align=center bgcolor=#D0E7FF width="300"|'''Notation'''
 !align=center bgcolor=#D0E7FF width="100"|'''Date'''
 |-
-| ''[[The Pacific]]'' ||  Japanese soldiers  ||  || 2010
+| ''[[Baa Baa Black Sheep]]'' ||  Japanese soldiers  ||  || 1976-1978
+|-
+| ''[[The Pacific]]'' ||  Japanese soldiers  || Part 6 || 2010
+|-
 |}
@@ Line 44: / Line 57: @@
 !align=center bgcolor=#D0E7FF width="200"|'''Notation'''
 !align=center bgcolor=#D0E7FF width="100"|''' Release Date'''
+|-
+| ''[[Forgotten Hope]]'' || || || || 2003
 |-
 | ''[[Red Orchestra 2: Rising Storm]]'' || || || || 2013
+|-
+|}
+===Anime===
+{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" border="1" style="border: 1px solid #D0E7FF; background-color:#ffffff; text-align:left; font-size: 95%"
+|-bgcolor=#D0E7FF
+!align=center bgcolor=#D0E7FF width="200"|'''Title'''
+!align=center bgcolor=#D0E7FF width="200"|'''Character'''
+!align=center bgcolor=#D0E7FF width="200"|'''Note'''
+!align=center bgcolor=#D0E7FF width="100"|'''Date'''
+|-
+| ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team]]''|| Anti-Zeon guerrillas || "The Time Limit on Trust" || 1995-1999
+|-
+|}
+<br clear=all>
 [[Category:Gun]]
 [[Category:Mortar]]