Hi Paul,

The mortar has had a bit of a make over. I removed the metal carry arms and filed off the fittings and they will do as extra trench kit. I replaced them with 4 ringed fixings and while I was at it added the lifting rings at the top and bottom on the tube. I also added the small handle/catch at the bottom side of the base plate so it's looking a bit more operational now. I see a small round elevating wheel on the RHS in the photographs. I will have to hunt around and see if I have a spare I could use, as it's quite a noticeable part, but the kit didn't contain one, or perhaps it wasn't a feature of the Mk II/III I'll have to check.

I wonder of the carry handles were wood or metal? Probably wood but another point to check.

Some pics tomorrow if the light is good.


Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

Well I've done a little more work on the MK II/III Mortar, removed the carry handles and added the empty fittings and lifting eyes top and bottom.

Unfortunately this version is not appropriate for the early time period of 1916 so I'm converting another kit to the earlier Mk I.

Base had been dug in a bit more and the ammo arrived so I've been checking some possible layouts of the shells.

I need to try and source a couple of small flat 4 spoke circular handles as these are a noticeable feature missing from the kit.

Cheers

AL

Updated Mk II/III



WIP Mk I with 51 inch tube.

Nice work. Man...that would ruin your whole day to be on the receiving end of one of those shells.
J

Hi Jerry,

Thanks for dropping in. A direct hit would take out about 30ft of trench.

Work continues.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

This is with the bombs in place and the work done on the 51inch tube. Rather than add the carry handles I made small fixing they would have gone into.

There is still some work to be done on the figs, several are very clean at the moment and small kit needs to be added, which I'll hang from some bayonets and place around the pit.







Cheers

Al

Good to see your officer is back from leave!

Hi Paul,

Not convinced that's the spot for him, he's sitting too far forward and might be better in the Sap.

Cheers

Al

Give him a high rank ! Than the place is OK since high ranking officers always turn up were you can not use them!!!

Hi folks,

I think this is a better arrangement for the figures.





Al

Hi folks,

A series of shots of progress on the mortar pit. Still some respirator haversacks to make and a couple of rifles to add.

Cheers

Al

Well despite lack of comment I think the rear section is coming along well, so time to look at placement of a couple of work parties. There will be one moving through the RHS of the trench and one digging over on the left hand side. The figures need a little more work but the concept seems sound.

Cheers

Al

Sorry Alan,
I get carried away just looking at your work and sometimes forget to comment. But then again,there isn't really much commenting going on in this forum lately,period?
Slow time of the year? Getting ready for Telford maybe? Dunno.
Anyway,love the warming fire barrel,very nice touch. Nice to see a bit of greenery added as it reminds us that nature will eventually reclaim the mindless destruction we humans can achieve,no matter how aweful.
The grenade launcher is very very nice,along with its' accouterments. Addition of the work parties checks out as well but it looks to me like there is a bit much shine on the newest guys? Maybe some dull coat?
Wonderful as always buddy. Epic build,
J

Alan,

It's amazing how much work you've done on this recently.

I agree with Jerry - The work parties add a huge amount of "life" and candid realism to the entire dio. In particular, I like the guys digging away on a new section of trench line. It's easy to forget that all those trenches and holes were the result of human strength, muscle and persistence.

In regards to the 9.45" Trench Mortar - That's a very nice bit of work there. I don't know if you've referenced this or not, but here's the link to a PDF copy of the US Army handbook ca. 1917.

Handbook of the 9.45-inch trench mortar materiel with instructions for its care and use

Hopefully you can find the answers to your questions about the poles used to move the gun. In the photos, they appear to me to be wooden (solid, tapered, with rounded ends).

There's no detailed information about actually aiming the mortar, but it would seem that a variation of direct alignment was used. The sight is fixed in deflection to be coincident with the bore. Moving the gun in traverse also moves the sight. The sight does not appear to have independent traverse.

(Unlike modern mortar sights where the deflection is set on the sight and the gun is then moved to bring the sight back onto the surveyed aiming stakes, thus setting the gun in the desired deflection.)

Traverse is measured on a traversing scale made into the actual gun mount. Elevation (and consequently, range) was set using a gunner's quadrant that was placed temporarily against the barrel and removed before firing each round. Traverse is only 18 degrees to either side of center (total of 36 degrees).

Aiming stakes (or painted marks inside the pit) would only be placed within these traversing limits and would probably be placed for specific targets or points of pre-registered fire (although a form of direct lay is obviously also possible). The fixed sight would be aimed at these marks and range adjusted by elevation.

Adjustment to a new target could have been made from such a pre-registered target by an observer on the gun-target line measuring the left or right deflection from the pre-registered target to the new target (along with an estimate in the change in range), and the gun adjusted using the traversing scale from the point aimed at with the sight. The observer would obviously have to be in direct communication with the gun (voice, phone or messenger).

It could also have been possible to direct lay the gun by aiming directly at a target using the fixed sight, but this would expose at, a minimum, the gunner to that same target.

Another variation would have been to use a polar plot from the gun's map coordinates to the target and adjust the gun's deflection using the scales on the base. This method would not have required the use of the sight at all. However, it would require a "fire controller" using maps and / or aerial photos to calculate the direction and range and to communicate that information to the gun.

The handbook also gives a very detailed description of the loading tray which, I believe, is illustrated in one of your photos.

Anyways, great progress and details on your diorama!

Hi Jerry,

Thanks for looking in and the thoughts. The RHS work party should create a bit of movement within the dio and give the sense of winding along the trenches. I've done some more work on the uniforms and faces and they are in place with some water added that should seep and pool here and there. The chap with the rifle has been given a spade to carry, which I thought more appropriate.

On the LHS I still have the faces of the two figures to complete and they need weathered in a bit, as you note. My original thought here had been to put in a latrine area, but that changed to the possibility of a small cooking area. However, I don't think either are practical in the space so I might have something that has been abandoned instead. The joining up of two trenches springs from some stuff I ready about trenches in general ie, they would start out as shell scrapes, then get dug into fire trenches and then digging out would eventually get joined up if the troops remained there long enough. Again these two figures should help add a sense of movement.


Cheers

Al

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the thoughts. I came across the manual just towards the end of the conversion for the Mk I. There are still several things I'll need to try and fashion for the Mortar. The early footage doesn't show the Mk I with the fixed sight that can be seen on the later version so I'll not worry about that. The firing mechanism I'll have to make with the addition of the cut down breech of a .303 and pull cord.

The early footage shown the shells being loaded by hand so I'll not do a loading tray. The base plate seems to be marked in 360 % and I believe the traverse was so but there would have been restriction on arcs of fire which is where my posts came in, that and direct lay of direction. Elevation giving the range.

As no line of sight is possible from the pit the forward Sap will be an OP and Lewis Post with data by messenger.

Thanks, I see the carry posts are wood so I'll add those to the scene. I had already removed them and replaced the fittings with styrene, having filed off the original fittings on the posts.

It's a pity about the lack of certain detail on the kit and the metal fittings as the tube and base are very nicely done. Still it should make for an interesting display.

Thanks again for the help.

Much appreciated.

Cheers

Al

Epic work Alan. I love the new work crew. I think it brings the whole dio to life.

Hi Darren,

Many thanks. Did a little corrective work on the Mk I, added the missing wheel, wedge and T Bar

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

Latest progress, Added the wedge, T bar and missing wheel to the mortar, some wet mud at the bottom of the trench.

Every picture you post of this I see something new or get a better a angle of something I didn't get a good look at before- like the skeleton on top of the trenchworks I'm only noticing now! I'm still drawn back to all those supply cans though! The amount of equipment you've managed to stash about this dio is staggering!

Hi Karl,

Thanks for looking in. Appreciated. I have to go back and re-work the lifting eyes on the tube, my original efforts were a bit thick and looking at some pics it appears these sat up and not flat as I originally thought.

Cheers

Al

Hi Al,

About the only addition I could suggest would be some muddy footprints on the mortar's base plate.

Since the propellant charges of the Flying Pig mortars were ignited with a special .303 blank cartridge, one supposes there would be a box or pouch for them around someplace, perhaps in custody of the gunner.

It's getting better every time I look in.

Cheers

Dick

Hey Alan, still awsome to look at and whatch as you progress along here. The work party fits perfectly. A lot of time went into shoring up and laying new trenchs. A thought crossed my mind as I was looking through an old book on W.W.1 for your guard/lookout area. I noticed that in some of the pic's in the book had areas like yours, and there was sometimes a part of old boiler metal with a slot cut into it for observing or sniping without the usual hazzard of being hit by an enemy sniper. Just a rough cut peice of styrene with a bracket to keep it up right might give it a bit more flavor. Rusted up with some deflected bullet makes tossed into the mix? And a periscope like the one in the Aussie vignett you did. I know, more work from some one who's watching this instead of building it. LOL. By the way, if you want a few Dandylions and/or daisy's for some more color about, just let me know and will send them out to you like the rats. bob d.

Hi Dick,

Thanks for the thoughts. Some boot prints as requested. As far as I can tell the firing mechanism would have been a cut down .303 breech that slotted into the base of the mortar, so something else to construct.

I've re-worked the lifting eyes, much thinner and sitting upright as per the manual pictures. The lifting poles have had the fittings filed off and I'll do them a wood colour for some contrast with the mortar.

Hi Bob,

Yes, many thanks for the rats, they have found a home as you can see. Weeds would be useful. I've seen pics of the shield you mentioned so a possibility there. The new Juwella Sandbags look like a very useful product as does their corrugated sheeting.

I've been pottering about at the build as I've been off this week with a really nasty flu.









Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

2nd work party moving into place.

Al

Lovely. I like the tree trunk but maybe some roots sticking out would be in order?
J