Rifles and machine guns may not always provide an infantry unit with the required firepower, and it may need additional weapons. A mortar is a good solution to this problem, but infantrymen are not always able to transport relatively large caliber guns. In this case, they need some kind of light mortar, which will have a small caliber with appropriate ease of use. In the mid-thirties, such ideas were implemented in the Italian project Brixia Modello 35.
At the end of the twenties, the arrows of the Italian army received a means of reinforcement in the form of a Tromboncino M28 rifle grenade launcher, but the combat characteristics of this product were far from ideal. Soon, development began on a new lightweight infantry system capable of increasing the firepower of infantrymen. Special requirements were imposed on it, which led to a noticeable delay in work. Nevertheless, in 1935, a ready-made light mortar of a new type was tested and put into service.
General view of the mortar Brixia Modello 35. Photo Jamesdjulia.com
A promising sample was developed by Metallurgica Bresciana già Tempini (Brescia). It received the official designation Mortaio d'assalto 45/5 Brixia, Modello 35 - "Brescia assault mortar, model 1935". At the same time, the abbreviated name Brixia Mod was often used. 35. The mortar was named after the city of Brescia, where the development organization was located, using the Latin spelling in the official designation.
Apparently, when developing a new mortar, Italian gunsmiths took into account the experience of creating and operating rifle grenade launchers, but at the same time they proposed some new ideas. First of all, it was proposed to make this weapon an independent model, and not an addition to existing systems. In addition, interesting tools have been developed to improve the ergonomics and simplify the operation of the weapon.
In accordance with the idea of the Italian designers, the Brixia Modello 35 mortar was to be used with the original tripod machine. The front supports of the machine were made in the form of an A-shaped system, on which the vertical aiming devices of the gun body were placed. The swinging artillery unit, made on the basis of a cradle, was fixed on a pair of side supports and controlled by a screw mechanism with a side handle brought out to the left. The axis of the aiming drive was locked with a lever on the right, which prevented unwanted displacement of the mortar.
At the level of the cradle pins, two tubes were attached to the front supports, forming a third. In the working position, the four elements of the three legs of the machine were fastened together by a pair of struts. At the back, on the third support, one of the most interesting elements of the machine was attached - a platform with a small pillow. Depending on the characteristics of the firing position, it could be used as a seat or as a support for the gunner's chest. Thus, the designers took care of the convenience of the mortarman in different conditions.
Diagram from the American reference book on enemy weapons. Photo Sassik.livejournal.com
The mortar cradle was a wide cast U-shaped device. Its lateral elements were installed on the machine axle shafts and equipped with guidance sectors. In the center there was a massive mount for the mortar itself. It allowed the movement of the trunk within a sector 20 ° wide. Vertical guidance varied from + 10 ° to + 90 °.
The body of the mortar was distinguished by a specific design. To obtain the desired results, the designers used a mine throwing scheme with a blank rifle cartridge. This led to the need to use a layout uncharacteristic for mortars with a separate receiver. In addition, ammunition had to be used. With all this, a small-caliber mortar had to be loaded from the breech.
The mortar received a relatively long steel receiver, made in the form of a tube of variable cross-section. Its front part served as a casing for the movable barrel and had internal guides for it. Such a casing was distinguished by a complex shape of the outer surface due to the presence of several internal grooves for the barrel. The top of the casing had a large loading window. The polygonal rear of the receiver accommodated a simple trigger and ammunition. On top of it was placed the receiver of the store, and inside were the means of producing the shot.
The project involved the use of a smooth barrel with a caliber of 45 mm and a length of 260 mm. The relatively short barrel had several longitudinal protrusions on the outer surface that entered the grooves of the casing. The barrel could move back and forth, for which a simple system of levers was used, placed on the right side of the receiver. The movement of the barrel and the descent were controlled by a common lever.
Mortar in a firing position. Photo Sassik.livejournal.com
In the rear of the receiver, the means for feeding an empty cartridge and a simple firing mechanism were placed. Mechanically, these devices were associated with the means for moving the barrel, which simplified the operation of the weapon. Means of ammunition ensured the removal of the cartridge from the store, followed by discharging into a short chamber, placed directly behind the breech of the barrel. There was also an extractor for removing and ejecting the spent cartridge case outside the weapon. The means for supplying powder gases were equipped with a pressure relief valve, with which it was possible to change the firing range.
It was proposed to store and transport cartridges for ejecting mines from the barrel in a detachable box magazine. This device, which held 10 rounds, had to fit into a receiver on the top of the receiver. The liner was ejected through a hole in its lower part.
For use with a mortar, a special small-caliber mine was developed, which had the maximum possible characteristics. This product was created on the basis of the S. R.2 shot for the existing rifle grenade launcher, increasing its size and increasing the charge. At the same time, the shape of the product has hardly changed. The body had a hemispherical head with a cylindrical center and a tapered tail fairing. The latter had an X-shaped plumage. The main body was made of steel, the stabilizer was made of aluminum. A shock fuse was placed in the head part, equipped with a safety check. The remaining volumes of the hull were filled with explosive, incendiary or smoke composition. 45 mm mortar mines of all types weighed 465-480 g.
The mine was ejected with a blank cartridge with a 40 mm long sleeve. 10, 56 g of gunpowder, placed in the sleeve, made it possible to create sufficient pressure in the barrel to disperse the ammunition to an acceptable speed.
The light mortar Mortaio d'assalto 45/5 Brixia, Modello 35 was distinguished by its small dimensions and weight. The total length of the product in the firing position did not exceed 720-730 mm. Weight without ammunition - 15, 5 kg. The weapon was served by a crew of two. Carrying the mortar was assigned to one of the fighters, while the second was to transport mines and cartridges. The firing characteristics of the mortar met the requirements for enhancing the firepower of infantry units.
Preparing for a shot: the barrel is retracted forward, a mine is inserted into the weapon. Photo Sassik.livejournal.com
For carrying, the mortar machine was equipped with a pair of shoulder straps. The front support folded backward, after which the mortarman could put the weapon on himself like a knapsack. In this position, the barrel was directed upwards, and the seat-support protected the lower part of the gunner's body from being hit by the rear leg of the machine. Deploying the gun into position was not difficult. Having removed the mortar from himself, the gunner had to unfold the front supports and place the machine with the desired horizontal guidance.
Before firing, it was necessary to carry out a tip-off and install a magazine with blank cartridges in the receiver of the receiver. Before firing, the mortar had to move the reload lever forward, with the result that the barrel went to the extreme forward position. In parallel, the cartridge was removed from the store, followed by its ramming into the chamber and cocking the drummer. Going forward, the barrel opened the loading window, in which the mine had to be laid.
Then the side control lever was manually returned to its original position, moving the barrel back. When moving, the barrel was literally put on a mine. In the extreme rear position, the barrel rested against the front wall of the receiver, which served as a bolt. After that, the trigger was automatically pulled. Powder gases from a blank cartridge entered the bore and pushed a mine out of it. The new movement of the lever forward led to the displacement of the barrel for reloading and removal of the empty cartridge case.
The mortar was equipped with a crane that regulated the flow of gases into the barrel. With the valve closed, the initial speed of the mine was 83 m / s, with the valve open - 59 m / s. The closed crane provided a direct shot range at the level of 450-460 m. Using the vertical guidance drives and the gas valve, the crew could fire at targets in different ranges. So, a closed crane made it possible to send a mine along a flat trajectory to the target at distances from 100 to 500 m. Along the hinged trajectory, the shot flew to a distance of at least 300 m. With an open crane, the minimum firing range was 100 m with a maximum of about 300-320, depending on from the elevation angle of the trunk.
Mortar at the time of the shot. Photo Militaryfactory.com
The comparative simplicity of design and operation allowed the calculation to make up to 8-10 rounds per minute. After careful training, this indicator could be significantly increased. Some sources mention the possibility of firing at a rate of up to 16-18 rounds per minute. Also, trained mortars could demonstrate a high accuracy of fire.
The Brixia Modello 35 mortar passed all the necessary tests in 1935 and received a recommendation for adoption. The corresponding order was issued in early October. Soon, several arms companies received an order for the mass production of mortars. The command believed that the ground forces should have the maximum possible number of light mortars, which affected the volumes of subsequent orders and the pace of production. According to various sources, the release of such systems continued until the fall of 1943 and the fall of the Kingdom of Italy.
45-mm light mortars were intended for use at the level of an infantry platoon. Interestingly, since a certain time, the handling of Brixia Mod. 35 studied not only their future calculations, but also all other infantrymen. Thus, if necessary, any fighter could enter the calculation of the mortar and use it effectively, providing support to his comrades.
Despite a certain complexity of production, the first serial mortars Mortaio d'assalto 45/5 Brixia, Modello 35 were transferred to the army within a few months after receiving the order. They were distributed among a number of land units. According to reports, some of the mortars, along with their new operators, were quickly able to take part in hostilities.
In the fall of 1935, the Italian army again entered the battlefields. The Second Italo-Ethiopian War broke out in East Africa. This conflict has become a convenient platform for testing the latest weapons, including a light 45-mm mortar. In the course of the battles, it became clear that the promising weapon is distinguished by high operational characteristics and great ease of use, but it cannot boast of the desired combat qualities. A small-caliber light mine was not powerful enough; its fragments could only hit manpower at small distances. The firing range, rate of fire and other characteristics of the mortar did not allow getting rid of such problems.
Slovenian partisans with a captured Italian mortar, 1944. Photo by Dlib.si
However, the mortars Brixia Mod. 35 remained in service and continued to be mass-produced. In 1936, Italian soldiers went to Spain to take part in the fighting on the side of the Francoists. They had a variety of infantry weapons at their disposal, including the latest light mortars. This time, the Italians had to face a more serious enemy, and again conclusions were drawn about the insufficient fighting qualities of the existing infantry mortar. However, even now the command did not abandon it, believing that such ultra-light artillery is capable of increasing the firepower of infantry armed only with small arms.
The next conflict with the use of the Mortaio d'assalto 45/5 Brixia, Modello 35 was the Italian-Greek war of 1940-41. It should be noted that during this war, the Greek troops managed to take many trophies, among which were light mortars. Enemy weapons were actively used against their former owners, although the results of their use were not very remarkable. Subsequently, after the occupation of Greece by the forces of Italy and Germany, part of the 45-mm mortars returned to their former owners, but a significant number of trophies passed to the partisan formations.
Full-scale serial production made it possible for several years to fully equip the army with light mortars. In accordance with the standards of 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II, 126 Brixia Mod mortars were to be in service with the infantry division of the Italian army. 35. The mechanized division was supposed to have 56 units of such weapons, the mountain rifle division - 54. Similar weapons were also supplied to the marines, assault units, etc.
In the basic version, the Brixia Modello 35 product was a wearable artillery system. Over time, there was a proposal to install such a weapon on a self-propelled platform. A number of such self-propelled mortars were built through minor processing of the CV-33 / L3-33 tankettes.
Weapons captured during a raid on partisans in Slovenia. In the center is the Brixia Mod mortar. 35. Photo Dlib.si
For obvious reasons, the main operator of the 45mm mortars was the Italian army. There was only one formal agreement for the export of such weapons. Several hundred (according to other sources, thousands) of products were transferred to Germany, where they received their own designation 4, 5 cm Granatwerfer 176 (i). All other sides of the Second World War used only captured weapons. A significant number of mortars remained in service with the Greek partisans for a long time. In addition, they became trophies of the Yugoslav people's formations. Finally, the Brixia Mod mortars. 35 were captured by the Red Army, who recaptured the occupied territories from the Italians.
During a fairly long period of mass production, the Italian industry collected and handed over to the customer several tens of thousands of light mortars Mortaio d'assalto 45/5 Brixia, Modello 35. All these weapons were distributed between different units, primarily from the ground forces. The presence of a mortar in an infantry platoon made it possible to significantly increase the firepower, although it was not without claims.
The operation of such mortars continued until the end of hostilities in Europe, both before the fall of the Kingdom of Italy and after the formation of the Italian Social Republic. The end of the war led to the abandonment of light artillery systems, which by this time had lost almost all of their potential. In the post-war period, a certain number of Brixia Mod mortars. 35 remained in service with several armies, but over time, all such products were decommissioned. Most of the mortars were melted down, and some managed to become museum exhibits.
The Mortaio d'assalto 45/5 Brixia, Modello 35 project was based on the desire to equip an infantry platoon with ultralight artillery capable of increasing the available firepower. In general, the assigned tasks were successfully completed, but the result did not fully suit the military. Specific combat characteristics limited the actual effectiveness of the mortar. Until a certain time, such problems were tolerated, but after the end of the war and the appearance of a sufficient number of alternative systems from Brixia Mod. 35 finally refused. This mortar was not the most successful representative of a specific class, but still left a noticeable mark in the history of infantry weapons.
