M1938 50mm (50-RM 38)

History

Until World War II (1939-1945), the Red Army relied heavily on mortar power to expand its infantry capabilities. By then, several types were in circulation, ranging from small-bore offerings in the limited 50mm range to larger 160mm siege variants. Like other countries, the Soviets took the popular 1927 French Brandt collection and took an interest in the quality of the British Stokes 3". In 1937, a new indigenous design was developed as the 50mm mortar for light infantry and adopted in 1938 as the 50-RM 38 ("50mm, Company Mortar, Model 1938") , also referred to in some sources as RM-38 for short.

This design is influenced by the original 1915 British Stokes design, which made its debut during World War I decades earlier. The success of the Stokes system lies in its simplicity, reliability andperhaps most importantlyits portability on the battlefield, as well as providing on-demand indirect artillery fire to field commanders.

Soviet production of the RM-38 began in 1939.

The Soviet 50-RM 38 used classic mortar components including the launch tube, base plate and bipod assembly. Therefore, the unit can be deployed with relative ease by the crew or pack animals. The entire unit weighs 27 pounds and has a launch tube nearly two feet long. Like other mortar-type devices, the 50-PM 38 is muzzle-loaded, with each 0.85kg high-explosive (HE) round dropping into the tube, its propellant being ignited by a waiting firing pin at the bottom.

The resulting force pushes the projectile out of the tube and along its trajectory, guided by pure physics at this point. The elevation angles of these models were fixed at 45 or 75 degrees, although a few were given a third stage of 82 degrees.

However, variable range can be achieved through the cumbersome management of vents on the side of the tube, which may determine the firing pressure, allowing the mortar team to achieve the desired range results. The weapon has a maximum attack range of up to 870 yards at a 45-degree angle and a target area of ??up to 110 yards when raised at an 82-degree angle.

The yaw of the device was limited to six degrees on either side of the handwheel, while the aiming device was included on the bipod. The muzzle velocity is 310 feet per second.

In practice, the 50-PM 38 model did not fully address the current needs of the Red Army at that time. Compared to contemporaries, the gas management system proved relatively inaccurate.

Additionally, self-management of stress can harm the mortar team itself through simple mistakes or an undertrained team. The 50mm projectile proved to have limited range and overall impact value, so the RM-38 line had been further developed in the 50-RM 39, 50-RM 40 and 50-RM 41 models early in the war. While minor improvements were seen in the RM-39 and RM-40, only the RM-41 model was truly different from the 1938 original, largely thanks to a careful study of captured German 50mm models.

The Germans invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, starting the Eastern Front, in which a large number of guns were dropped on both sides.

Nevertheless, the 50-PM 38 series mortars were used by the Red Army as a supply for any weapon that proved to be urgent - especially during the German invasion and subsequent Soviet offensive. The same desperate Germans also used some stocks.

In general, the 50mm light mortar was eventually abandoned by the Soviet Army as ideas now turned to larger, more damaging mortar designs, including the 82mm and 120mm types.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

VARIANTS