French 50mm

[orcutteod]

Enclosed are pictures of a French WWII 50mm mortar shell. This one is supposed to be a German captured with German markings on the fins. The fuse is not original. The French 50mm's are tough to find research reveals that their was never enough ammo made and most of the French 50mm's went to the Vichy during WWII.

 

[BMG50]

These mortars were converted by the Germans to form the W1 anti-personnel mine.The tail is removed and an adaptor is fitted to the nose along with a buck igniter.

 

[Nabob]

The weapons were designated 5cm Granatwerfer 203 (f) and used the regular 5cm Wurfgranate 36.
Bob

 

[apfsds]

I do not know much about mortars, but I bought this one about 12 years ago just because I thought it was cool as I have never seen a mortar so small. It looks very similar to the one shown above. I was told it is French but may have been converted to a rifle grenade?

Jason

 

[apfsds]

Two more pics.

Jason

 

[weberoed]

Not sure if it was this model, but yes the French 50mm mortar was used as a rifle grenade by the Viet Minh and then the VC during the VN era

 

[orcutteod]

I didn't know the Germans used them for anti-personel mines maybe that's why they are hard to find. It took me a year to find mine with the help of a French ordnance collector, so I could display it with an early complete tube. Their are some markings on the mortar shell it looks like LOF-40 06.

 

[orcutteod]

Just a thought I wonder what was the better mortar round the French or the Japanese 50mm? I think the Japanese knee mortar packed a bigger punch.

 

[US-Subs]

Not sure if it was this model, but yes the French 50mm mortar was used as a rifle grenade by the Viet Minh and then the VC during the VN era

Same body, different fins. This one was identified as coming from a collection of Vietnam recoveries.

 

[blu97]

Hi jeff, that is a French rifle grenade Mle 1948. Have a happy new year.

 

[US-Subs]

Happy New Year to you too Erik.

I understand that it is of French origin, but as WeberEOD mentioned, a lot of French materials were abandoned/captured etc. in Vietnam, and subsequently used by VN forces. It is not unusual to see French pieces in many of the collections of materials brought back by US troops. You can also see a fair amount in the military museum in Hanoi. I got this piece along with a B50 rocket and two VN grenades, all reportedly brought back by an EOD guy -

 

[EODGUY]

I am a little late in seeing this posting, but I thought I would add this photo. The round still has French markings, but most have disappeared. I personally picked this one up in Vietnam just as you see it. Could be pre-modification for a rifle grenade, just don't know about that.