Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16
A 260/9 mortar in firing position.
Type	Heavy mortar Siege gun
Place of origin	France
Service history
In service	1916-1945
Used by	Kingdom of Italy Spain
Wars	First World War Spanish Civil War Second World War
Production history
Designer	Schneider
Designed	1910
Manufacturer	Ansaldo Vickers-Terni
Variants	Mortaio da 260/9 S
Specifications
Mass	Travel: 12.56 t (12.36 long tons) Combat: 11.83 t (11.64 long tons) Barrel only: 4.17 t (4.10 long tons)
Length	5.6 m (18 ft 4 in)
Barrel length	2.73 m (8 ft 11 in) L/9
Width	2.18 m (7 ft 2 in)^[1]

Shell	Cased separate-loading
Shell weight	215–223 kg (474–492 lb)
Caliber	260 mm (10 in)
Breech	Interrupted screw
Recoil	Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage	Box trail
Elevation	+20° to +65°
Traverse	12°^[1]
Rate of fire	Sustained: 1 round every 12 minutes Maximum: 2 rounds every 4 minutes
Muzzle velocity	350 m/s (1,100 ft/s)
Effective firing range	9.1 km (6 mi)^[1]

The Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16 - was an Italian Heavy mortar and Siege Gun designed by the French Schneider Company and produced under license in Italy by Ansaldo and Vickers-Terni for the Italian Army. It was used by the Italian Army during both the First World War and Second World War.

History

After the independence and unification of Italy, the Italians were not self-sufficient in arms design and production. Foreign firms such as Armstrong, Krupp, Schneider, and Vickers all provided arms and helped establish local production of their designs under license.

Although the majority of combatants had heavy field artillery prior to the outbreak of the First World War, none had adequate numbers of heavy guns in service, nor had they foreseen the growing importance of heavy artillery once the Italian Front stagnated and trench warfare set in. Fortresses, armories, coastal fortifications, and museums were scoured for heavy artillery and sent to the front. Suitable field and rail carriages were built for these guns in an effort to give their forces the heavy field artillery needed to overcome trenches and hardened concrete fortifications.^[2]

Design

Mortaio da 260/9 S - The original Schneider design supplied to the Italian Army. It had a steel box trail carriage, a recoil spade, two wooden spoked wheels with steel rims, a gun shield, a hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism, a Schneider interrupted screw breech. It fired cased separate-loading ammunition with up to eight bagged charges to vary velocity and range. The box trail carriage had a large hollow section near the breech to allow for high angle fire and like other large Schneider guns, there was an integrated loading tray attached to the breech.^[3] Its combat weight was 12,147 kg (26,780 lb) and for transport, it could be broken down into two wagon loads. The barrel could be removed and moved on its own 5,660 kg (12,480 lb) wagon load, while the second 6,970 kg (15,370 lb) wagon load consisted of the carriage and a limber to support the tail of the carriage. On carriage, traverse was only 6°. Although the Italian classification lists the mortar as being 9 calibers in length it is actually 10.5 calibers. The Italian classification system didn't count the breech length like most other countries.^[1]
Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16 - A simplified design built in Italy in 1916. The gun barrel was the same, but in action the wheels were removed and the carriage formed a firing platform. The mortar could be transported in one piece and a detachable set of wooden spoked wheels with steel rims could be attached to the front of the carriage. The barrel could then be retracted rearward and laid on top of the trail for transport. The tail of the carriage was then supported by a limber for towing. Towing speed was 6–8 km/h (3.7–5.0 mph) and set up time was 24 hours. On carriage traverse was increased to 12°, but performance stayed the same. The German classification was 26 cm Mrs 582(i).^[1]

Organization

A mortar battery is composed of:

4 mortars
4 trailers
2 machine guns
1 utility cart
4 trucks^[1]

Photo Gallery

A 260/9 in Italian service.
A 260/9 at the factory.
A battery of 260/9's.
A 260/9 captured by Austro-Hungarian forces.
A carriage with limber broken down for transport.
A barrel with limber ready for transport.
A 260/9 on its transport carriage.
A 260/9 on its firing platform.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Regio Esercito - Materiale bellico - Mortaio da 260/9 Mod. 1916". www.regioesercito.it. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
^ Hogg, Ian (2004). Allied artillery of World War One. Ramsbury: Crowood. pp. 129–134. ISBN 1861267126. OCLC 56655115.
^ "Les Établissements Schneider. Matériels d'artillerie et bateaux de guerre | Gallica". 2017-01-17. Archived from the original on 2017-01-17. Retrieved 2018-07-03.

v t e Italian artillery of World War I
Anti-aircraft guns	Cannone da 76/45 S 1911 Cannone da 75/27 A.V.
Field, Medium and Heavy guns	Cannone da 75/27 modello 06 Cannone da 75/27 modello 12 Cannone da 75/27 modello 11 8 cm FK M. 5 Obice da 100/17 modello 14 Obice da 105/14 Cannone da 105/28 Cannone da 105/32 Obice da 149/12 Cannone da 149/23 Cannone da 149/35 A Cannone da 152/45
Mortars	Bombarda da 58 A Bombarda da 58 B 15 cm Mörser M1881 Bombarda da 240 mm
Infantry and Mountain guns	Cannon 37F Cannone da 65/17 modello 13 Cannone da 76/17 S modello 12 Cannone da 70/15
Naval and coastal defense guns	Cannon 76/40 Model 1916 Cannone da 76/45 S 1911 Cannon 102/35 Model 1914 Cannon 102/45 Cannon 152/32 Model 1887 Cannone da 190/45 EOC 8 inch 45 caliber EOC 10 inch 40 caliber EOC 10-inch /45 naval gun Obice da 280 305 mm /46 Model 1909 100-ton gun BL 13.5 inch naval gun Mk I – IV Cannone navale da 381/40
Railroad artillery	Cannone da 381/40 AVS
Superheavy and Siege artillery	Mortaio da 210/8 D.S. Mortaio da 210/9 modello 14 Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16 Obice da 280 Obice da 305/17

v t e Italian artillery of World War II
Tank guns	Breda Model 35 Cannone da 37/40 Cannone da 47/32 Cannone da 47/40 Cannone da 75/34
Anti-tank guns	Solothurn S-18/1000 Cannone da 47/32 Obice da 75/18 modello 35 Cannone da 75/46 C.A. modello 34 Cannone da 90/53 Cannone da 105/25
Infantry and Mountain guns	Cannone da 37/10 modello 15 Cannone da 47/32 Cannone da 65/17 modello 13 Cannone da 70/15 Obice da 75/18 modello 34
Field, Medium and Heavy guns	Cannone da 75/27 modello 06 Cannone da 75/27 modello 12 Cannone da 75/27 modello 11 Obice da 75/18 modello 35 Cannone da 75/32 modello 37 Cannone da 76/17 S modello 12 Obice da 100/17 modello 14 Obice da 105/14 Cannone da 105/28 Cannone da 105/32 Obice da 149/12 Cannone da 149/28 Cannone da 149/35 A Cannone da 149/40 modello 35 Obice da 149/19 modello 37 Cannone da 152/45 Obice da 210/22
Superheavy and Siege artillery	Mortaio da 210/8 D.S. Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16 Obice da 280 Obice da 305/17
Railroad artillery	Cannone navale da 381/40
Anti-aircraft guns	Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/77 (Scotti) Breda Model 35 Cannone-Mitragliera da 37/54 (Breda) Cannone da 75/27 A.V. Cannone da 75/46 C.A. modello 34 Cannone da 75/49 Cannone da 90/53