M4 sight - 60mm M2 Mortar

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Everyone,

Today I attended a small show, that was geared to the military vehicle restoration crowd, in search of a missing part to my wireless set no. 19. I had no luck on the ws 19 front but on the way out I spotted a small metal box on one of the tables. For some reason I liked it and since this one had a very low price on the tag I picked it up. When I opened the box there was an M4 sight in great shape and dated 1941. It is for the U.S. 60mm M2 Mortar.

I was really happy to have picked it up for what was a great price...now for the mortar to go with it....

Regards

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

Here it is in the box.

[Brian Wolfe]

This is the side showing the markings. Sorry that the date (1941) is not clear. Also the green is a lot darker than it shows in the photos.

[Brian Wolfe]

This is the other side showing the dove-tailed section that fits onto the mortar. The retaining clip can also be seen

[Brian Wolfe]

Oops, I forgot the photo.

I would like the make a stand to display this sight and will attempt to match the dove-tailed piece on the sight to a wooden piece which will be mounted on a stand.

[Brian Wolfe]

In this final photo of the set you can see the actual sighting area. Above the section with the line and a "V" sight there is a glass section in which there is a stripe that seems to allow some light through making the "line" in this section seem to glow like it was lit. I have no idea what the function of this section of the sight is, so if someone knows what this is for please let me know.

Regards

Brian

[John]

A really nice piece!! Great find. Would the rest of the mortar be legal in Canada, too? :beer:

[Brian Wolfe]

A really nice piece!! Great find. Would the rest of the mortar be legal in Canada, too?

Thanks,

No, Canadian law would not allow me to own a mortar (probably a good thing for my neighbours).

However, most of the prohibited weapons listed under Canadian law are allowed if they are legally deactivate but I'm not sure about a mortar.

Cheers

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Everyone,

I thought I'd complete this post with a view of the stand I built to display the sight. I was looking around my shop and found a couple of pieces of red oak scrap and put them to better use. The whole stand is well coated with a clear-coat keeping the oak well away from the metal parts. I hope you like it.

Regards

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

Here's a view of the rear of the stand. I cut a dovetail to fit the tapered dovetail of the sight and the locking lever actually locks the sight onto the stand as it would on the mortar.

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

My final photo is of the sight displayed in my collection room along side my German artillery sight and a pair of French binoculars from around 1908.

Regards

Brian

[Mervyn Mitton]

Brian - amazing that you've found all of these rare items within Canada. Just shows that you need to look at everything in these fairs. Your mount shows it off well. Mervyn

[Brian Wolfe]

Brian - amazing that you've found all of these rare items within Canada. Just shows that you need to look at everything in these fairs. Your mount shows it off well. Mervyn

Thanks Mervyn, many military items came back with the returning servicemen, perhaps even more so than today, and now are turning up at antiques fairs etc. My father gave me an Italian Air Force Officer's dress dagger that he got in trade while there for two cigarettes. His crew laughed at him for agreeing to "pay" so much.

As a side story, the bomber crews flew from England to Italy and back bringing the soldiers home. Some who had been there through the whole Italian campaign would not fly but waited longer and took the boat. After the horrors of Italy they were too nervious to fly (I can't say I blame them). One hard-as-nails sergeant who did elect to take the plane home was obviously in distress over flying. He asked my father what he should do if the plane were to start to crash. My father told him to pull the red handle on the side to the chute pack. This made the fellow feel relaxed for the balance of the trip home. My father said he admits he felt a bit asamed that he had lied to the soldier as the chute pack was actually a May West flotation device. But as he said the fellow had a relaxed trip home.

My father and his crew would often buy a meal for some of the kids who were on the street in Naples when they were stopped over awaiting the next trip back home. The resaurant owners would ofter protest having these street urchins in their establishments but it was not a good idea to get pissy about these matters with the RCAF. It was such acts of kindness from their generation (from all countries) that gave us such a good name in the world for many years to come.

Regards

Brian