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Aiming Stakes


JohnRatzenberger

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After 30+ years as an Army logistician, I managed to learn more than enough to be dangerous about my customers, but it fades so easily ...

 

Today's topic is artillery aiming stakes, WW2 era.

 

IIRC, the ideal setup is one stake about 50m out, and another twice that distance from the first, or about 150m from the piece itself. These would be on the left (pan-tel) side of the gun.

 

Are they laid to the front of the gun or the rear, or either ? Seems terrain would play a part.

 

I also think I remember something about an optional 3rd stake, laid at a different angle than the other two. Is this true and if so what is the purpose, etc ?

 

Thanks

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Hello,

Mortars used aiming stakes and they were always laid in front of the mortar. We would refer and realign the mortar to fire at 6400 degrees. The stakes were run out at 25 and 50 meters. Terrian dependent. We only used two sets and it was basically used to insure the gun was layed in the same view point as the observer. Direction was EVERYTHING.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

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Thanks, Mark, but I'm looking for towed artillery -- it turn out to be just a difference in scale ....

 

BTW, for those looking in, you could fire from a single stake, but 2nd stake allows you to see if mortar/gun has shifted off original position and correct for that -- an distinct problem with arty given rearward recoil ... That's why I ask about the single 3rd stake.

 

John

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While I was stationed in Bad Kissingen our partner Unit (German) took us to fire their mortars. They had the poles superimposed on the sight so you didn't have to run any stakes out. I thought that was really neat.

 

 

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