Amsterdam court house shelled.

TLAM Strike · 09-21-11, 08:13 PM

Yea 'shelled' like artillery!

Quote:

Dutch media report the damage may have been caused by a mortar shell.

The explosion left a small hole in the outer wall of the building’s third floor.

The explosion caused windows on seven floors of the building to break. Nobody was injured.

http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/2014-mo...msterdam-court

Platapus · 09-21-11, 08:18 PM

Small portable mortars, either improvised or not, can make a pretty good terrorist weapon.

Talk about being able to shoot and scoot.

Torplexed · 09-21-11, 08:28 PM

Not a case of the mortar, the merrier for Amsterdam.

I've always been surprised that mortars aren't more common as a terrorist weapon. They're cheap and portable, and figuring out where the indirect fire is coming from can be tricky.

TLAM Strike · 09-21-11, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torplexed

I've always been surprised that mortars aren't more common as a terrorist weapon. They're cheap and portable, and figuring out where the indirect fire is coming from can be tricky.

Schöneboom · 09-21-11, 09:05 PM

Mensch, talk about "Praise the Lord & pass the ammunition"!

mookiemookie · 09-21-11, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

Small portable mortars, either improvised or not, can make a pretty good terrorist weapon.

Talk about being able to shoot and scoot.

I can't remember where I read this (might have been on here) but the fighters in Afghanistan have taken to setting up a mortar aimed at whatever, loading a chunk of ice into it and then putting the mortar shell on top of the ice, so when the ice melts and fires off the mortar, they're long gone when the counter-attack comes. Sneaky stuff.

Platapus · 09-22-11, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

I can't remember where I read this (might have been on here) but the fighters in Afghanistan have taken to setting up a mortar aimed at whatever, loading a chunk of ice into it and then putting the mortar shell on top of the ice, so when the ice melts and fires off the mortar, they're long gone when the counter-attack comes. Sneaky stuff.

I have not heard that tactic and can see some problems with it. I would love to see some sources for that.

Penguin · 09-22-11, 06:13 AM

The question is: would the own weight of a mortar shell be sufficent to set off the charge? The falling speed of it would certainly equal nearly zero, as ice doesn't melt rapidly.

mookiemookie · 09-22-11, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

I have not heard that tactic and can see some problems with it. I would love to see some sources for that.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n13821792/

It's mentioned in there.

Also mentioned by some guys on this Aussie Army forum. Not the most reliable source, but it's being discussed there:

http://www.aussiearmy.com/viewtopic....=1518&start=75

Jimbuna · 09-22-11, 09:57 AM

One things for sure....mortars will be much easier to get hold of than ice....in Aghanistan that is

MH · 09-22-11, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penguin

The question is: would the own weight of a mortar shell be sufficent to set off the charge? The falling speed of it would certainly equal nearly zero, as ice doesn't melt rapidly.

I don't think it would work with small caliber and static system.

Penguin · 09-23-11, 08:37 AM

The only way it could work, would be using the ice as a fuse, rather than filling it into the mortar. Something like a device that keeps the shell in the end of the tube and drops it when the ice melts. The most primitive way would be a nylon string attached to the shell with the other end of the string frozen in an ice cube, with a piece of metal or wood with a hole smaller than the cube which keeps the string strained.

Platapus · 09-23-11, 11:29 AM

Evidently the idea is to freeze the entire mortar round and somehow mount it above the tube. At some point the ice will melt allowing the mortar round to drop. In theory.

I think a kid on a bicycle would work equally well for shoot and scoot and then the kid can take the tube with him if it is light enough or simply come back the next day and pick it up.

Diopos · 09-23-11, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

I was certain that it would be THAT video!!!!

It also explains why they were praising Allah all the time !

How would that go in the battalion? "We need some martyrs for the Heavy Weapons Company!"

.

TLAM Strike · 09-23-11, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

Evidently the idea is to freeze the entire mortar round...

Ok who is the idiot who thought that up?

Freezing explosives or propellant is a very bad idea!

09-21-11, 08:18 PM	#2
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,366 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Small portable mortars, either improvised or not, can make a pretty good terrorist weapon. Talk about being able to shoot and scoot. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

09-21-11, 08:28 PM	#3
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Not a case of the mortar, the merrier for Amsterdam. I've always been surprised that mortars aren't more common as a terrorist weapon. They're cheap and portable, and figuring out where the indirect fire is coming from can be tricky. __________________ --Mobilis in Mobili--

09-21-11, 09:05 PM	#5
Schöneboom Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 651 Downloads: 36 Uploads: 0	Mensch, talk about "Praise the Lord & pass the ammunition"! __________________ Dietrich Schöneboom, U-431 "Es wird klappen, Herr Kaleun. Ganz sicher."

09-22-11, 09:57 AM	#10
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,539 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	One things for sure....mortars will be much easier to get hold of than ice....in Aghanistan that is __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

09-23-11, 11:29 AM	#13
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,366 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Evidently the idea is to freeze the entire mortar round and somehow mount it above the tube. At some point the ice will melt allowing the mortar round to drop. In theory. I think a kid on a bicycle would work equally well for shoot and scoot and then the kid can take the tube with him if it is light enough or simply come back the next day and pick it up. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

09-22-11, 06:13 AM	#8
Penguin Ocean Warrior Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Rheinische Republik Posts: 3,322 Downloads: 92 Uploads: 0	The question is: would the own weight of a mortar shell be sufficent to set off the charge? The falling speed of it would certainly equal nearly zero, as ice doesn't melt rapidly.

09-23-11, 08:37 AM	#12
Penguin Ocean Warrior Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Rheinische Republik Posts: 3,322 Downloads: 92 Uploads: 0	The only way it could work, would be using the ice as a fuse, rather than filling it into the mortar. Something like a device that keeps the shell in the end of the tube and drops it when the ice melts. The most primitive way would be a nylon string attached to the shell with the other end of the string frozen in an ice cube, with a piece of metal or wood with a hole smaller than the cube which keeps the string strained.