Little David was the nickname of an American caliber mortar designed and tested between 1944 and 1945 to breach the Siegfried Line. It was also used for test-firing aerial bombs during the final years of World War II. With the same calibre as the British Mallet's Mortar which was constructed in May 1857, it is one of the largest-calibre guns ever built, having a larger calibre than both of Germany's Schwerer Gustav and Dora which were railway guns.

History

The mortar was developed as an extension of a previous proposal to destroy heavy concrete fortifications such as the Siegfried Line with massive plastic explosive charges delivered by rocket or bomb. During a discussion between representatives of the Ballistic Research Laboratory and the Office of the Chief of Ordnance it was suggested that instead of dropping such a charge from an airplane, it could be fired from a mortar. Development began of a siege mortar firing a shell. The mortar's base was a large steel box that was placed below ground, with its top flush with the surrounding surface, allowing the mortar's muzzle to be lowered horizontal for loading at ground level.

The huge mortar could be ready to fire in 12 hours. The largest (800 mm) known German artillery weapons were hauled on 25 railway cars and required three weeks to put in firing position, but had a longer range of compared to the of Little David. the status of Little David was previously in doubt as only restored pieces made the transfer.

As of September 2023 Little David has been moved to the new museum location and is slated to undergo restoration prior to display.

thumb|300px|July 1945 film footage of mortar setup and firing

thumb|300px|Shell at the [[United States Army Ordnance Museum, Maryland]]

See also

  • List of heavy mortars
  • List of the largest cannon by caliber

References

Sources

  • newsreel from the Army Pictorial Service
  • Little David Mortar Present day photos of the Little David Mortar at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD