Historic context :

At spring 1915, the Austro-Hungarian military technical commission (TMK) introduced a 12cm version of its 9cm MW M14 light minenwerder. The '12cm Minenwerfer M15' was more or less a clone of the 9cm mortar, with enlarged proportions.

The new weapon inherited most of the issues known with its predecessor (including the range shorter than 500 m), but could fire much more powerful 10.5 kg shells.

Surprisingly, the TMK reduced by itself the army order from 50 to 10 units in order to give a maximum of capacity to the more performing Skoda 14cm M15 middle mortar that had been tested meanwhile. A second order for 100 mortars was cancelled in 1916 before the end of the deliveries.

Technical data :

• Complete description : 12cm trench mortar M 1915
• Design year : 1915
• Calibre : 120.00 mm
• Weight in firing position : 134.5 kg
• Weight for transportation :
• Tube length in calibres : 0.00
• Grooves : 0 smooth bore
• Projectile weight : 10.5 kg
• Initial speed :
• Fire rate :
• Range : 51 to 430 m
• Elevation range : +85 degrees max
• Direction range : none