Mk VII* 2 in mortar. Used by airborne forces during World War Two, 1945 (c). The 2 inch Mortar, introduced into service in 1938, was a light weapon designed for close support fire for infantry. Originally equipped with a base-plate and sights, it was modified during the war to a very simplified form. This model, produced in 1944 for use by airborne troops, is simply a metal tube with the sighting reduced to a white line on the barrel. The High Explosive or Smoke bomb is dropped down the barrel and fired by a simple lever. The maximum range is 430 metres (500 yards).