Part Original Item, Part New Made Item. Very few available. Haphazardly assembled in the Conflict Zone during the Angolan Civil War during the 1970s. The Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonization conflict had taken place in 1974-75, following the Angolan War of Independence of 1961-74. The Civil War was primarily a struggle for power between two former liberation movements, the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). At the same time, it served as a surrogate battleground for the Cold War, due to heavy intervention by major opposing powers such as the Soviet Union and the United States.
This totally inert display mortar is constructed with a 36″ steel barrel tube, new made and totally inert (BATF Apporved), mounted on an original Portuguese Commando circular Mortar Baseplate and Angolian made bipod assembly of total utilitarian design.
IMA recovered these crude mortars from Portugal in the late 1980s having been brought back by the Portuguese from Angola over 10 years before.
Partially new made, partially original these make an unique and an interesting display item of African post Colonial History.