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Plate 017 · Mortar · World War II
Little David
An American 914 mm siege mortar — the largest-caliber gun in the U.S. arsenal.
Historical Record
Provenance & Service
Originally a test bed for aircraft bombs, Little David was developed in 1944 as a siege weapon for breaching Japanese fortifications during the planned invasion of the Home Islands. With a 914 mm rifled bore, it fired 1,700 kg shells. The atomic bombings ended the war before it could be deployed in combat. The sole prototype is preserved at the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum.