Description
TM 9-2200 Small Arms, Light Field Mortars, and 20mm Aircraft Guns – October 1943
Item Overview
This World War II War Department Technical Manual TM 9-2200 is a broad reference covering American small arms, light field mortars, 20mm aircraft guns, mounts, ammunition, and supporting equipment. Issued in October 1943, it combines photographs, drawings, specifications, performance figures, and reference data for weapons then under the Small Arms Branches of the Ordnance Department. Its wide scope makes it useful for identifying and studying many important U.S. weapons from the middle of World War II.
Publication Details
TM 9-2200 was prepared as a technical-data guide rather than an operator’s manual for one weapon. It allowed military personnel to compare the dimensions, weights, capabilities, ammunition, and intended uses of many different ordnance items.
- Manual Number: TM 9-2200
- Official Title: Small Arms, Light Field Mortars, and 20-mm Aircraft Guns
- Issue Date: October 1943
- Issuing Authority: United States War Department
- Responsible Branch: Ordnance Department
- Length: 277 numbered pages
- Original Distribution Marking: Restricted
- Superseded Publication: TM 9-2200 dated June 12, 1942
- Primary Format: Illustrated technical-data and identification reference
Publication History
This October 1943 edition updated the earlier June 1942 version during a period of rapid wartime development and production. New or revised weapons, including the M3 submachine gun and evolving aircraft armament, created a need for current identification and technical data. The manual gave Ordnance personnel one central reference for equipment that otherwise required many separate weapon manuals and supply publications.
Function and Contents
The manual is divided into sections covering weapons, mounts, pyrotechnic projectors, equipment, ammunition, technical data, and related references. Entries give identifying nomenclature, dimensions, weights, performance information, tactical purpose, compatible equipment, drawings, specifications, and related publications. Its illustrations include complete weapons, component groups, mounts, ammunition containers, clips, belts, links, targets, bayonets, and other supporting equipment.
Documented Weapon Coverage
TM 9-2200 covers pistols, revolvers, carbines, rifles, automatic rifles, shotguns, submachine guns, machine guns, mortars, and aircraft automatic guns. Documented examples include the M1911A1 pistol, M1 Carbine, M1903 and M1 rifles, Browning Automatic Rifle, Thompson and M3 submachine guns, Browning .30-caliber and .50-caliber machine guns, 60mm M2 mortar, 81mm M1 mortar, and the 20mm M1 and AN-M2 aircraft automatic guns. The manual also identifies the mounts, ammunition, accessories, and training equipment associated with these weapon groups.
Small-Arms Equipment History
The small arms documented in TM 9-2200 reflect the wide range of weapons required by the expanding World War II Army. Traditional weapons such as the M1903 rifle and M1911A1 pistol served beside newer designs including the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, and M3 submachine gun. Browning automatic rifles and machine guns supplied mobile firepower for infantry, vehicles, aircraft, and defensive positions.
Light Field Mortar Equipment History
The 60mm M2 and 81mm M1 mortars gave infantry units portable indirect-fire support. The lighter 60mm mortar served at company level, while the larger 81mm mortar delivered heavier fire from battalion mortar units. Both designs could fire high-explosive, smoke, illuminating, and training ammunition suited to different missions.
20mm Aircraft Gun Equipment History
The 20mm M1 and AN-M2 aircraft guns developed from the Hispano-Suiza automatic cannon design. American production adapted the weapon for installation in fighter and attack aircraft where its explosive projectiles provided greater striking power than rifle-caliber machine guns. TM 9-2200 includes a type-designation chart and technical information for the basic gun and Army Air Forces configurations.
Mounts, Ammunition, and Support Equipment
The manual extends beyond the weapons themselves by documenting tripod mounts, ring mounts, antiaircraft mounts, bayonets, scabbards, helmets, pyrotechnic projectors, training targets, and other equipment. Its ammunition section covers cartridges, shotgun shells, mortar ammunition, magazines, clips, fabric belts, metallic links, and 20mm rounds. These supporting entries show how individual weapons formed part of larger supply and combat systems.
World War II Weapon-System Background
American forces depended on a connected system of weapons, mounts, ammunition, training equipment, repair parts, and technical publications. Small arms equipped individual soldiers and crew-served teams, mortars supplied close indirect fire, and 20mm guns armed military aircraft. TM 9-2200 brought the main technical characteristics of these different systems together for identification, planning, training, supply, and ordnance support.
History of Use
During World War II, the equipment covered by this manual served in every major theater. Rifles, pistols, submachine guns, and machine guns armed ground troops and vehicle crews. Mortars supported infantry attacks and defensive positions, while 20mm automatic guns equipped aircraft for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Ordnance officers, instructors, supply personnel, and maintenance organizations used references such as TM 9-2200 to identify equipment and confirm technical data.
Ideal For
This wide-ranging wartime publication is a valuable reference for anyone researching American weapons, ammunition, and ordnance equipment used during World War II.
- World War II small-arms collectors
- Military firearm and ammunition researchers
- 60mm and 81mm mortar collectors
- 20mm aircraft-gun historians
- Military museums and reference libraries
- Vehicle and aircraft restoration projects
- Living-history and reenactment research
Approx length 6", Approx width 9", Approx height .5", Approx weight 1lbs.
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