Munitions

Anyone recognise this?

fin from a 2" mortar round????

As kebeker says, it's a fin unit from a 2 inch Mortar Bomb. The fins were a zinc alloy and cast by various engineering factories given contracts. The initials ADC are the manufacturers assigned acronym but, off he top of my head, I don't know who.

Thanks all. The ZZm after the ADC is German looking but they would hardly be mortar bombing in Dumfriesshire.

The screw cap on the base of the tail was removed before firing to expose the primer of a blank cartridge located inside the tail. The propellant was ballistite. The bomb was dropped base first into the muzzle and slid down to the bottom. The firer held the mortar barrel with one hand with the base on firm ground and fired by pushing down on a spring loaded lever that operated the internal firing pin. There was a red line painted on the back of the tube supposedly to assist in aiming. Bombs were inertia armed when fired and if unexploded on landing presented a significant risk of exploding if moved. They had to be demolished in situ using the one pound gun cotton slab. A sledgehammer to crack a nut!

As an RAF Armourer we were taught inspection and maintenance of the mortar which was in RAF service into the 60s. But I only fired one later in my service life.
During my BD days a majority of 'incidents' were members of the public reporting finds which, on investigation, were found to be 2 inch mortar bombs, usually burned out smoke. In those days Joe Public would often explain, proudly, that they had picked up the bomb and put it into a bucket full of water for safety!

I wonder if the ZZm is an inspection mark?

It's just a single but fancy Z marking, indicating a Mk.2 (Mazak) tail assembly rather than the earlier aluminium fins.