Do mortars whistle when flying through the air in real life?

Answer 1

Some do, some don't. The "whistle" would be determined by the ballistics of the shell fired and it's velocity. The higher the velocity the higher pitched the whistle would be to a point where the frequency would be above human hearing explaining why some mortar shells "don't" whistle and are the most feared because they are coming in too fast for soldiers near their target to get out of the perimeter of it's impending impact.

Answer 2

Yes, they really do whistle, much like in the movies. If you are close to them when they land, they make a really loud crack and and well...blow stuff to bits. If they are far away when they land, they make a really low-pitched "whump" sound. Rule of thumb is that if you can hear the whistle, it means you are still alive and the mortar isn't gonna hit you. And yes, people do yell "incoming." It's not to hunker down for the mortar you just heard. Like I said, if you heard it, you're still alive to hear it. It's for the mortars that will no doubt quickly follow the one you just heard. Mortars are area weapons and it makes little sense to just shoot one. Our brains act in funny ways in combat. Some people freeze up. Some people need people yelling at them to snap them into action.

Answer 3

I have never heard a whistle and I have had mortars hit 20 feet away from me multiple times. But I am not sure about artillery, I would imagine that could whistle if you are the one getting hit with it

Answer 4

Yes, I heard it whistle before it hit the ocean in Kuwait..

Edit: But then again... I don't remember a sound when they would hit the base we were parked at in Iraq.. ummm... So I guess, I'd agree with the earlier answer.. Some do and some don't.. But I couldn't really tell ya if they were "mortars" or not either.. Now I'm confused.. hahha.. See what ya did!! lol..

Answer 5

In general, you will only hear a whistle if the round has overflown you. The round is moving faster than the speed of sound, so if you hear it, you are well out of the blast range.

There is a slight exception -- the round might be dropping on you from a high trajectory -- in that very specific case, you might hear the whistle from the lateral travel, and the round is about to rock your world.

But mostly, if you hear it, it is outgoing or overflying.

Answer 6

If it is moving fast enough. Things whistle when they really force the air out of the way.

Answer 7

not quite like the movies but yes they do make a wistle. It is simple air moving over it that makes the wistle. Some are designed to make noise when in flight as a fear tactic to add even more fear into the enemy as they come in.

Answer 8

It's a sound you will never get out of your head once you have heard it, it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
What is scarier is when they are headed in your direction, they make a slightly different sound, with a bit of warble and it is enough to make you crazy but you don't have time to go crazy before they land.

Answer 9

when they are dropping from the sky they do have that whistling sound to them.its a sound that sticks with you once you hear it the first you won' forget.I'm more bothered by the rpg sound.It kind of sounds like bottle rocket or something like that only louder and scarier.Flashbangs are like really intense m80s and bullets give that familiar whiz or pop sound and of course the all to familiar sound of a richochet bullet not sure how to describe that one though

Answer 10

I don't know about the ones used in war, I do professional pyro (fireworks) shows . It depends on the size, but yes some do and some dont.