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Little David was the nickname of an American caliber mortar designed to breach the Siegfried Line and then used for test-firing during World War II. With the same calibre as the British Mallet's Mortar, constructed in May 1857, it is one of the largest-calibre guns ever built, having a larger calibre than both of Germany's Schwerer Gustav and Dora which were .
After the Siegfried Line was breached with conventional forces, Little David was instead considered for use against the extremely strong during the expected invasion of Japan. The decision was made to test for this purpose, but the end of the war also removed all need for Little David to be deployed. The mortar was able to be transported as a two-piece mobile unit, consisting of the barrel and the base transported by two M25 tractors. In addition to the two main loads, the Little David unit would also include a bulldozer and crane with bucket to dig the emplacement for the mortar's base.
The huge mortar could be ready to fire in 12 hours. The Schwerer Gustav were hauled on 25 railway cars and required three weeks to put in firing position, but had a longer range of compared to the of Little David.
Little David was by calibre one of the largest artillery pieces ever produced, although Schwerer Gustav and Dora fired a much heavier shell. Little David's overall effectiveness would have been questionable because of its limited range and accuracy. When Japan surrendered, the invasion became unnecessary, and Little David (still in its trial phase) never saw combat.
With the closure of the Aberdeen Proving Ground Ordnance Museum and relocation to Fort Lee, retrieved 29 October 2021 the status of Little David was previously in doubt as only restored pieces made the transfer. retrieved 29 October 2021
As of September 2023 Little David has been moved to the new museum location and is slated to undergo restoration prior to display.
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