German Explosives
AntiTank Grenade (Panzerwurfmine)
Overall Length: 21 inches
Length of Body: 9 inches
Length of Fins: 11 inches
Diameter of Body: 4 and 1/2 inches
Weight: 1 kilogram
Filling: Cast TNT
Color: Grey
Description: The grenade consists of a metal body and a wooden handle to which are attached four canvas fins. The fins are held against the handle, before throwing, by a metal cap at the base of the handle. The body is made in two pieces crimped together and attached to the handle by a metal band.
The fuze is located at the top of the handle and consists of a striker which is held away from the primer by a creep spring and two steel balls. The two balls fit into a recess in the striker and are held outward by a safety pin fitting between them, thus causing them to bear against the top of the striker housing and prevent the striker from moving down. Attached to the safety pin is a small length of tape which is held in by the metal cap and a semicircular clip attached to one fin and fitting around the handle.
Beneath the primer and in the base of the handle is a detonator and a picric acid gaine. The main filler is cast around a cone in the body to give a hollow-charge effect.
Operation: Before throwing, the cap over the end of the handle is pulled off and the fins held against the handle.
When the grenade is thrown, the four fins fly out because of their spring ribs. When the clip attached to one fin is pulled away from the housing, this releases the tape which unwinds and pulls the safety pin out of the striker. During flight, the safety balls move in freeing the striker which compresses the creep spring on impact, setting off the primer, detonator, gaine, and main filling.
Smoke Hand Grenade 41 and Prototype Nebelhandgranate 41
Overall Length: 4.7 inches
Maximum Diameter: 2.3 inches
Total Weight: 21 ounces
Filling: (HC) Berger type mixture. Zinc and Hexachlorethane.
Delay: (N4 Ignition Tube) 4.5 seconds
Color: Olive Drab
Description:
-Prototype: This grenade consists of a body which is the head of the smoke hand grenade 39 into which the B.Z.E. igniter is fitted by means of an adapter made of some synthetic resin. The adapter is threaded externally to screw into the neck of the grenade body and internally to receive the igniter. The closed end of the ignition tube is painted green. Nb. Hgr. 39 is stenciled in white over a broken white band around the body. Is has the eight smoke emission holes of the Model 39.
-Model 41: This grenade is of the same construction as the Nebelhandgranate 39 and the Nebelhandgranate 41 prototype. However, the body has been modified so that in order to take the B.Z.E. igniter, an adapter is not necessary. A dished plate with a small central neck in the top replaces the old wide screw neck plate which required the adapter. There are only two smoke emission holes. The letters Nb. Hgr. 41 and a broken line are stenciled in white on the grenade body.
Operation: The igniter and adapter are removed from the grenade body. The N4 ignition tube is inserted, painted end first, into the central channel of the grenade head. The adapter and igniter are then replaced. The blue painted cap in the igniter is unscrewed and pulled. This functions the igniter. The grenade is then thrown and after the 4.5 second delay has elapsed, smoke is emitted through the emission holes for 2 minutes. Because of the short duration of the smoke, this grenade is used when accuracy in placing a small screen is most important, such as screening machine gun nests and pillboxes.
Smoke Hand Grenade 39 (Nebelhandgranate 39)
Overall Length: 14 inches
Total Weight: 1 pound 14 ounces
Filling: (HC) Berger type mixture. Zinc and Hexachlorethane.
Delay: (N4 Ignition Tube) 7 seconds
Color: Olive Drab
Markings: White band 8 inches wide around center of handle and lettering Nb. Hgr. 39 stenciled in white around the body above a broken white band.
Description: This grenade closely resembles the H.E. stick grenade 24 in external form and size. However, instead of the H.E. filling this grenade is filled with a Berger smoke mixture. There are eight holes in the base of the head through which the smoke escapes. The handle has three horizontal corrugations at the screw cap end to assist in differentiation by touch.
Operation: Insert the friction igniter into the handle and then place the open end of the flash cap into the recess in the top of the friction igniter, finally screwing the head onto the handle. Then, by removing the screw cap and pulling the igniter, the delay is ignited and the grenade may be thrown. Smoke is emitted for two minutes. Because of the short duration of the smoke, this grenade is used where accuracy in placing a small screen is most important, such as screening machine gun nests and pillboxes.
Next Time: German Mines and Grenades (Part 12)
Source: German Explosive Ordnance Vol. 1: Bombs, Rockets, Grenades, Mines, Fuzes & Igniters
No comments:
Post a Comment