US fragmentation grenades

19
US fragmentation grenades


In the United States invented a variety of different types and types of hand grenades. In a relatively short stories the independence of this public entity, the first explosions of the “pocket artillery” said their weighty “Boom!” in the era of the Civil War for independence. In those days there was no grenade department or CB, therefore, often, the initiators of the production of a particular model were individuals. Invented, patented, well, the best samples were honored with mass production.



For example, one of the most popular models was Ketchum grenade, patented by 20 August 1861, by a certain William F. Ketchum. It was a cast-iron ellipsoid, on the one hand of which there was a flat plate of a fuse of pressure action, and on the other hand, a stabilizer shaft, necessary for the grenade to land the plate down. The large-scale use of these munitions did not produce the expected effect. The stabilizer worked poorly, and in some cases played into the hands of the enemy. During the siege of Port Hudson, the Confederates simply caught the cast iron in sheets and sent it back from the walls. And those falling from top to bottom, still exploded. The confederation troops even had their own copy of the Ketchum product - Reines grenadewhich had a modernized stabilizer and a fuse.


Ketchum's grenade ...


... and Reines


Caps garnets by Hans Excelsior The development of 1862, the beginning of the year, is similar to an anchor mine and is similar in principle to it. It was a cast-iron ball with spikes of pressure detonators protruding from it. In order for the device not to work in advance, an additional outer shell was provided, consisting of two shells. Before using one half, it was necessary to remove the fuses in the open part of the grenade and then, using the other half of the body as a handle, to throw it at the target. Ammunition turned out very dangerous in the first place for applying. Moreover, there are no known cases of using this model in combat. Nevertheless, the pomegranate, though rarely, comes across in museums and private collections. Here it is impossible not to emphasize the fact that this was the first (or one of the first) attempt by the Americans to create a hand grenade with a percussion fuse. With all the apparent simplicity, this problem has not found a solution so far. Even the Soviet RGO and the RGN have a backup detonator with deceleration. So the question of creating 100% reliable and safe garnet percussion fuses remains open even after a century and a half.



Excelsior's grenade in a case with screwed fuses


Pomegranate adams. It was not possible to find an exact description of this munition, but the remaining drawing shows that it was developed in the 1865 year, and the principle of operation is based on the use of a grater fuse with retardation. A very progressive thing at that time, and the use of a grater in detonators perfectly manifested itself in the German grenades of the First and Second World Wars, many airsoft players are still happy to use.


Garnet Adams with grater fuse

In addition to the above, in the combat spaces of the US Civil War, they used with all their might both ersatz grenades made of artillery ammunition and factory cast iron with good old wick fuses. The wick is not allowed to accurately calculate the burning time and had a tendency to "shoot" when the firing beam skipped a certain distance, which in short heats could lead to a premature explosion. Also some use and found foreign grenades.

Indeed, the era of manual fragmentation grenades as a standard fighter’s equipment, and not a “vundervaffe” requiring a separate kind of troops, began with the outbreak of the First World War. It was then that all self-respecting states began to actively introduce this type of ammunition to the troops. Since the United States also took part in the crucible of European hostilities, it is quite natural that they acquired their own model. The first American defensive frag grenade received the designation Mk i, was developed and put into service in the 1917 year, at the end of the war. It did not last long, because it had a five-step launch system and was too difficult to use. Often, in the heat of battle, the fighters did not complete the initiation procedure to the end, to no avail they threw grenades at the enemy, only in order to get her back, only already cocked. And all this, despite the fact that the Mk IA1 was also developed. It is quite reasonable that already after 2, a new, more simple to use, Mk II, came into service, and they tried to forget about their firstborn safely.


Mk i

Mk II - A manual fragmentation grenade developed in 1918 and in service with the 1920. It was used until the Vietnam War. Basically, it has a cast-iron case with notches filled with explosive (BB). The use of explosive filler - smokeless powder did not require the presence of a detonator, therefore, a simple powder igniter with a reliable moderator was used as a fuse. The notches on the body were originally intended to facilitate the division into striking elements, but later found out that the cast iron bursts abstractly, and the grenade with notches is simply easier to hold and throw.

There were several modifications of the Mk II. So, for example, initially in the case there were two openings on top for the fuse, and from the bottom for backfilling of explosives, with time they refused from the lower opening. The grenade in informal circles is called the Mk IIA1, but the military never called it that. There was a model filled with trotyl instead of gunpowder, which had a striking feature — the fragmentation of the body from the trotyl charge was too small. The striking elements were very small and quickly lost their destructive power. Such grenades were painted in bright yellow color (then they just put a yellow stripe) and received the designation Mk II HE (high explosive).


Mk II HE

Also during the combat history of this grenade, various fuses were used - М5, М6, М10 and М11. The М5 and М6, when ignited, noticeably sparked, and the М10 hissed loudly. When using the TNT filler, there were cases when the main charge worked from the primer-igniter. By the end of the service, all grenades were equipped with the safe and silent M204 fuses.

Were in service and training "pineapple". This slang name of the pomegranate received for the characteristic shape of the body, so that we have “lemon”, and they have “pineapple”.


M21 training

Transportation of TNT versions was carried out with the fuses removed, and the powder was delivered fully assembled so that the powder did not spill out. Information about the use of stubs as the Soviet F-1 not. In April, 1945, as part of the overall reorganization of army identifiers, the Roman numerals were abandoned, and the grenade received a new designation: Mk 2


And that was it. Special nozzle for shooting a grenade rifle

Mk III (Mk 3) - A hand-held high-explosive grenade designed specifically for operations in confined spaces. Interesting enough notion. The case is made of thick cardboard, and of metal parts, only the upper and lower covers and fuse. It hits the enemy not so much with fragments as with the shock wave from the explosion of a large number of explosives (227 g). The wave that forms indoors is amplified many times due to the reflection effect. This model appeared in March 1918 as an anti-bunker, but found application mainly for operations inside buildings. According to the recollections of the user: "The explosion of Mk 3 indoors can very quickly end the battle and there is no fear that shrapnel will pass through thin walls and will hit its own." Also adopted fleet like an anti-diving. Currently, it is slowly disappearing from the "counters", since the last remaining consumer - the fleet has developed a new grenade (deep charge), specialized specifically in the fight against divers - Mk40.


Mk III

There were a total of three different modifications differing in the case material and the fuses used. There is fragmentary information that thermobaric grenades came (or are preparing to come) to replace the infantry units, but it was not possible to find specifics. At least, if the Russian WP-60TB was developed, then why not exist the American equivalent.

M26 - developed to replace the MK 2 fragmentation grenade. The designers tried to deprive the new product of the shortcomings of the previous model, namely, the unstable fragmentation of the body. Powder charge tore the predecessor into too large pieces with reliable slaughter, but a small amount, and TNT gave a cloud of small fragments, reducing the radius of damage. A new grenade was made of two stamped halves, inside which, along the circumference, was placed steel wire with notches. Such a combination made it possible to use cast explosives - “compound B” (a mixture of trotyl and hexogen) and had the best damaging ability. For the elongated shape of the body, it quickly gained the nickname “lemon”, which, however, is almost an international phenomenon. It was put into service in the 1952 year and the first baptism of a grenade took place in Korea, where it showed itself well, but the Vietnamese theater engine led to the appearance of a variation for the jungle - М61. The fact is that the soldiers often wore “lemon” on top of the unloading, the phenomenon was general, and in the jungle there were many different branches that tried to cling to the ring. Installing an additional safety lever solved the problem. Moreover, there were even training grenades with such a lever. So designers note - in the military, too, need to adapt to the consumer.
Fuses were used МХNUMX, and then М204, which by the principle of their action were similar to the same М217 / М5, their main difference from their predecessors was the absence of sparks and noise during combustion.


M61 with optional fuse

Well visible wire with notches

M33 / M67 - replacing the M26 in 1968, and still in service with a fragmentation grenade. The wire was removed by making notches on the body from the inside. This slightly reduced the radius of a solid defeat (to 5 meters), which allowed using it as offensive and cheapened production. In addition, the grenade became round, so that it was more convenient and more accurate to throw. Individual attention deserves a modification M59. The ammunition is interesting in that it uses the electromechanical M217 fuse of percussion (but with a duplicating retarder). The impact detonator is not working reliably, and the delay time of the retarder increased to 7 seconds gives too many chances to the enemy. Although the attempt and counted, but with UDZS used on the RGN / RGO does not stand comparison.


M33 / 67

The history of the development of fragmentation grenades in the USA largely follows the path of other countries. And it cannot be said that they invented something special or too unfortunate. In general, it is quite good-quality products that perform the tasks assigned to it. Is that diversity is not enough, in contrast to the same Soviet range, but, you see, it was not necessary.

Sources used:
http://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/hand-grenades.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_hand_grenades
http://loadoutroom.com/148/offensive-grenades/
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19 comments
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  1. +4
    25 June 2014 09: 59
    Thank you for the article! Damn informative.
  2. 0
    25 June 2014 10: 07
    Respect has learned a lot.
  3. ZSP
    0
    25 June 2014 10: 24
    Thank you, an interesting article !!!
  4. +1
    25 June 2014 11: 35
    And all the same, as one well-known character said earlier: "Yes, his grenades are of the wrong system!"
    1. 0
      25 June 2014 18: 00
      According to the principle, does it really matter what kind of demolition? smile
  5. +4
    25 June 2014 11: 57
    M61 (without an extra fuse, in my opinion?) I threw a lot, only during exercises, really.
    They are not suitable for lefties. When you take it as it should: pen to palm, fingers
    cover the case - it is inconvenient to turn with your right hand
    ring 90 degrees and yank.
    1. 0
      25 June 2014 17: 59
      Apparently, it would be convenient for everyone (both left-handed and right-handed) to vertically arrange the ring with the check.
  6. vkrav
    +1
    25 June 2014 12: 02
    Ketchum grenade, patented August 20, 1961

    Maybe, after all, 1861?
  7. 0
    25 June 2014 15: 56
    Great article, thanks! I learned a lot
  8. Tyumen
    +1
    25 June 2014 17: 48
    Excelsior's grenade amused.
    hid from throwers. smile
  9. 0
    25 June 2014 17: 54
    Thanks to the author for the informative article! Maybe there will be a continuation about the grenades of the other participants in world wars?
    1. 0
      26 June 2014 23: 09
      Thank you) First, I want to finish with the United States, and then we'll see. If anything, I recommend "Hand and rifle grenades" by Pribylov and Kravchenko. Very informative and easy to read.
  10. 0
    25 June 2014 17: 56
    Interesting article. Thank!
  11. 0
    25 June 2014 21: 01
    Such a couple of fruits in the pants Lyashko, Kalometyu, Parashyonka and other Bandera trash !!!
  12. 0
    26 June 2014 00: 37
    All the same, our grenades are better. Bole thought out ..
  13. 0
    26 June 2014 11: 59
    Excelsior's grenade is something. I wouldn’t take it in my hands.
  14. padonok.71
    0
    26 June 2014 16: 14
    Article plus - definitely.
    And the question is - why didn’t anyone make grenades, like the German calmhandgranaten? Throwing is really convenient.
    1. 0
      26 June 2014 23: 14
      Somewhere I stumbled upon research that the pen does not add so many meters to the throw, but at the same time it increases the cost and complexity of production, well, plus the bulkiness of a grenade is not always a plus.
  15. +1
    26 June 2014 22: 16
    An informative article, we as boys in the Crimea in the 70s also found a lot of such "good".
  16. 0
    2 July 2014 01: 32
    Respect to the Author!
  17. +2
    26 August 2014 11: 38
    Now I understand why in Vietnam, when installing stretch marks, grenades were thrust into beer cans. Fuses of another system.

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