How do German hand grenades work?

The grenade mounted a charge head within a sheet-steel cylinder atop a long hollow-wooden handle. To use it, a soldier would simply pull the string downwards, dragging a rough steel rod through the igniter within the fuse.

How did German potato masher grenade work?

Unlike the majority of hand grenade designs, the Stielhandgranate design was ignited by friction. Inside the hollow wooden handle, a steel rod was attached to a string. After the string was pulled, a shower of shower of sparks lit a fuse that burned for approximately 4.5 seconds before exploding.

How effective was the grenade in ww1?

In World War I, hand grenades were also known as “hand bombs.” The general philosophy for their use in the fighting armies was that grenades could kill the enemy underground or behind cover. Offensive grenades used concussion, or shock-waves, to wound, while defensive grenades exploded, scattering shell fragments.

When were hand grenades first used?

Grenades first came into widespread military use in Europe in the 16th century. The first grenades were hollow iron balls filled with gunpowder and ignited by a slow burning fuse rolled in dampened gunpowder and dried.

How long would it take for a German stick grenade to explode?

The stick grenade, which was the standard hand grenade of German soldiers during World War I, was designed to detonate after either a 5.5 or 7 second delay, although some exploded on contact.

Are stick grenades easier to throw?

This is the standard hand position of a stick grenade before throwing it down range. They are not considered superior. They are better suited for some tasks as they are more compact and easier to use.

How much does a ww2 German grenade weigh?

The length of time the safety fuze burned was stamped on the side of the grenade and was either 5.5 or 7 seconds. The tin cylinder contained up to 10.5oz of high explosive, and the grenade weighed about 29oz total.

What was the first hand grenade?

Mills bomb
The first modern fragmentation grenade was the Mills bomb, which became available to British front-line troops in 1915. William Mills, a hand grenade designer from Sunderland, patented, developed and manufactured the “Mills bomb” at the Mills Munition Factory in Birmingham, England in 1915, designating it the No. 5.