DOWNGRADED hfcSTjjJglfD UNCLASSIFIED ' S \ ARMAMENTS DESIGN DEPARTMENT Technical Report No.2/46 Part N, , i GERMAN AMMUNITION - A SURVEY OF WARTIME DEVELOPMENT GRENADES Armaments Design Department, Author*- Ministry of Supply, W.J. Ashby.. Port Halstead, Kent. for C.E.A.D. November, 194 a. A bstract This report includes critical and detailed descriptions of a large number of German grenades. All types of grenade are dealt with, and the report is illustrated by many drawings. t o I I A.:,;. D.TECHNI GAL REI'CRI Jiv .^Ab JBKkAN i'UVli iHM .L'J'ION: A SURVEY ■ .g.Ri? I .-.ID DEVELOPMENT The in it ia l distribution c-f numbered cc. ] xea wati ay fo llo w s.- 1 .'.E.A. .0. (Central File) 2 C. E. ii. D. ( Library) 3 C.8. a . R. (Library) 4-5 3 .R .7. (Technical Records) 6-23 S.R.7. (overseas Distribution 24 Sec. 0. B. 25 M. 0 .3 . 26-28 ri.E.0. 29-30 S.R. 2. 31 D irect.r Naval Intelligence 32 M. 1.(10) 33 IT. 3 .Naval Attache’ p 7 / 34 -y 9 -.***.•/ 35 S. of .... (Larkhill) 36 F.V.D.D. (Ohertsey) 37 7*.. F. V. S. ( Lulwc r t h) 38 D. (odr. 8. 8. C.Mitchell) 39 " ( Dr. R. Beeching) 40 " ( S. N. R. ) 41 " (S....P.R.) 42 " ’ (D. 1, Gel. Lamb 'ey) 43 " ( d. 2, .Col.Speeehly) 44-46 " (D. 2, Ammunition Sec 47 " D.5. 48 " D. 6. 49 D.9. 50-75 " T.1 Registry F0R3R/CRD BY JQLONEL G. K. 3IEL( '1ILT In September 1945 it became clear that the quantity of technical information and mateirial which had already arrived in th is e .untry from Germany was very large and was increasing in bulk at such a rate that i might be difficult to assimilate before a great cteal cf the subject- matter became stale. Moreover, where further investigation or corroboration was required, it might be unobtainable because #f t he dispersal of the British and German technicians concerned. It was also clear that, to make, full us- cf the material, the available technical information would have tc be extracted, "lassitict. and sifted, by personnel who wore experienced in the actual practice 1 the type cf work being considered. For these reasons, in spite ox the fa~t that there was a lot non detail to come and many loose unde, it >/, ..a decidea in the Ainmuniticr Group of the Armaments Design Department to f . rm a team cf Design O ff! and Draughtsmen to exploit vital had bee;' fcunc cut about Gorman Gun Ammunition, P rojectiles. Grenades and i‘ ■et, essentially from the po.iv. cf view of the way they were do sir mu on G .,evel.---e x. Rockets an! ire net inelumen. P, The team, working under my direction, consisted cf j.J.Ashby 3 ,C.Huggins R .;/. ivartyn, tf.Eng., Major, R.B. E. R. 3. Pearce G. S. Sanders, M. Sc. (Eng), A.C.G. 1 ., A. n. X. i.iech.E. A. W. Strutt J.U. ,7cole :ok R. G. Holton, A. W. I, Mech.E., and V/. I). Morton, B.A., also contributed. The work cf this team is recorded in the 16 separate parts cf this report, under the following headings Part A High Explosive Shell S.C. Huggins If B High Velocity, Pin Stabilised and Mceket G.S.Sanders assisted Projectiles II C armour Piercing Projectiles G. S.Sanders II D Driving Bands G. S.Sanders II E Cartridge Cases R. ./. Strutt and E.R. S. Pearce II F B. L. and q. P. Ca rt rid ge s R.!7. Strutt If ff Primers E. R. S. Pearce II H Tracei-s E.R. S. Pearce II J ilnti-Airoraft and aircraft Cannon J.U. Y/coloock ammunition It K Recoilless Gun and special aircraft Km R.w.Strutt and fjnmunit i on J. (J. Woolcock II L Methods of improving the b a llis tic R. ;K Strutt performance of guns by control n. burning c f the .propelling charge II M Mortar Bombs E. R. S. Pearce if N Grenades V/. J.-shby II P ..nti-Personnel Mines and Igniters R. l/.Martyn II -i Anti-Tank Mines, Igniters and a n ti- K .M a rty n L iftin g Devices II R Demolition Stores and accessories R. \i. Martyn ..s the members of the team could net be ij ; , i n a th eir normal duties for an indefinite period,it was decide i that the work should be completed by 1st February, 1 % 6. For th is reason any details which may come to light after this date will not have been dealt v/ith. If anything c f majer importance ecrr.es to lig h t, addenda w ill be circulated. The team have examined a vast quantity of material, both in German and in translations, and have interrogated many Gorman technicians and seme members of the team have v isite d Germany. They have made analyses cf technical detn.il, sketches and gram ha, and Mr. i/oolocck has also made formal translations of German technical documents. The monographs which comprise the several parts < f the report are r.rt intended to treat the subjects exhaustively. They give a bread general outline cf the facts as they have been ascertained, with illustrations, and pr-vide a sifted bibliogrni iiy for any who wish to follow the matter in greater detail. It is hej ed that they will be of some interest to others besides the draughtsmen and designers for whan they v/e^e primarily prepared. Cur thanks are due to the personnel of the <'■. i.O.G. and n.1.0.3. •rganisatiens, the Halstead Exploitation centre, the Naval Intelligence Authorities, M. 1.(10.) Gar O ffice, the if. S.Wavnl ttnehu and many ethers who gave us information and facilities which greatly assisted us in #ur task. fort Halstee.u, Nr. Sovencaks, Kent. 1st Pubrunry, logo. GEEnuN ^MUNITION SURVEY OP :LJIT 1RR D LV LLOPHEHT P..RT Ik Ghdht.DHS Contents Part 1. Summary Page 1 Part 2. Hand Grenades Page 6 Part 3. Rifle Grenades Page 19 Part 4. Signal Pistol Grenades Page 33 Part 5. Battle Pistol Grenades Page 38 Part 6 . Recoilless Projectiles Page 41 Part 7. Miscellaneous Page 52 Pigs. In this report, grenades are classified according to their means of projection. For convenience, the types of grenade described in Parts 1 - 5 ore -presented in the following orders- High Explosive dnti Tank Smoke Pyrotechni c Miscellaneous Part 6 , dealing with the Panzerfaust type of weapon which had a predominantly anti-tank role, is d e v e lo p e d in historical sequence. P-nff I -___GTJi;iM.. lY ( 1 ) General In the early part of the 7/ar, design development was organised to meet tactical requi rome.nis, but from 19UU- onwards these he came subordinate to supply unu transport problems. In general, there searned to be a lack of General direction of grenade design and lit t le liaison between designers. This, together with the supply problem, probably accounts for the very large numbers of stores which hav^ been produced, few of which can be classified as standard fie ld equipments. r~ Yt single problem was frequently given to different firms for solution, and this leu to considerable variation in similar types of stores. a. remarkable feature was the short time interval between the stating of a requirement a no. the issue of the store to field formations, alterations to the ciesigj. were not, however, un­ common after trials ha a been o arrieo. rut in battle. _9_ (2) Anti-Personnel Grenades (a ) Hand. Grenades, Lethality Most grenades had thin bodies and their effect depended on blast. As the need for increased lethality became obvious, fragmentation sleeves,both plain and segmented, were introduced. These were alleged to give a radius of lethality of 100 metres, but the German criterion of lethality is not lcnown. There has been lit tle evidence of over-fragmentation. Materials According to availability and the manufacturer, the following materials have been used for explosive containers Mild Steel Tinned Plate Plastic Materials Light Alloys Nipolit. Ini tiation The general form of initiation was by means of a pull friction igniter and a detonator for the main filling. Later, pellets wore introduced, as supply d ifficu lties enforced the dilution of the usual TNT fillin g . (b) R ifle Grenades Method of projection ^ rifleu cup discharger was preferred. The grenades wore pro-rifled, and in flight were spin stabilised. Great difficulty was experienced in obtaining stability at high angles of production. Materials ..gain according to availability, plastics, steel and light alloys were used. Local shortages of materials loo. to the improvised use of wood and sometimes concrete. Development Design action was directou to improving lethality and performance. German r ifle grenades ranged further than- the British, but they carried a smaller "pay load". Great attention was paiu to eartriage design to increase the effective range 01 -idle and pistol grenades. Many accidents were caused by troops using non-intorchangeable stores. '.n connection with this, the following translation . ram a German instruction to users is worth noting:- (1) Each typo of rifle grenaue is to be propelled only by the appropriate blank cartridge. Other types of bulletted blank w ill not be used, as this may lead to prematures on discharge. (Riflo Grenades are packed singly in cartons, and the appropriate blank cartridge is attached by a paper strip).