The hand-held defensive anti-personnel grenade (“limonka F-1”) is popular weapon who fought soviet soldiers during the Great Patriotic War. It was used to defeat and eliminate enemy soldiers in defensive battles. Due to the large radius of fragmentation dispersion during an explosion, it is not dangerous to throw it only from armored vehicles, a tank or shelter.
A little history
During World War I, Russian soldiers used grenades supplied to Russia by Western allies. These were F-1 fragmentation grenades, invented in 1915 by the French, and English-made Lemon grenades. This is where the F-1 designation and the name “limonka” originate. Although some argue that this name is due to the similarity of the pomegranate in shape to the lemon fruit.
When did lemon grenades appear? Taking as a basis French model, engineer Koveshnikov created a new fuse. "Limonka" was put into service in November 1928 with a fuse having remote control, which was invented by Koveshnikov in 1927. A grenade can reach a given target only as a result of a throw by a warrior’s hand. And the fact that it has a remote effect means that the explosion will occur 3.2-4.2 seconds after the throw, regardless of any circumstances. Its modernization was carried out in 1939 by engineer V.I. Khrameev. He removed the lower window from the body and replaced the plain cast iron with steel. And in 1941, Koveshnikov’s fuse was replaced with a standard unified UZRG, invented by E.M. Viceni, which was easier to use and manufacture.
After World War II, the fuse was once again modernized, as a result of which the reliability of operation increased, and it began to be designated UZRGM. And the soldiers nicknamed the grenade “fenusha”.
Specifications
The grenade has the following tactical and technical data:
- weight of the lemon grenade - 600 g;
- explosive mass - 60 g;
- throw range - 50-60 m;
- radius of action (by fragments) - 30-40 m;
- shock wave length - 0.5 m;
- safe distance - 200 m;
- the time after which the explosion will occur is 2.7-4.2 seconds;
- the number of fragments capable of hitting a target is up to 300 pieces.
The design of the grenade turned out to be very successful, which is why it is used by the armies of many countries. Only the fuse underwent changes several times in order to improve reliability, duration of storage and operation.
Structure of a grenade
Lemon grenade, like most of anti-personnel, contains three main parts:
- Frame. It has an oval shape with a ribbed surface made of thick cast iron. When ruptured, the rib layer scatters into fragments of a certain mass and size, which have an initial speed of 730 m/sec. Total weight 600 g.
- Substance for explosion. TNT with a mass of 60 g is used. Trinitrophenol is sometimes used. In this case, the ability to destroy increases, but the shelf life in warehouses decreases; if the period expires, an explosion may occur. The explosive is separated from the metal casing by paper, varnish or paraffin.
- Fuse. His UZRGM brand has a universal structure and is suitable for other types of grenades. The fuse hole is covered with a plastic plug during weapon storage.
Explanation of title terms
Let us consider in detail what terms the concept of “limonka hand-held fragmentation anti-personnel defensive grenade” includes:
- manual - delivered to the destination as a result of a hand throw;
- fragmentation - the goal is achieved as a result of the grenade body breaking into fragments;
- anti-personnel - used to defeat enemy forces;
- defensive - fragments scatter to a width exceeding the throwing range, so it can be used for any kind of cover.
How to use a lemon hand grenade
For practical use unbend the antennae on the safety pin. Next, the grenade is taken in the right hand and the lever is pressed against the body. Before you throw, forefinger with the left hand they thread the checks into the ring and pull it out. After this, the “lemon” can be held in the hand until the lever is released. Having chosen a target, it is released, the firing pin breaks the primer, and after about four seconds an explosion occurs.
Storage
Lemon grenades contain twenty pieces per wooden boxes, whose weight is 20 kg. Fuses in two impenetrable metal cans, ten pieces each, are placed in the same box and equipped with a can opener in order to open the containers with the fuse. Lemon grenades are supplied with fuses right before they are used. After the end of the battle, the fuse is removed from the device and kept separately. The purpose of packaging fuses in impenetrable containers is to ensure maximum safety throughout the entire shelf life and prevent corrosion and oxidation of the components of the explosive mixture.
Often the lemon grenade, the radius of destruction of which by fragments is quite large, is used when installing trip wires. It can remain for a long time under unfavorable conditions until the trap is triggered, and has a high damaging factor.
Grenade coloring
The color of the combat grenade is green, ranging from khaki to dark green. The training "fenyusha", unlike the combat one, has a black color and two white stripes, one of which is located vertically and the other horizontally.
There is a hole at the bottom of the imitation lemon grenade. The pin ring and part of the pressure lever below are scarlet. But the fuse itself is not painted.
F-1 during the Great Patriotic War
During these years, the production of the F-1 grenade increased significantly. It was produced not only at specialized military factories, but even former enterprises for the production of canned food were used for this purpose. Its phenomenality lies in the fact that the body was ordinary tin can with changed sizes. Instead of canned food, a thick steel strip with notches and a charge were placed in it. And the substance for the explosion could be gunpowder, which was used for hunters’ rifles, but this had virtually no effect on the fighting qualities.
According to statistics, approximately two and a half million lemons were used in the battles near Stalingrad, and at Kursk their number exceeded 4,000,000, and during the battle for Berlin - about 3,000,000. Soldiers used "fenyusha" both in defense and so in offensive operations thanks to its fighting qualities and light weight. How much does a lemon grenade weigh? It turns out that it was only a little more than half a kilogram, so it was taken into battle by infantrymen, tank crews and artillery soldiers. Even the pilots took “efki” with them in case of an emergency landing of the plane on enemy territory. The F-1 grenade was called a weapon of victory, along with Il-2 aircraft, T-34 tanks and rocket launchers"Katyusha".
"Limonka" in the Afghan war
The F-1 grenade also contributed to military operations in Afghanistan. In the mountains, during close combat, she was the most effective. Among the stones that served as cover, it was used in direct combat with the enemy. On open area using a grenade is dangerous due to the large scattering of fragments, and when the dushmans are on the slope of a mountain, using lemons is much more convenient than artillery or mortars. Combat in the mountains was based on the rule “whoever is higher is stronger.” Even with the actions of one unit below, those located on the ridge helped him from above. In some cases, due to the flight range, the fuse pin was tied to the body of the grenade so that it would not explode in the air before reaching its destination.
Quite often we used the lemon grenade (photo above) on mountain trails to install trip wires. The explosion was so strong that all the grass within a radius of 5-6 meters disappeared from the surface of the earth, and, of course, there was no chance for those who fell to survive. In Afghanistan, the military called “Limonka” “lovebird.” She was always left just in case (captivity or encirclement). Using F-1, you can lift yourself into the air, so as not to be captured, and everyone who is nearby. During the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, sometimes, before reaching the border, they were allowed to blow up “fenushas” in a ravine, and take the ring from the fuse as a souvenir.
How to make a lemon grenade in the classic way
For manufacturing you will need the following materials:
- any peas;
- firecracker bought in a store;
- office glue;
- different A4 paper;
- glue "Moment";
- bobbin threads;
- household matches;
- plastic bottle;
- empty matchbox;
- any paint.
To make an igniter you need:
- From plastic bottle cut a strip 70 mm long and 8 mm wide. Make a hole at one end and attach a key ring to it. This will be a check.
- On the opposite side From the ring, glue a grater from the matchbox for ignition.
- Take a firecracker and tape a match around it so that there is a match head near the ignition point.
- Attach the made pin with an elastic band to the firecracker.
- To make the body you will need a cardboard cylinder (you can take it from toilet paper). Close one edge with a circle, cutting it out of cardboard. Cut a hole in the lid for the pin.
- Attach the bottom to the mold with tape.
- Insert the fuse into the body and fill it with peas.
Cover the bottom of the grenade with cardboard and wrap everything with tape. The grenade is ready.
- In the USA, when the Second World War ended World War, was designed new model T13 grenades. Its shape, size and weight corresponded to a baseball. All American children play baseball, so they believed that every soldier could throw a grenade without training. During the Normandy operation it was tested, but there is no data on the effectiveness of its use.
- The consonance of the words “pomegranate” and “grenade” is not entirely accidental. Back in the 16th century, the French army had throwing weapon, named after the fruit. This was due to the similarity of the shape and rupture of the grenade with the appearance of a cut fruit.
- The Soviet F-1 grenade is an improved French copy and is called “limonka”. And a similar American one, having a ribbed shape, was called “pineapple”.
- Some believe that the grooved surface of grenades improves the formation of fragments during an explosion. In fact, the formation of fragments occurs randomly, and the shape of the grenade has nothing to do with this. It’s just that a ribbed grenade is convenient to hold in your hand.
Use of lemon juice in the film industry
The popularity of F-1 was also increased by cinema. In many films where there are fights or gang warfare, directors insert shots using lemons, but often do not think about the vitality of what is being shown in the film. Some errors have become realities. Often in the frame you can see that “lemons” are carried on the chest or on the belt. In fact, the grenade was carried in pockets or a bag so as not to get caught on objects and accidentally explode. In the frame, the pin can be pulled out with teeth. It is impossible to do this in life, since this requires considerable effort.
What's the best way to throw a grenade?
The explosion of the F-1 grenade occurs with such force that close range A bulletproof vest won't help either. The fragments will damage your face, legs and arms. And if it hits the neck, death occurs. Small fragments cause damage up to 100 m and 250 m - large ones. IN indoors also appears shock wave, causing concussion.
There are several ways to throw a grenade:
- Without swinging, they throw exactly at the target and far. The throwing hand is above the head. It must be well designed. This technique is used in closed spaces, during fights on the streets.
- Throw from the belt or grenade bag from below to forward. Used in buildings when it is necessary to throw several grenades at once.
- Throw from around a corner or any cover that has a vertical position. Throw from the waist and below.
- In a lying position, they are thrown from the waist along a slot in a horizontal position.
- From the kneeling position. The technique is used when you need to throw far.
After throwing a grenade, you should hide behind cover. There is no need to be curious and see how it worked. After the explosion, count to 22, during which time the fragments will settle down, and you can make a dash, moving to the side.
Conclusion
In terms of production scale, the Russian “limonka” grenade has overtaken not only the famous Kalashnikov assault rifle, but also the total number of hand grenades for defense throughout the world.
Its production numbers several billion copies. Over its hundred-year existence, it blew up almost half the planet. The F-1 is still the best grenade of its kind and is in service in the armies of a number of countries. Its technical data, durability and effectiveness allow us to hope that the famous “lemon” will remain in combat formation for a long time.
Drawing. Hand fragmentation grenades poster 2000X1333 pixels
Anti-personnel hand grenades
Anti-personnel hand grenades are divided into two types: offensive and defensive.
In essence, they are similar and the principle of operation is the same, but there are differences, knowing which allows maximum efficiency to be achieved when using hand grenades. Many served in the army, but not everyone had the opportunity to use real, not training grenades, and most only know about them from films. But as you know, in films, entertainment and special effects come first, and no one thinks about realism. Now let’s figure out the differences between offensive grenades and defensive ones.
The main difference is the number and weight of fragments scattered when a grenade explodes. Offensive grenades are lighter and can be thrown over a greater distance. Offensive grenades have a smaller damage radius and smaller fragment weight. This is necessary so that during the attack you do not injure yourself and your comrades. big amount heavy fragments. Attackers, as a rule, are in worse conditions, compared to defenders, who, as a rule, have shelters, buildings, trenches at their disposal. Any grenade that hits the target accurately will incapacitate the infantry, but fragments from an offensive grenade will not fly back.
Grenades are defensive, have a larger damage radius, are heavier and more dangerous lethal force fragments. Such grenades are thrown from trenches, buildings, and shelters. The scattering of fragments is greater, the probability of destroying the advancing enemy is greater. And since the one throwing a defensive grenade is in cover, he is not afraid of fragments from his own grenade.
RGD-5 hand fragmentation grenade
RGD-5 - (hand grenade, remote, GRAU Index - 57-G-717) offensive hand grenade, belongs to the anti-personnel fragmentation hand grenades of the offensive type. This means that it is designed to destroy enemy personnel with hull fragments when it explodes. The grenade reaches its target by throwing it with the hand. Remote action - means that the grenade will explode after a certain time (3.2-4.2 seconds) after it is released, regardless of other conditions. Offensive type - means that the grenade fragments have a small mass and fly at a distance shorter than the possible throw range.
Characteristics of RGD-5
Weight, kg: 0.31
Length, mm: 114
Diameter, mm: 56.8
Explosive: TNT
Mass of explosive, kg: 0.11
Detonation mechanism: UZRG, UZRGM, or UZRGM-2 fuse
The burning time of the retarder is 3.2-4.2 seconds.
Externally, the grenade has an oval body made of thin steel. The streamlined body is assembled from an upper and lower part, each of which includes an outer shell and a liner. The igniter hole is closed with a plastic plug during storage. The mass of the grenade with a fuse is 310 g. The explosive charge is TNT weighing 110 grams. The scattering range of fragments is 25 - 30 meters.
The grenade fuse is universal, also suitable for RG-42 and F-1 grenades. Fuse brand: UZRG, UZRGM (from the second half of the 1950s), or UZRGM-2. All these fuses are interchangeable.
RGD-5 and the fuse for it. The hole for the fuse in the grenade body is closed with a plastic plug to prevent dirt from getting in.
UZRGM grenade fuse
Application of RGD-5
To use a grenade, you need to straighten the antennae of the safety pin, take the grenade in your right hand (for a right-handed person) so that your fingers press the lever to the body.
Before throwing a grenade, insert the index finger of your left hand into the pin ring and pull out the pin. The grenade can continue to remain in the hand as long as desired, since until the lever is released, the firing pin cannot break the primer.
After choosing the moment of the throw and the target, throw the grenade at the target. At this moment, the lever will rotate under the influence of the striker spring, releasing the striker, and fly off to the side. The drummer will puncture the capsule and after 3.2-4.2 seconds an explosion will occur.
The RGD-5 grenade was adopted for service in 1954, replacing the RG-42 offensive grenade. The experience of World War II showed that the range of RG-42 fragments sometimes exceeded the throwing range, creating a threat of hitting the thrower.
The training and simulation modification of the grenade is called URG-N (training hand grenade - offensive).
RGD-5 fragmentation grenade
Drawing. Fragmentation grenades RGD-5 F-1 RGN RGO
F-1 anti-personnel hand grenade
(GRAU index - 57-G-721)
The F-1 grenade is designed to destroy manpower in defensive combat. Due to the significant radius of scattering of fragments, it can only be thrown from behind cover, from an armored personnel carrier or from a tank.
Characteristics of F-1
Diameter, mm 55
Case height, mm 86
Height with fuse, mm 117
Grenade weight, kg 0.6
Explosive mass, kg 0.06-0.09
Explosive type TNT
UZRGM fuse
Deceleration time, sec 3.2-4.2
Throwing range: 35-40 m
Shrapnel damage radius: 5 m
200 m - safe distance
Fuse deceleration time: 3 2-4.2 sec
Number of fragments up to 300 pcs.
For the basis of fragmentation F-1 grenades The French F-1 grenade of the 1915 model and the English Lemon grenade were taken (according to another version, the Mills grenade was taken as the basis), hence the second name “Limonka”, and the soldiers also called it “Fenyusha”. In 1941, a simpler UZRG fuse (unified hand grenade fuse) of the E.M. system began to be used on grenades. Viceni instead of fuse F.V. Koveshnikova.
F-1 grenade was put into service in two stages. The Red Army was necessary domestic grenade, and in the warehouses there were many foreign grenades from the period of the First World War of the Lemon system, the fuse for these grenades was not reliable and in 1928 the fuse of F.V. Koveshnikov was tested for them and adopted for service, and since 1930 Soviet Union began to produce these grenades himself. In 1941, a simpler UZRG fuse (unified hand grenade fuse) of the E.M. system began to be used on grenades. Viceni instead of fuse F.V. Koveshnikova. And after the war, the fuse was replaced with an UZRGM (modernized unified hand grenade fuse).
F-1 grenade refers to defensive grenades, since the lethal dispersion of fragments is 200 meters, and the mass of fragments is several times greater than offensive grenades. A scattering of 200 meters does not mean that within a radius of 200 meters everything will be in fragments, since half of the fragments will go into the ground, most of the fragments have insignificant weight, which does not allow them to have the energy to cause harm beyond 50 meters, and to “catch” a fragment is (and) at a distance of 200 meters it is unlikely, since the density of fragments will be very small. When throwing, a soldier must take cover from shrapnel.
F-1 "Limonka" grenades There are several types in the army: training and combat. The training and simulation room serves to teach throwing and its equipment, since some individuals, due to psychological characteristics cannot throw it further than 5-10 meters, while the throw common man should be at least 25-30 meters. The training grenade is painted black, the lever from the training fuse is painted scarlet.
Grenades are stored in wooden boxes (photo) of 20 pieces each with an ebonite lid per grenade, fuses are stored in two sealed jars of 10 pieces each. They are equipped before use. Before throwing a grenade, you need to press the fuse lever, straighten the antennae of the safety pin and pull it out, then throw the grenade towards the enemy, immediately after the throw the lever flies off and releases the firing pin, which pierces the primer, igniting the retarder, which after 3.5-4.5 seconds produces an explosion the detonator and the grenade itself.
During the Second World War, grenades were often carried on equipment belts or in pouches for 2 grenades. After the war, grenades are often carried in unloading vests of 2-6 pieces.
Thanks to the movie, people have the idea that the pin of a grenade can be pulled out with your teeth - this is very difficult to do in reality, as well as the power of the explosion when a grenade blows a car into pieces.
The grenade combined low cost of production, equipment with many explosives, the ability handicraft the body was made of cast iron and other metals, and the grenade also had good destructive properties.
Grant F-1 "Limonka" has a ribbed body, but this action was not done to produce fragments of a certain shape, but for the convenience of throwing a grenade, as well as the use of a grenade as an anti-personnel mine, since the body is easy to attach with wire or rope to a tree. if you do the “stretch” according to your mind, then it is advisable to eliminate the retarding fuse in the UZRGM so as not to give the victim the saving 4 seconds, because when the safety lever flies away, the firing pin hits the ignition capsule with a ringing bang and the enemy soldier will have time to react in order to jump to a safe place .
During an explosion, the rifling on a grenade does not affect the number of fragments; during an explosion, the guarantor F-1 "Limonka" creates 270-300 large fragments with an expansion speed of 700-730 m/s. The power of the explosion is achieved due to the fact that the body of the grenade is durable and during the explosion of the explosive there is an accumulation of energy in the grenade for thousandths of a second and a sharp explosion when the body cannot withstand the energy of the explosion, for example, the RGD-5 immediately has a thin-walled body, the thin body does not can accumulate the force of an explosion.
The grenade was actively used during the Second World War and in many military conflicts, and for this reason it has not become obsolete and is in service with many countries of the world.
| Explosion speed | 700-730 m/s |
| Scattering of fragments | 200 meters |
| Radius of continuous damage | 10 meters |
| Fuse | remote 3.2-4.5 seconds |
| Weight of explosives | 60-90 grams, usually TNT |
| Weight | 0.6 kg |
| Dimensions | 55x86 mm |
The F-1 grenade has French roots and a long history. Under this designation, but in Latin transcription - F-1 - the grenade was adopted by the French army in 1915.
The French F-1 grenade had a percussion fuse. The simplicity and rationality of the design of the grenade body played a role - the grenade was soon adopted for service in Russia. At the same time, the impact fuse was not sufficiently reliable and safe to use and was replaced by a simpler and more reliable remote domestic fuse designed by Koveshnikov.
F-1 with Koveshnikov fuse
In 1939, military engineer F.I. Khrameev of the People's Commissariat of Defense plant, based on the model of the French F-1 hand fragmentation grenade, developed a sample of the domestic F-1 defensive grenade, which was soon put into mass production.
For the F-1 grenade designed by Khrameev, the cast iron body of the grenade was somewhat simplified; it lost the lower window.
The F-1 grenade, like the French F-1 model, is designed to destroy enemy personnel in defensive operations. With her combat use the throwing fighter needed to take cover in a trench or other defensive structures.
Initially, the F-1 grenade used a fuse designed by F.V. Koveshnikov, which was much more reliable and easier to use than the French fuse. The deceleration time of Koveshnikov's fuse was 3.5-4.5 seconds.
In 1941, designers E.M. Viceni and A.A. Poednyakov developed and put into service to replace Koveshnikov's fuse a new, safer and simpler in design fuse for the F-1 hand grenade.
In 1942, the new fuse became common for the F-1 and RG-42 hand grenades; it was called UZRG - “unified fuse for hand grenades.”
The fuse of the UZRGM type grenade was intended to explode the explosive charge of the grenade. The principle of operation of the mechanism was remote.
After World War II, modernized, more reliable UZRGM and UZRGM-2 fuses began to be used on F-1 grenades.
The F-1 grenade consists of a body, a bursting charge and a fuse.
The body of the grenade is cast iron, with longitudinal and transverse grooves along which the grenade usually exploded into fragments.
In the upper part of the body there was a threaded hole for screwing in the fuse. When storing, transporting and carrying the grenade, a plastic plug was screwed into this hole.
The explosive charge filled the body and served to break the grenade into fragments.
The body served to connect the parts of the grenade and to hit the enemy with fragments during the explosion.
To increase the number of fragments, the surface of the body was made corrugated. When the body ruptured, it produced 290 large heavy fragments with an initial expansion speed of about 730 m/s. At the same time, 38% of the mass of the body was used to form lethal fragments, the rest was simply sprayed. The reduced area of scattering of fragments is 75 - 82 m2.
UZRG fuse:
1 - ignition mechanism tube; 2 - connecting
sleeve; 3 - guide washer; 4 - mainspring;
5 - drummer; 6 - striker washer; 7 - release lever;
8 - safety pin with ring; 9 - retarder bushing;
10 - igniter primer; 11 - powder moderator;
12 - detonator capsule.
The fuse consisted of a fuse and an igniting (percussion) mechanism, assembled together in the frame of the fuse. In the walls of the frame there were holes for a safety ball and a safety pin.
The UZRG fuse consisted of an igniter primer, a remote composition and a detonator primer. The ignition mechanism consisted of a firing pin, a mainspring, a safety ball, a safety cap with an outer lever, a cap spring and a safety pin with a ring. The drummer was placed inside the frame. At the bottom, the striker had a firing pin, and on the side there was a semicircular recess for a safety ball. The deceleration time of the UZRG fuse was 3.2-4.2 seconds.
F-1 grenades were stored and transported without fuses, with blank plugs screwed in instead. The ignition mechanism of the fuse was always cocked, the firing pin was cocked, and the mainspring was compressed. The striker was held in the cocked position by a safety pin, which passes through the holes of the frame and the striker, and by a safety ball, which with one half entered into the hole of the frame, and the other into the recess of the striker. The ball was held in this position by a safety cap.
To load a grenade you need to: unscrew the blank cap, take the fuse and carefully screw it into the hole of the grenade.
F-1 with UZRGM-2 fuse
To throw a grenade you need to: take a grenade right hand and with your fingers firmly press the outer lever of the safety cap to the grenade body; while holding the lever, pull out the safety pin with your left hand; in this case, the firing pin and the safety cap are released, but the firing pin remains cocked, held by the safety ball; swing and throw a grenade.The grenade was thrown from behind cover.
Grenades were delivered to the troops in wooden boxes. In the box, grenades, handles and fuses were placed separately in metal boxes. There was a knife to open the boxes. The walls and lid of the box were marked, indicating: the number of grenades in the box, their weight, the name of the grenades and fuses, the manufacturer's number, the batch number of the grenades, the year of manufacture and the danger sign. All supplies of grenades and fuses, except for portable ones, were stored in factory closures.
Soldiers carried grenades in grenade bags. The fuses were placed in them separately from the grenades, and each fuse had to be wrapped in paper or a clean rag.
In tanks (armored personnel carriers, self-propelled artillery units), grenades and fuses separately from them were placed in bags.
The F-1 grenade was widely used during the Soviet-Finnish military conflict of 1939 - 1940, on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, and in other wars and military conflicts.
During the Great Patriotic War, soldiers affectionately called the F-1 grenade “fenusha” and “limon” because it appearance looks like a lemon. Usually, when conducting assault operations, there were five to ten F-1 grenades per soldier.
The F-1 grenade was readily used as a trophy and German soldiers, since such defensive grenades were not in service with the Wehrmacht.
The production of F-1 grenades during the war years was carried out at plant No. 254 (since 1942), 230 ("Tizpribor"), 53, in the workshops of the Povenetsky shipyard, a mechanical plant and a railway junction in Kandalaksha, the central repair workshops of the NKVD Soroklag, artel "Primus" (Leningrad), other domestic enterprises.
During the war, many non-core enterprises and organizations were involved in the production of F-1 grenades. By order of the City Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks on December 28, 1941, production (casting and machining) of F-1 hand grenade cases was organized in the experimental workshops of the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute. In total, the workshops cast 11,000 cases. 5,000 unprocessed hulls were delivered to plant No. 103, 4,800 of them passed machining and were transferred to the Pyatiletka factory. The order for the production of grenade casings was suspended on the instructions of the city committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks).
During the war, Leningrad enterprises mastered the production of a version of the fuse for a grenade using one of the brands of hunting gunpowder instead of special tubular gunpowder. In 1942, tests of such a fuse under the designation “PP-42” for the F-1 grenade were carried out at ANIOP (“Rzhev Test Site”). Grenades with RR-42 fuses were put into mass production only at enterprises in Leningrad. These implementations were temporary. There were other examples of unusual grenade production during the war.
Many inventions and design proposals are associated with the F-1 grenade. In August 1942, a sergeant from Mortar Battalion 284 rifle regiment N.K. Deryabin developed the “flea grenade” project. It was intended to defeat enemy personnel. The composition of the “flea grenade” included: knockout charge, firing pin with striker and nut, F-1 grenade with the fuse removed. The grenade exploded in the air at a height of 10-15 meters. It was proposed to use a grenade with a parachute for mining. But Deryabin's system turned out to be too complicated. According to military experts, the project was not implemented due to lack of practical value.
To train military personnel to use hand tools fragmentation grenades remote action, techniques and rules for throwing them, a training and simulation hand grenade URG weighing 530 g was created, outwardly similar to live grenade F-1. The URG grenade is equipped with a UZRG fuse simulator.
training and simulation hand grenade URG
with imitation fuse
The F-1 combat grenade is painted in green color(from khaki to dark green). The training and simulation grenade is painted black with two white (vertical and horizontal) stripes. In addition, it has a hole at the bottom. The fighting fuse has no color. In the training-imitation fuse, the pin ring and the lower part of the pressure lever are painted scarlet. Externally, the grenade has an oval ribbed body made of steel cast iron.
training split grenade F-1-A with Koveshnikov fuse:
1 - fuse core; 2 - detonator cap thimble;
3 - safety cap; 4 - outer lever
cap; 5 - delaying protrusion on the fuse frame;
6 - safety pin; 7 - igniter primer;
8 - powder composition; 9 - detonator capsule; 10 - drummer;
11 - fuse ball; 12 - mainspring;
13 - cap spring.
Another training split grenade F-1-A (57-G-7214U) was developed by the Training Instruments Plant No. 1 in January 1940. The grenade had a quarter cutout of the body; instead of an explosive, plaster was poured. It was intended to demonstrate the design of the F-1 combat grenade. The F-1-A grenade was used for training in the Red and Soviet armies for a long time.
The F-1 grenade was widely used in military conflicts of the 1940s-1990s in different parts Sveta.
The disadvantages of the F-1 grenade are not so much related to this sample, but are due to the general obsolescence of this generation of grenades. Corrugation of the body, as one of the methods of specified crushing, cannot fully ensure the formation of fragments of a satisfactory shape and the optimal distribution of fragments by mass. The crushing of the hull is largely random. The advantages of a remote fuse include failure-free operation, independent of the impact energy when a grenade falls, and whether it falls on the ground, in snow, in water or in swampy soil. But its drawback is that it cannot ensure an instant detonation of a grenade when it touches the target: the retarder has a specified burning time.
Grenade weight, g 600
Charge weight, g 60
Explosive type TNT
Grenade body length, mm 86
Length of grenade with fuse, mm 117
Grenade diameter, mm 55
Throwing range, m 30 - 40
Radius of fragments scattering, m 200
Moderator burning time, s 3.2 - 4.2
And the F-1 grenade, as one of the outstanding representatives of the classic type of hand grenades with a solid cast iron body of virtually natural crushing and a simple, reliable remote fuse, cannot compete with modern grenades for the same purpose - both in terms of optimal fragmentation action and versatility of action fuse. All these problems are solved differently at modern technical, scientific and production levels. So, in Russian Army The RGO grenade (defensive hand grenade) was created, largely unified with the RGN grenade (offensive hand grenade). The unified fuse of these grenades has a more complex design: its design combines remote and impact mechanisms. Grenade bodies also have significantly greater fragmentation efficiency.However, the F-1 grenade has not been removed from service and will probably remain in service for a long time. There is a simple explanation for this: simplicity, cheapness and reliability, as well as time-tested are the most valuable qualities for a weapon. And in a combat situation, it is not always possible to counter these qualities with technical perfection, which requires large production and economic costs.
Everyone, from the military to military weapon enthusiasts, knows the F-1 anti-personnel hand grenade. The boys, playing in the yard and throwing stones, always imagined that this was the famous lemon tree. One way or another “fenka” was the name given to the F-1 grenade during the Great Patriotic War.
The history of the invention of the F-1 grenade began in 1939. Designer Fedor Khrameev was given the task of developing a new anti-personnel grenade in two months. He was able to complete it on time, despite being too short time. The designer took the French-made F-1 grenade and the Lemon system grenade as a basis. It was shaped like a lemon, hence the name. And according to the official version, it came from a French analogue.
F-1, thanks to its design, is in service large quantity countries even today. Chinese “masters” took it as a prototype and began to produce their own fake, which indicates its popularity. Now the F-1 is also produced in Iran, completely copying the Soviet model.
F-1 hand grenade fragmentation type used to undermine equipment, it was often used during the war of 1941-1945. In addition, it was installed as a trip mine. It was enough to pull the wire to avoid the use of mines.
The Limonka grenade also gained fame in the cinema. Not a single war film can do without it. Although, you can often see the grenade being used incorrectly. In particular, it was always carried in a bag, and was never hung with it, so as not to trigger the “Limonka” mechanism. In addition, the pin cannot be pulled out with teeth; this requires considerable effort.
F-1 became widespread in the 90s. It was often used together with a Kalashnikov assault rifle during gang warfare. Despite its simplicity, the F-1 hand grenade has been used for more than 70 years and continues to be in service.
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