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Wurfgranate 16


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Here is the Wurfgranate 16, which was a grenade propelled from the Granatenwerfer M16, which was a spigot type mortar. The grenade itself has a thick fragmentation body, and a stabilizing fin that has four sides. The grenade weighed about 2 kilos and could go about 450 meters. The mortars were usually positioned in groups of four and spaced about 15-20 meters apart to prevent direct hits from destroying all of them at once. A good crew could fire about 250-300 grenades an hour. A side note, these grenades were nicknamed Pigeons by the French as the made a warbling sound as the came down. 

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Nice image of a Granatenwerfer crew, the two men on the left have the launcher, as well as rounds in the sacks around their necks. The men on the far right have the base plate and more rounds. 

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Image showing the launcher and base plate with nomenclature listed. 

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Rare image of the Ordnance transit chest

(Image source, internet)

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  • 1 month later...

Here is an early model of the grenade, this one had a an oval shaped body with only 3 stabilizer fins. 

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  • 2 months later...

Nice clean body.Great piece of ordinance. Have you got a 'First Pattern' ?

Seen this one for £180 what do you think of it? Repro fuse obviously.

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Picture source internet

Edited by Achtung Spitfire!
unfinished
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Typically the oval shaped types had a 3 winged stabilizer set, most likely this one has been put together as the corrosion from the head does not match the bottom portion.  180 seems a bit high for a cobbled together piece, however the oval head types are much harder to find. I only have the cylindrical type with the 4 fins. These appear from time to time here, but a lot are in dug condition. 

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Ah I see. 3 fins not four. Glad I asked! Interesting observation with regards to the body & tail being in different condition. Great observation.!

Still very much a newbie though I am learning. Knowledge is power! Nice one.

 

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Not a problem, although typically found with 3 fins, the oval shaped types could have been fitted with the 4 fins as well. With the economic and resource depravations the Germans faced, they would have used all items in any configuration if possible. So, its conceivable, but from the photos I've seen, not likely. 

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  • 5 months later...

Image of allied soldiers examining a pile of of abandoned ordinance to include the Wurfgranate 16 and the M17 stick grenade. 

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