The German Wehrmacht seemed content with not developing
any larger HEAT grenades for their Schiessbecher, but the SS
had other ideas. Having difficulties obtaining the weapons they wanted,
the
SS went outside normal procurement channels to obtain what they
desired, something they continued to do throughout the war.
The reverse taper
Grosse Gewehrpanzergranate
was
not a effective geometry and and there were simplifications that could
be made as well. The result was the Gewehrpanzergranate 46 and later
the still larger Gewehrpanzergranate 61. These were different
grenades entirely, from a simplified single piece drawn sheet metal body
and shaft construction to a new base fuze design.
|
Here is the new base fuze for the Mod.46 & 61 grenades. The same is found in both grenades. It is completely contained in the tapered base plug. It is an impact "Allways" design. At the bottom is a rendering of the arming sequence. It is an inertial safety type. The detonator is in the housing with the creep spring, the firing pin is in the other half. The housing haves are "wound" when assembled, so the spring is trying to rotate the pieces but is held in the "safe" position by the outer collar, secured by a shear wire. Clever little bugger. |
|