Principle of operation f 1. Hand-held fragmentation grenades and fuses used with them. About sabotage

Along with the development of evolution, there was a constant improvement not only in tools, but also in weapons. The banal stick and stone, thanks to which our ancestors had the opportunity to attack and defend, have now been replaced by a machine gun and an F1 grenade. The characteristics of modern ones are undoubtedly an order of magnitude higher. Take, for example, a grenade. By definition, this is one of the types of explosive ammunition that is designed to disable the equipment of the opposing side or destroy manpower.

Application history

During the Great Patriotic War they were widely used. Such explosive munitions could be divided into fragmentation, lighting, smoke, anti-tank and incendiary. It is worth adding that during the war years, tens of thousands of factories and various industries were converted to create such grenades, not counting the fact that a large number of such ammunition were exclusively “handicraft production”, which were made in combat conditions by partisans.

Classification

All explosive ammunition, and the F1 grenade is no exception, are divided according to the principle of operation of the detonator and mechanism:

• Electric.
• Mechanical (tension, break, unloading and pressure).
• Chemical.
• Combined.

The electric method of charge detonation is carried out thanks to a current source, while the detonation is carried out directly when the contact is closed. This can be done manually by the demoman himself, or a disguised charge, such as on a TV, is activated at the time the victim plugs into a socket.

The mechanical method speaks for itself, and only human strength or physical impact is required. At the moment, this is the most common method, along with electric.

The chemical principle is based on the action of a certain substance or most often an acid.

Classification of ammunition according to their purpose

Everything can be divided according to the method of their impact on the target. At the moment, thanks to some modifications and improvements, the F1 combat grenade can be used for any of them. A significant role in this was played by partisans and modern military operations in the territories of the CIS and the Middle East.

• Bookmark: this method is due to the preliminary installation of an explosive device. As for grenades, the most popular is the "stretch", which is based on the physical detonation of the victim himself. At the same time, it can be both camouflaged and obvious.
• The so-called "mail item", which can be disguised as an ordinary ammunition box and detonates during its opening.

Varieties of pomegranates

• Manual - performed using a throw with the hand.
• Anti-personnel - to defeat manpower.
• Fragmentation - the defeat occurs as a result of fragments from a grenade.
• Defensive - the spread of fragments exceeds the possible range of the throw, which makes it necessary to attack from cover.
• Remote action - detonation occurs some time after the throw. The F1 training grenade provides for 3.2 and 4.2 seconds. Other explosive devices may have different detonation times.

F1 grenade: characteristics, damage radius

Of the variety of defensive weapons, I would like to highlight the following. One of the best anti-personnel, hand-held explosive devices is considered to be the F1 grenade. The performance and design proved to be so good that it managed to last a long time without any improvement. The only thing that was modified was the fuse system and its design.

This type of explosive device is designed to hold defensive positions and mainly hit enemy manpower. This is due to the rather large radius of expansion of its fragments. For the same reason, it is necessary to throw it from cover (tank, armored car, etc.) in order to avoid causing damage to oneself.

The F1 grenade has the following specifications:

• The number of fragments after the explosion reaches 300 pieces.
• Weight - 600 g.
• The explosive type is TNT.
• The throwing range is on average 37 m.
• Safe distance - 200 m.
• The radius of destruction by shrapnel is 5 m.

F1 history

It all started back in 1922, when the department of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army decided to audit the artillery depots. According to the reports of that time, they were armed with 17 types of various grenades. At the same time, among the numerous choices of types of fragmentation-defensive character, there were no explosive devices of our own production at that time. It was because of this that Mills grenades were in service, as an exception, the use of the French version of the F-1 explosive device was also allowed. And based on the fact that the French fuse was extremely unreliable, a large number were not activated, and even more so, they exploded right in their hands. The same committee, as of 1925, created a report that stated that the need for such explosive devices in the army was satisfied by only 0.5%. In the same year, Artkom decided to test all the samples that were available at that time. Based on this, a 1914 model grenade was chosen, which was to be modified for an improved analogue of the Mills fragmentation system.

Thus, the Swiss fuses were replaced by domestic ones - Koveshnikov, and already in 1925, in September, the first tests were carried out, in which fragmentation was the main criterion. The commission's conclusions satisfied the committee. This is how the F1 grenade appeared, the technical characteristics of which surpassed the French counterpart and met the needs of the Red Army.

Instructions for use

In order for the F1 grenade to be ready for action, it is necessary to find the antennae that are located on the safety check and unbend them. The explosive device is taken in the right hand, the fingers must firmly and confidently press the lever directly to the body itself. Before throwing, the index finger of the second hand must pull out the check ring. After that, you can hold the grenade for a long time, until the lever is released and the impact striker activates the fuse. If the need for the action of the grenade disappears, then the check can be inserted back, and after the antennae are returned to their original position, it can be safely stored.

Having examined the model of the F1 grenade, you can fully familiarize yourself with its structure, and due to the weight, which is identical to the combat version, you can test it for throwing range. In the case of combat operations or conditions close to them, the first step is to determine the goal and choose the right moment to perform the throw. Once the grenade is already on its way to its target, the lever will apply pressure to the striker, which, in turn, will press on the primer, which causes an explosion after a certain period of time.

Among the damaging factors, one can note not only the high-explosive action, but also the fragments that are formed as a result of the rupture of the grenade shell. This is also due to the frequent use of F1 when installing "stretch marks". So, if a person can survive during an explosion, then the fragments will not leave anyone a chance within a radius of 5 meters.

Additionally, it is worth noting a rather cunning and effective combination that consists of 2 grenades, thanks to which an anti-sapper effect is also created. So, if it is discovered by an inexperienced sapper, who subsequently cuts the tensioned cable, thereby detonating 2 fuses at the same time. There are improvements that allow instant grenades with the installation of an instant activation mine fuse.

For security

In order to avoid any annoying situations, you must be very careful about the precautions. Before laying grenades, you need to inspect them and pay attention to the fuse. The case should not show deep rust and strong dents. The fuse and its tube must not have any signs of corrosion, the pin must be intact, the ends are separated, and the bends must not be cracked. If a green coating is found on the fuse, then in no case should such a grenade be used. When transporting ammunition, it is necessary to protect it from shock, dampness, fire and dirt. If the grenades were soaked, then you can not dry them by the fire.

It is necessary to carry out systematic inspections. It is strictly forbidden:

• Touch an unexploded ordnance.
• Disassemble a combat grenade.
• Try to fix the problem yourself.
• Carry grenades without bags.

Analogues

The French fragmentation and English models were taken as the basis, thanks to which the F1 grenade appeared. The characteristics of such a symbiosis were unique compared to similar domestic explosive devices. This model is known by its nickname "lemon". In turn, models from Chile (Mk2), China (Type 1), Taiwan and Poland (F-1) can be considered copies of this grenade.

The Soviet version was widely used throughout the world in the most famous and extensive military conflicts.

The uniqueness of the F1 grenade

In fact, the fact that this type of ammunition did not need to be modified for quite a long time speaks volumes, in particular, that the F1 grenade is considered one of the best developments of that time. The characteristics of this device are so good, and the production is simple, that by the beginning of 1980 there was a huge stock of such supplies in warehouses, all of which were in working order. At the moment, they remain, if not the most perfect type, then time-tested.

Maybe after a while new, completely unique types will be created that will be completely devoid of all the shortcomings of old ammunition and will confidently take their place, but at the moment the F1 grenade remains one of the best. The characteristics (the expert's comment confirms this) of the new types of explosive devices have some advantage, but it is not yet possible to call them the best replacement for the old types of grenades.

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 body of the grenade played a role - the grenade was soon put into service in Russia. At the same time, the percussion fuse, which was not sufficiently reliable and safe to handle, was replaced by a simpler and more reliable remote domestic fuse designed by Koveshnikov.

In 1939, military engineer F.I. Khrameev of the People's Commissariat of Defense plant, modeled on the French F-1 fragmentation hand grenade, developed a sample of the domestic F-1 defensive grenade, which was soon mastered in mass production.

At 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 defeat enemy manpower in defensive operations. With its combat use, the throwing fighter needed to take cover in a trench or other protective structures.

Initially, the F-1 grenade used a fuse designed by F.V. Koveshnikov, which was much more reliable and convenient in the use of the French fuse. The deceleration time of the Koveshnikov fuse was 3.5-4.5 sec.

In 1941, the designers E.M. Viceni and A.A. Bednyakov developed and put into service instead of Koveshnikov's fuse, a new, safer and simpler fuse for the F-1 hand grenade. In 1942, the new fuse became the same for the F-1 and RG-42 hand grenades, it received the name UZRG - “unified fuse for hand grenades”. The fuse of a grenade type UZRGM was intended to explode the explosive charge of a grenade. The principle of operation of the mechanism was remote. After World War II, modernized, more reliable fuses UZRGM and UZRGM-2 began to be used on F-1 grenades.

The F-1 grenade consists of a body, an explosive charge and a fuse. The body of the grenade is cast iron, with longitudinal and transverse grooves, along which the grenade is usually torn into fragments. In the upper part of the case there was a threaded hole for screwing in the fuse. When storing, transporting and carrying a 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 destroy the enemy with shrapnel during the explosion. To increase the number of fragments, the surface of the case was made corrugated. The hull at break gave 290 large heavy fragments with an initial expansion velocity of about 730 m/s. At the same time, 38% of the mass of the hull went to the formation of lethal fragments, the rest was simply sprayed. The reduced area of ​​fragmentation is 75–82 m2.

The fuse consisted of a fuse and an igniting (percussion) mechanism assembled together in the fuse frame. The walls of the skeleton had holes for a safety ball and a safety pin.

The fuse of the UZRG consisted of an igniter capsule, a remote composition and a detonator capsule. The ignition mechanism consisted of a striker, a mainspring, a safety ball, a safety cap with an external lever, a cap spring and a safety check with a ring. The drummer was placed inside the core. At the bottom, the drummer had a striker, and on the side there was a semicircular recess for a fuse ball. The UZRG fuse deceleration time was 3.2–4.2 sec.

F-1 grenades were stored and carried without fuses, with blank plugs screwed in instead. The ignition mechanism of the fuse was always cocked, the drummer was cocked, the mainspring was compressed. The drummer was held in the cocked position by a safety pin, which passes through the holes of the core and the drummer, and a safety ball, which with one half entered the hole in the core, and the other half into the notch of the drummer. In this position, the ball was held by a safety cap.

To load a grenade you need: unscrew the blank plug, take the fuse and carefully screw it into the hole in the grenade.

To throw a grenade you need: take the grenade with your right hand and firmly press the outer lever of the safety cap against the body of the grenade with your fingers; while holding the lever, pull out the safety pin with your left hand; at the same time, the drummer and the safety cap are released, but the drummer 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 with: 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 stocks of grenades and fuses, except for wearable ones, were stored in factory capping. Grenades were carried by soldiers in grenade bags. The fuses were placed in them separately from the grenades, while each fuse had to be wrapped in paper or a clean rag. In tanks (armored personnel carriers, self-propelled artillery mounts), 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, in other wars and military conflicts. During the Great Patriotic War, the F-1 grenade was affectionately called “fenusha” and “lemonka” by soldiers because it looked like a lemon in appearance. Usually, when conducting assault operations, there were five to ten F-1 grenades per fighter. German soldiers also willingly used the F-1 grenade as a trophy, since such defensive grenades were not in service with the Wehrmacht.

The manufacture 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 ship repair plant, a mechanical plant and a railway junction in Kandalaksha, the central repair shops of the Soroklag of the NKVD, artel "Primus" (Leningrad), other domestic enterprises.

During the war, many non-core enterprises and organizations were involved in the manufacture of F-1 grenades. On December 28, 1941, at the direction of the City Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, the production (casting and machining) of F-1 hand grenade cases was organized in the experimental workshops of the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute. In total, 11,000 cases were cast by the workshops. 5,000 unprocessed hulls were handed over to plant No. 103, 4,800 of them were machined and transferred to the Pyatiletka factory. The order for the manufacture of grenade cases was suspended at the direction of the city committee of the CPSU (b).

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, at the ANIOP ("Rzhevsky training ground"), such a fuse was tested under the designation "RR-42" for the F-1 grenade. Grenades with fuses PP-42 were put into serial production only at the enterprises of Leningrad. These introductions were temporary. There were other examples of unusual grenade production during the war years.

Many inventions and design proposals are associated with the F-1 grenade. In August 1942, the sergeant of the mortar battalion of the 284th rifle regiment N.K. Deryabin developed the "flea grenade" project. It was intended to defeat enemy manpower. The composition of the "flea grenade" included: an expelling charge, a striker with a striker and a nut, an F-1 grenade with a removed fuse. The grenade was exploded in the air at a height of 10-15 meters. With a parachute, it was proposed to use a grenade 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 the personnel of the troops in the handling of hand-held fragmentation grenades of remote action, the techniques and rules for throwing them, a training and imitation hand grenade URG weighing 530 g was created, outwardly similar to the F-1 combat grenade. The URG grenade is equipped with a UZRG fuse simulator.

The F-1 combat grenade is painted green (from khaki to dark green). The training and imitation grenade is painted black with two white (vertical and horizontal) stripes. In addition, it has a hole at the bottom. The combat fuse has no coloring. At the training and simulation fuse, the pin ring and the lower part of the pressure lever are painted scarlet. Externally, the grenade has an oval ribbed cast iron body.

Another training split grenade F-1-A (57-G-7214U) was developed by the plant of training devices No. 1 in January 1940. The grenade had a cutout of a quarter of the body, instead of the explosive, plaster was poured. It was intended to demonstrate the device of the F-1 combat grenade. The F-1-A grenade was used for a long time for training in the Red and Soviet armies. The F-1 grenade was widely used in military conflicts of the 1940s-1990s in different parts of the world.

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. 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 weight. The crushing of the hull is largely random. The advantages of a remote fuse include non-failure action, independent of the impact energy when a grenade falls, whether it falls to the ground, snow, water or swampy soil. But its disadvantage lies in the fact that it cannot provide an instantaneous detonation of a grenade when it touches the target: the moderator has a predetermined burning time.

TTX grenades F-1

And the F-1 grenade, as one of the outstanding representatives of the classic type of hand grenades with a cast iron body of virtually natural crushing and a simple, reliable remote fuse, cannot compete with modern grenades of the same purpose - both in terms of optimal fragmentation action and versatility of action fuse. All these tasks are solved in a different way at the modern technical, scientific and production levels. Thus, the Russian Army created a grenade (defensive hand grenade), largely unified with the RGN grenade (offensive hand grenade). The unified fuse of these grenades has a more complex device: its design combines remote and impact mechanisms. Grenade cases also have a significantly greater fragmentation efficiency.

However, the F-1 grenade has not been withdrawn from service and will probably be in service for a long time. There is a simple explanation for this: simplicity, cheapness and reliability, as well as time-tested qualities are the most valuable qualities for a weapon. And in a combat situation, it is not always possible to oppose these qualities with the technical perfection that requires large production and economic costs.

Grenade F-1 "lemon" / Photo: vlada.io

If we approach the issue formally, then the service life of this, no doubt, an outstanding representative of the classic type of hand grenades, will be not one hundred, but eighty-nine years. In 1928, the hand-held anti-personnel defensive grenade F-1 - “lemonka” was adopted by the Red Army. But let's not rush things.

The prototype of a hand grenade has been known since the 9th century. These were earthenware vessels of various shapes, filled with energy-rich materials known at that time (lime, resin, "Greek fire"). It is clear that before the appearance of the first high explosives, it is not necessary to speak of a serious damaging effect of these ancient products. The first mention of explosive hand-held projectiles dates back to the 10th-11th century. The material for them was copper, bronze, iron, glass. Presumably, Arab merchants brought them from China or India.

An example of such a device is the bann, developed in China in the first millennium AD. an incendiary grenade with a body made from a piece of hollow bamboo stem. A charge of resin and black powder was placed inside. From above, the bann was plugged with a bunch of tow and used as a reinforced torch, sometimes a primitive wick containing saltpeter was used.

The Arabic "bortab" was a glass ball with a mixture of sulfur, saltpeter and charcoal, equipped with a wick and a chain. fastened to wood. In any case, this is how the manuscript of Nejim-Edlin-Chassan Alram "A Guide to the Art of Mounted Fighting and Various Military Vehicles" describes it. Such grenades provided not so much a striking, but a psychological and demoralizing effect on the advancing enemy.

More than 100 almost intact hand grenades made of blown glass, some of which still have wicks / Photo: Archaeological Museum of Mytilene, Lesvos.

The era of classic fragmentation grenades began in 1405, when the German inventor Konrad Kaiser von Eichstadt proposed using brittle cast iron as the body material, due to which the number of fragments formed during the explosion significantly increases. He also came up with the idea of ​​creating a cavity in the center of the powder charge, which noticeably accelerated the combustion of the mixture and increased the likelihood of pieces of the grenade body scattering into small fragmentation submunitions. The weak blasting effect of black powder required an increase in the size of the grenade, while the physical capabilities of a person limited such an increase. A cast-iron ball weighing from one to four kilograms could only be thrown by very trained fighters. The lighter shells used by cavalry and boarding parties were much less effective.

Grenades were used mainly in the assaults and defenses of fortresses, in boarding battles, and during the war of the Holy League (1511-1514) they proved to be very good. But there was also a significant drawback - the fuse. The smoldering fuse in the form of a wooden tube with powder pulp quite often went out when it hit the ground, did not give an accurate idea of ​​the time before the explosion, detonating too early, even before the throw, or too late, allowing the enemy to scatter or even return the grenade back. In the 16th century, the familiar term "grenade" appears. It was first used in one of his books by the famous gunsmith from Salzburg, Sebastian Gele, comparing the new weapon with a subtropical fruit that, falling to the ground, scatters its seeds.

In the middle of the 17th century, grenades were equipped with a prototype of an inertial fuse. During the civil war in England (1642-1652), Cromwell's soldiers began to tie a bullet to the wick inside the projectile, which, when it hit the ground, continued to move by inertia and pulled the wick inside. They also proposed a primitive stabilizer to ensure that the grenade fuses backwards.

The beginning of the intensive use of grenades in field battles also dates back to the 17th century. In 1667, soldiers (4 people per company) were allocated in the English troops specifically for throwing shells. These fighters were called "grenadiers". Only soldiers with excellent physical shape and training could become them. After all, the higher the soldier and the stronger, the farther he will be able to throw a grenade. Following the example of the British, this type of weapon was introduced in the armies of almost all states. However, the development of linear tactics gradually negated the advantage of using grenades, and by the middle of the 18th century they were removed from the equipment of field units, grenadiers became only elite infantry units. Grenades remained only in service with the garrison troops.

War of Empires

The hand grenade met the 20th century as a little used, old and forgotten weapon. In fact, these were the same black powder ammunition used by the grenadiers of the 17th century. The only improvement made to the design of grenades for almost 300 years is the appearance of a grating fuse.

French spherical grenade model 1882, used during the First World War. The body of the grenade is a simple, spherical shape (the diameter of the ball was 81 mm), made of cast iron, with a fuse hole. The fuse of a grenade could be either percussion or a simple wick, set on fire with a match. But the most typical for a spherical grenade was a “bracelet” (grating) fuse / Photo: army-news.ru

English "ball" grenade No. 15 of the 1915 model. Cast iron body 3 inches in diameter, with internal notches for fragmentation, filled with black powder or ammonal. The fuse of grenade No. 15 was a typical grating fuse, which was developed by the designer Brock. The fuse was very sensitive to dampness and often failed, so it was often replaced with a piece of Fickford cord / Photo: army-news.ru

In Russia, in 1896, the Artillery Committee ordered that hand grenades be completely withdrawn from use "... due to the emergence of more advanced means of defeating the enemy, strengthening the defense of fortresses in ditches and the insecurity of hand grenades for the defenders themselves ...".

Eight years later, the Russo-Japanese War began. This was the first battle in the history of warfare in which mass armies met, equipped with rapid-fire artillery, repeating rifles and machine guns. The presence of new weapons, and especially the increase in the range of fire weapons, increased the capabilities of the troops and necessitated the use of new methods of action on the battlefield. Field shelters reliably hid opponents from each other, making firearms practically useless. This forced both sides of the conflict to recall the forgotten type of infantry weapons. And given the lack of grenades in service, improvisations began.

The first use of grenades by the Japanese in the Russo-Japanese War was recorded on May 12, 1904 near Qingzhou. Japanese grenades were shell casings, bamboo tubes filled with an explosive charge, standard explosive charges wrapped in cloth, incendiary tubes were inserted into the ignition sockets of which.

Following the Japanese, Russian troops also began to use grenades. The first mention of their use dates back to August 1904. The production of grenades in the besieged city was carried out by the staff captain of the mine company Melik-Parsadanov and the lieutenant of the Kwantung fortress sapper company Debigoriy-Mokrievich. In the maritime department, this work was entrusted to Captain 2nd Rank Gerasimov and Lieutenant Podgursky. During the defense of Port Arthur, 67,000 hand grenades were produced and used.

Russian grenades were pieces of lead pipes, shells, in which 2-3 pyroxylin blocks were inserted. The ends of the hull were closed with wooden covers with a hole for the ignition tube. Such grenades were supplied with an incendiary tube designed for 5-6 seconds of burning. Due to the high hygroscopicity of pyroxylin, the grenades equipped with it had to be used within a certain time after manufacture. If dry pyroxylin containing 1-3% moisture exploded from a primer containing 2 g of mercury fulminate, then pyroxylin containing 5-8% moisture required an additional detonator from dry pyroxylin.

Grenades produced in Port Arthur from improvised materials / Image: topwar.ru

The illustration shows a grenade equipped with a grating igniter. It was made from a 37-mm or 47-mm artillery shell. A sleeve from a rifle cartridge was soldered to the body of the grenade, in which a grating igniter was placed. A igniter cord was inserted into the muzzle of the cartridge case and fastened there by crimping the muzzle. The lace of the grater came out through a hole in the bottom of the sleeve. The grater itself consisted of two split goose feathers, cut into one another. The contacting surfaces of the feathers were covered with an igniter composition. For the convenience of pulling, a ring or a stick was tied to the lace.

To ignite the igniter cord of such a grenade, it was necessary to pull the ring of the grating igniter. The friction between the goose feathers during mutual movement caused the ignition of the grating composition, and the beam of fire ignited the igniter cord.

In 1904, for the first time in the Russian army, a percussion grenade came into use. The creator of the grenade was the staff captain of the East Siberian mine company Lishin.

Grenade captain Lishin early sample. / Image: topwar.ru

Lessons of war

Intelligence all over the world was interested in the development of events and the course of hostilities in Manchuria. Britain sent the most observers to the Far East - it was tormented by the tragic experience of the war with the Boers. The Russian army received three British observers, and 13 British officers observed the fighting from the Japanese side. Together with the British, military attachés from Germany, France, Sweden and other countries watched the developments. Even Argentina sent a captain of the second rank, José Moneta, to Port Arthur.

The analysis of combat operations showed that significant changes must be made to the technical equipment, organization of combat training of troops and their equipment. The war required the mass production of all types of weapons and equipment. The role of the rear increased immeasurably. Uninterrupted supply of troops with ammunition and food began to play a decisive role in achieving success on the battlefield.

With the advent of more advanced weapons, positional forms of combat in the field were born. Machine guns and magazine rifles forced the final abandonment of dense battle formations of troops, chains became more rare. The machine gun and powerful fortifications sharply increased the possibility of defense, forced the attackers to combine fire and movement, use the terrain more carefully, dig in, conduct reconnaissance, conduct fire preparations for the attack, make extensive use of detours and coverage, fight even at night, better organize the interaction of troops on the field fight. Artillery began to practice firing from closed positions. The war required an increase in the caliber of guns and the widespread use of howitzers.

The Russo-Japanese War made a much stronger impression on German observers than on the French, British and militaries of other countries. The reason for this was not so much the better receptivity of the Germans to new ideas, but the tendency of the German army to view the fighting from a slightly different angle. After the signing of the Anglo-French agreement (Entente cordiale) in 1904, Kaiser Wilhelm asked Alfred von Schlieffen to develop a plan that would allow Germany to fight on two fronts at the same time, and in December 1905 von Schlieffen began work on his famous plan. The example of the use of grenades and trench mortars during the siege of Port Arthur showed the Germans that such weapons could be effectively used in the German army if it had to face similar tasks during the invasion of the territory of neighboring countries.

Already by 1913, the German military industry began mass production of the Kugelhandgranate 13 grenade. However, it is impossible to say that it was a revolutionary model. The traditional inertia of thinking of military strategists of that time, which led to the fact that grenades continued to be considered only as a means of siege warfare, had an effect. Grenades of the 1913 model were of little use as infantry weapons, primarily because of their spherical shape, which made them difficult to carry for a soldier.

Kugelhandgranate 13 Model Aa / Photo: topwar.ru

The body of the grenade was a reworked, but almost unchanged idea from three hundred years ago - a cast iron ball with a diameter of 80 mm with a ribbed notch of a symmetrical shape and a fuse point. The grenade charge was a mixed explosive based on black powder, that is, it had a low high-explosive effect, although due to the shape and material of the grenade case, it gave quite heavy fragments.

The fuse of the grenade was quite compact and not bad for its time. It was a tube protruding from the grenade body by 40 mm with a grating and remote composition inside. A safety ring was fixed on the tube, and on top there was a wire loop, which actuated the fuse. The deceleration time was supposedly about 5-6 seconds. The undoubted positive was the absence of any detonator in the grenade, since its powder charge was ignited by the force of the flame from the remote composition of the fuse itself. This increased the safety of handling a grenade and contributed to a decrease in the number of accidents. In addition, the charge, which had low brisance, crushed the body into relatively large fragments, giving less "dust" that is harmless to the enemy than grenades in melinite or TNT equipment.

Russia also took into account the experience of the war. In 1909-1910, artillery captain Rdultovsky developed two models of grenades with a remote fuse - a small (two-pounder) "for hunting teams" and a large (three-pounder) "for a fortress war." A small grenade, according to Rdultovsky's description, had a wooden handle, a body in the form of a rectangular box made of zinc sheet, and was equipped with a quarter pound of melinite. Plates with cruciform cutouts were placed between the prismatic explosive charge and the walls of the case, and ready-made triangular fragments (0.4 g each in weight) were placed in the corners. On tests, fragments "pierced an inch board 1-3 fathoms from the place of explosion", the throw range reached 40-50 steps.

Grenades were then considered an engineering tool and were under the jurisdiction of the Main Engineering Directorate (GIU). On September 22, 1911, the SMI Engineering Committee considered hand grenades of several systems - Captain Rdultovsky, Lieutenant Timinsky, Lieutenant Colonel Gruzevich-Nechay. Timinsky's remark about the grenade was characteristic: "It may be recommended in case you have to make grenades in the troops," - this is how they treated these ammunition at that time. But the Rdultovsky sample aroused the greatest interest, although it required factory production. After completion, the Rdultovsky grenade was adopted under the designation "grenade arr. 1912" (RG-12).

Grenade sample 1912 (RG-12) / Photo: topwar.ru.

Just before the start of the First World War, Rdultovsky improved the design of his grenade mod. 1912, and a grenade arr. 1914 (RG-14).

Grenade sample 1914 (RG-14) / Photo: topwar.ru.

By design, a hand grenade mod. 1914 did not fundamentally differ from the 1912 model grenade. But there were still changes in the design. The 1912 model grenade did not have an additional detonator. In the 1914 sample grenade, when equipped with TNT or melinite, an additional detonator made of pressed tetryl was used, however, when equipped with ammonal, an additional detonator was not used. Equipping grenades with different types of explosives led to a scatter in their weight characteristics: a grenade equipped with TNT weighed 720 grams, melinite - 716-717 grams.

The grenade was stored without a fuse and with a lowered firing pin. Before the throw, the fighter had to put the grenade on the fuse and charge it. The first meant: remove the ring, pull the drummer, drown the lever in the handle (the hook of the lever grabbed the head of the drummer), put the safety pin across the trigger window and put the ring back on the handle and lever. The second is to move the funnel lid and insert the fuse with the long shoulder into the funnel, with the short one into the chute and fix the fuse with the lid.

To throw a grenade, it was clamped in the hand, the ring was moved forward, and the safety pin was moved with the thumb of the free hand. At the same time, the lever compresses the spring and pulls the drummer back with a hook. The mainspring was compressed between the clutch and the trigger. When thrown, the lever was pressed, the mainspring pushed the drummer, and he pricked the igniter primer with a striker. Fire along the stopin threads was transmitted to the retarder composition, and then to the detonator cap, which detonated the explosive charge. Here, perhaps, are all the samples of hand grenades that were modern at that time, which were in the arsenals of the military when the Great War broke out.

World War I

On July 28, 1914, the First World War began, one of the largest armed conflicts in the history of mankind, as a result of which four empires ceased to exist. When, after an extremely dynamic campaign, the front lines froze in trench warfare and the opponents sat in their deep trenches almost at stone-throwing distance, the history of the Russo-Japanese War repeated itself again, with one exception - Germany. The Kugelhandgranate spherical grenade was the very first to be mass-produced in large enough quantities and supplied to the troops. The rest had to improvise again. The troops began to help themselves and began to produce various homemade grenades. Using empty cans, wooden boxes, cartons, pipe cuts, and the like, often wrapped with wire or stuffed with nails, more or less effective explosive devices were produced. Also, the most diverse were the charges, as well as detonators - simple fuse cords, grating fuses, and so on. The use of such ersatz was often associated with a risk for the throwers themselves. It required a certain dexterity and composure, therefore it was limited to sapper units and small, specially trained infantry units.

In relation to the efforts expended on production, the effectiveness of homemade grenades left much to be desired. Therefore, with an increasing pace, more effective and convenient grenades began to be developed, suitable, in addition, for serial mass production.

It is not possible to consider all the samples that the designers created during the First World War in the volume of one article. Only in the German army during this period, 23 types of various hand grenades were used. Therefore, we will focus on two designs that ultimately led to the appearance of the F-1 grenade.

Taking into account the experience of the fighting in 1914, the British designer William Mills developed a very successful, one might say, classic model of a grenade. The Mills grenade was adopted by the British Army in 1915 under the name "Mills Bomb No. 5".

Mills Bomb No. 5 / Photo: topwar.ru.

The Mills grenade is an anti-personnel, defensive, remote-action fragmentation hand grenade.

Grenade No. 5 consists of a body, an explosive charge, a shock-safety mechanism, and a fuse. The body of the grenade is designed to accommodate an explosive charge and the formation of fragments during an explosion. The body is made of cast iron, it has transverse and longitudinal notches on the outside. There is a hole in the lower part of the body into which the central tube is screwed. In the central channel of the tube there is a drummer with a mainspring and an igniter primer. The fuse itself is a piece of igniter cord, at one end of which an igniter cap is fixed, and at the other end a detonator cap. It is inserted into the side channel of the tube. The housing opening is closed with a screw plug. To use the Mills Bomb No. 5 grenade, it is necessary to unscrew the washer on the underside of the grenade, insert the detonator cap into it and screw the washer back into place. To use a grenade, you must take the grenade in your right hand, pressing the lever against the body of the grenade; with your left hand, bring together the antennae of the safety pin (cotter pin) and, pulling the ring, pull the cotter pin out of the hole in the lever. After that, swinging, throw a grenade at the target and take cover.

The British managed to create a truly outstanding weapon. The Mills grenade embodied the tactical requirements of "trench warfare" for this type of weapon. Small, handy, this grenade was conveniently thrown from any position, despite its size, it gave a lot of heavy fragments, creating a sufficient area of ​​​​destruction. But the grenade's greatest merit was its fuse. This consisted in the simplicity of its design, compactness (there were no protruding parts), and the fact that, having pulled out the ring with the pin, the fighter could safely hold the grenade in his hand, waiting for the most favorable moment for the throw, since until the lever held by the hand rises , ignition of the moderator will not occur. German, Austro-Hungarian and some French grenades did not have this truly necessary feature. Having such a feature, the Russian Rdultovsky grenade was very difficult to use, its preparation for the throw required more than a dozen operations.

The French, who suffered from German grenades in 1914 no less than the British, also decided to create a grenade with balanced characteristics. Correctly taking into account the shortcomings of German grenades, such as a large in diameter, an inconvenient body to grasp by hand, like a grenade of the 1913 model, an unreliable fuse and a weak fragmentation action, the French developed a grenade design that was revolutionary for its time, known as F1.

F1 with shock ignition fuse / Photo: topwar.ru

Initially, the F1 was produced with a shock ignition fuse, but it was soon equipped with an automatic lever fuse, the design of which, with minor changes, is still used in many NATO armies to this day. The grenade was a cast iron ribbed egg-shaped case, with a fuse hole, which was more convenient for throwing than the round or disc-shaped case of German grenades. The charge consisted of 64 grams of explosive (TNT, Schneiderite or less powerful substitutes), and the weight of the grenade was 690 grams.

Image: topwar.ru.

Initially, the fuse was a design with a percussion igniter cap and a retarder, after which the blasting cap fired, causing the grenade to detonate. It was put into action by hitting the fuse cap on a solid object (wood, stone, butt, etc.). The cap was made of steel or brass, had a striker on the inside that broke the primer, like a rifle, setting fire to the moderator. For safety, the fuses of the F1 grenades were equipped with a wire pin, which prevented the primer from touching the firing pin. Before the throw, this fuse was removed. Such a simple design was good for mass production, but the use of a grenade outside the trench, when it was not possible to find that same hard object, clearly made it difficult to use the grenade. Nevertheless, the compactness, simplicity and high efficiency provided the grenade with immense popularity.

At the time of the explosion, the body of the grenade is torn into more than 200 large heavy fragments, the initial expansion velocity of which is about 730 m / s. At the same time, 38% of the hull mass goes to the formation of lethal fragments, the rest is simply sprayed. The reduced area of ​​fragmentation is 75–82 m2.

The F1 hand grenade was quite technologically advanced, did not require scarce raw materials, carried a moderate explosive charge and at the same time had great power and produced a large number of lethal fragments at that time. Trying to solve the problem of proper crushing of the hull during an explosion, the designers used a deep notch on the hull. However, combat experience has shown that with modern blasting explosives, a body of this shape is unpredictably crushed during an explosion, and the main number of fragments has a small mass and is low-lethal already within a radius of 20-25 meters, while heavy fragments of the bottom, the upper part of the grenade and the fuse have a high energy due to their mass and are dangerous up to 200 m. Therefore, all statements about the fact that the notch aims to form fragments in the form of protruding ribs is at least incorrect. The same should be said about the clearly overestimated range of destruction, since the range of continuous destruction by fragments does not exceed 10-15 meters, and the effective range, that is, one where at least half of the targets will be hit, is 25-30 meters. The figure of 200 meters is not the range of destruction, but the range of safe removal for their units. Therefore, it was necessary to throw a grenade from behind a shelter, which was quite convenient in the event of a positional war.

The shortcomings of the F1 with a shock fuse were very soon taken into account. The imperfect fuse was the Achilles' heel of the whole design, and compared to the Mills grenade, it was clearly outdated. The very design of the grenade, its efficiency and production features did not cause any complaints, on the contrary, they were outstanding.

Then, in 1915, in a short time, French designers invented an automatic spring fuse of the Mills type, however, in many respects superior to it.

F1 with automatic lever fuse / Photo: topwar.ru.

Now a grenade ready to be thrown could be held in hands indefinitely - until a more favorable moment for the throw came, which is especially valuable in a fleeting battle.

A new automatic fuse was combined with a retarder and detonator. The fuse was screwed into the grenade from above, while Mills' fuse mechanism was integral to the body, and the detonator was inserted from below, which was very impractical - it was impossible to visually determine whether the grenade was loaded. The new F1 did not have this problem - the presence of a fuse was easily determined and meant that the grenade was ready for use. The remaining parameters, including the charge and burning rate of the moderator, remained the same as in the F1 grenade with a shock ignition fuse. In this form, the French F1 hand grenade, like the Mills grenade, has become a truly revolutionary technical solution. Its shape and weight and size indicators were so successful that they served as an example to follow and were embodied in many modern models of grenades.

During the First World War, F 1 grenades were supplied in large quantities to the Russian army. As in the west, the fighting soon revealed the urgent need for the Russian army to be armed with hand grenades. They did this at the Main Military Technical Directorate (GVTU) - the successor to the SMI. Despite the new proposals, grenades arr. 1912 and 1914. Their production is being established in state-owned technical artillery institutions - but, alas, too slowly. From the beginning of the war to January 1, 1915, only 395,930 grenades were sent to the troops, mainly mod. 1912 From the spring of 1915, grenades gradually come under the jurisdiction of the Main Artillery Directorate (GAU) and are included in the number of "main means of artillery supply."

By May 1, 1915, 454,800 grenades mod. 1912 and 155 720 - arr. 1914 Meanwhile, in July of the same year, the Chief of the GAU estimates only the monthly need for hand grenades at 1,800,000 pieces, and the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief informs the Chief of the Military Ministry of the opinion of the Supreme on the need to procure "revolvers, daggers and, especially, grenades" with reference to experience of the French army. Portable weapons and hand grenades are indeed becoming the main armament of the infantry in the trench warfare (at the same time, by the way, means of protection against hand grenades appeared in the form of nets over the trenches).

In August 1915, a demand was made to increase the supply of grenades to 3.5 million pieces per month. The range of use of grenades is growing - on August 25, the Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the North-Western Front asks for the supply of "hand bombs" to the partisan hundred for operations behind enemy lines. Okhtensky and Samara explosives plants have handed over by this time 577,290 grenades mod. 1912 and 780,336 grenades arr. 1914, i.e. their production for the whole year of the war amounted to only 2,307,626 pieces. To solve the problem, orders for grenades are being placed abroad. Among other samples, it is supplied to Russia and F1. And together with others, after the end of the World War and the Civil War, it is inherited by the Red Army.

F1 to F1

In 1922, seventeen types of hand grenades were in service with the Red Army. Moreover, not a single fragmentation defensive grenade of our own production.

As a temporary measure, the Mills grenade was adopted, the stocks of which in warehouses were about 200,000 pieces. As a last resort, French F1 grenades were allowed to be issued to the troops. French grenades were delivered to Russia with Swiss impact fuses. Their cardboard cases did not provide tightness and the detonation composition dampened, which led to massive grenade failures, and even worse, to lumbago, which was fraught with an explosion in the hands. But given that the stock of these grenades was 1,000,000 pieces, it was decided to equip them with a more advanced fuse. Such a fuse was created by F. Koveshnikov in 1927. The tests carried out made it possible to eliminate the identified shortcomings, and in 1928 the F1 grenade with a new fuse was adopted by the Red Army under the name F-1 hand grenade with a fuse of the F.V. Koveshnikov.

Image: topwar.ru

In 1939, military engineer F.I. Khrameev of the People's Commissariat of Defense plant, modeled on the French F-1 fragmentation hand grenade, developed a sample of the domestic F-1 defensive grenade, which was soon mastered in mass production. The F-1 grenade, like the French F1 model, is designed to defeat enemy manpower in defensive operations. With its combat use, the throwing fighter needed to take cover in a trench or other protective structures.

In 1941, the designers E.M. Viceni and A.A. Bednyakov developed and put into service instead of Koveshnikov's fuse, a new, safer and simpler fuse for the F-1 hand grenade. In 1942, the new fuse became the same for F-1 and RG-42 hand grenades, it was called UZRG - "unified fuse for hand grenades." The fuse of a grenade type UZRGM was intended to explode the explosive charge of a grenade. The principle of operation of the mechanism was remote.

Image: topwar.ru

The manufacture 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 ship repair plant, a mechanical plant and a railway junction in Kandalaksha, the central repair shops of the NKVD Soroklaga, artele "Primus" (Leningrad), many other non-core other domestic enterprises.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, grenades were equipped instead of TNT even with black powder. A grenade with such a filling is quite effective, although less reliable. After World War II, modernized, more reliable fuses UZRGM and UZRGM-2 began to be used on F-1 grenades.

Currently, the F-1 grenade is in service with all the armies of the countries of the former USSR, and it has also become widespread in Africa and Latin America. Bulgarian, Chinese and Iranian copies also exist. Copies of the F-1 can be considered the Polish F-1, the Taiwanese defensive grenade, the Chilean Mk2.

It would seem that the F-1 grenade, as a representative of the classic type of hand grenades with a cast iron body of virtually natural crushing and a simple, reliable remote fuse, cannot compete with modern grenades of the same purpose - both in terms of optimal fragmentation action and in terms of the versatility of the fuse . All these tasks are solved in a different way at the modern technical, scientific and production levels. Thus, the RGO grenade (defensive hand grenade) was created in the Russian Army, largely unified with the RGN grenade (offensive hand grenade). The unified fuse of these grenades has a more complex device: its design combines remote and impact mechanisms. Grenade cases also have a significantly greater fragmentation efficiency.

Image: topwar.ru

However, the F-1 grenade has not been withdrawn from service and will probably be in service for a long time. There is a simple explanation for this: simplicity, cheapness and reliability, as well as time-tested qualities are the most valuable qualities for a weapon. And in a combat situation, it is not always possible to oppose these qualities with the technical perfection that requires large production and economic costs. In support of this, we can say that the English Mills grenade mentioned in the article is still formally in service with the armies of NATO countries, so in 2015 the grenade also celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Why "lemon"? There is no consensus about the origin of the nickname "lemon", which is called the F-1 grenade. Some attribute this to the similarity of a grenade with a lemon, however, there are opinions claiming that this is a distortion from the surname “Lemon”, who was the designer of English grenades, which is not entirely true, because the French invented the F1.

There are many weapons in the world that are truly legendary in themselves. This also includes the lemon grenade, better known under the F-1 index. Many believe that it appeared relatively recently, while this is far from the case: this type was already in service with the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War. So when did the "lemon" appear and what are its advantages and disadvantages?

Main characteristics

This grenade belongs to the class of hand-held defensive weapons. Simply put, it is intended to defeat the enemy’s manpower with fragments as a result of its use by the soldier manually, without the use of any throwing aids. In a word, a classic grenade, the principle of operation of which has not changed since the time of the glorious scorer Pyotr Alekseevich. Deceleration time - from 3.2 to 4.2 seconds, quite "blurred".

What is the defensive variety? This term means that during the explosion a sufficiently large number of massive fragments are formed, flying to a distance significantly exceeding that for a throw. After throwing such a grenade, a soldier must jump into a fairly reliable shelter without fail. Otherwise, there is a high probability of his being hit by his own weapon. That's what grenade is called "lemon".

External differences

A characteristic feature is the ribbed body, cast from a special grade of cast iron. It is subdivided into exactly 32 segments. Theoretically, this should mean that the same 32 fragments are formed during detonation, but in practice this does not always work out. Together with the fuse of the lemon grenade, it weighs as much as 0.6 kg. TNT plays the role. Weight - 60 grams. The fuse is characterized by its versatility, as it can be used simultaneously with the RGD-5. Its index is UZRGM.

It should be remembered that combat grenades are painted strictly green, which can vary from khaki to dark olive. The training version is black, in this case there are two white stripes on the surface of the "projectile". In addition, the training grenade "lemon" has a hole in the bottom. Important! The combat fuse has no indication color.

The training grenade is different in that it has a check and the entire lower part of the pressure lever is painted scarlet. Since it is possible to make a training “lemon” (grenade) from a combat one, by unscrewing the fuse and “frying” the body on a fire (explosives will simply burn out, without an explosion), this feature should not be forgotten when making an “ersatz”. Otherwise, in the exercises, someone can "catch" a heart attack.

Where did the "lemonka" come from in the Russian land?

Most likely, the Mils grenade during the First World War served as a prototype. At that time, it was the most advanced weapon in its class. This assumption is certainly not without a grain of truth, since they are surprisingly similar in form and principle of construction of the fragmentation jacket. However, there is another point of view.

F. Leonidov believes that the French F-1 (!), Which was put into service in 1915, and ... the English Lemon grenade (one of the versions why the F-1 grenade is called "lemon") served as a direct model for assembly. But whether this is actually so, no one can prove.

In principle, this is not so important, because the design of the fuse is primordially domestic, and the high manufacturability of production is a tribute to the Soviet weapons tradition. Both English and French samples of the WWII times are much more difficult to manufacture and more expensive.

Various ignition options

At first, it was equipped with a fuse, the author of the design of which was F.V. Koveshnikov. According to the principle of operation, it was absolutely similar to the modern one, but it was somewhat more labor-intensive to manufacture. But its main drawback was that only the hand-held defensive grenade F-1 "lemon" "ate" it.

About correct use

Before use, the soldier must unbend the safety antennae, and then take the grenade in such a way that the hand completely fixes the clamping lever to the body. Just before the throw (!) you need to pull out the pin. You can keep the "lemon" in this position for an indefinitely long time, since when the lever is compressed, the primer is not initiated, and therefore the explosion will not occur.

As soon as the target is chosen, you should vigorously throw a grenade at it. The lever at this moment will turn, releasing the combat drummer, and fly off to the side. The striker initiates the primer (piercing it), and after three to four seconds an explosion will occur.

Do you remember how an episode was repeatedly shown in films when a desperate sailor (soldier, revolutionary, partisan, etc.) in the last, desperate jerk pulls out the pin with his teeth? If you decide to repeat this trick, make sure you have a good dentist in advance, as you will 100% have to change your front teeth. Even with a hand, if the fixing antennae are not unbent, such a feat can only be accomplished so what kind of teeth are there ... In a word, do not try to tear out the pin in this way!

Tales from the landfill, or Feedback on the use

All sorts of people get into our army. For some, the “lemon” (a training grenade, but this does not particularly affect the situation) causes such uncontrollable horror that at the firing line they begin to do a variety of “indecency”. Most often this is expressed in the fact that a person tightly squeezes it in his hands and does not hear any orders.

Others are able to throw a pin at the target or, swinging for a “heroic” throw, launch a grenade a meter and a half. It's not a firecracker - a grenade! "Lemon" in this case is indeed deadly not for the target, but for the fighter himself.

Oddly enough, but women in the army behave much more adequately when handling such a dangerous object. They are focused, efficient and diligent. Emotions at this moment do not visit them at all! But after the throw, they willingly share with their friends about the "experienced horror" and "shaking hamstrings."

Advantages of F-1

Why is it that this weapon, which actually appeared a hundred years ago, is still actively used not only in our army, but also in the Armed Forces of other states of the former USSR? The most important circumstances are simplicity, manufacturability and low cost of production. The process of the latter was extremely simple: the body was cast, molten TNT was placed in it, cooled ...

And the grenade was ready! Compare this with the release of the same RGS, when steel, plastic, and other materials are used. Limonki, on the other hand, could be produced by any enterprise that had at least some kind of foundry.

In addition, the weight of the grenade allows it to be used effectively in urban environments: being thrown with sufficient energy, it will easily fly through glass, branches, and other obstacles. In addition, the detonation does not depend in any way on the force with which the F-1 collides with the surface. It can fall on wood, stone, steel, swamp or river, but will still explode (usually).

In addition, the F-1 "lemon" grenade is quite powerful and lethal. What else do the military need? Oddly enough, a lot. These grenades also have disadvantages.

Cons of "lemon"

First, weight. As much as 0.6 kg! In combat conditions, this is a very significant mass. Secondly, the “blurred” action of the fuse: from 3.2 to 4.2 s. Moreover, in practice, samples are constantly encountered that can explode both after a shorter and after a longer time. In one of the parts of Transbaikalia, this circumstance almost led to tragedy when a grenade exploded eight seconds later!

The soldier at this time had already leaned out from behind the shelter, and only by a lucky chance he was not chopped into fragments. In addition, in combat conditions, the prolonged action of the fuse can lead to the fact that a particularly "nimble" enemy will simply throw out the "gift" that has flown to him.

Thirdly, there is no option for a grenade that would be detonated immediately after contact with the target. These are the so-called mountain models. In Afghanistan, this has repeatedly led to tragedies when a thrown projectile bounced off a stone and flew back. All these shortcomings were absent in the RGN. But they were much more expensive and more difficult to manufacture, and their release fell on the period of the collapse of the USSR. So the same “efka” remained on guard.

The F1 "lemon" grenade, having many positive qualities, will in any case be in service with our army for many years to come.