[Lone Sentry: Stick Hand Grenade, Model PH 39 (Stielhandgranate PH 39); WWII German Infantry Weapons]
   ©2010
 
 
TOC
§I
§II
  II.1
  II.2
  II.3
  II.4
  II.5
  II.6
  II.7
  II.8
  II.9
  II.10
  II.11
§III
  III.12 
  III.13 
  III.14 
  III.15 
§IV
  IV.16 
  IV.17 
  IV.18 
  IV.19 
§V
  V.20
  V.21
  V.22
  V.23
  V.24
  V.25
  V.26
  V.27
  V.28
  V.29
  V.30
§VI
§VII
[Lone Sentry: Photos, Articles, and Research on the European Theater in World War II]
  
          
 

German Infantry Weapons
Military Intelligence Service, Special Series No. 14, May 25, 1943
[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from a WWII U.S. War Department Special Series publication. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]

Section II: PISTOLS, RIFLES, AND GRENADES

8.  STICK HAND GRENADE, MODEL PH 39 (STIELHANDGRANATE PH 39)

a. How to Identify

The stick hand grenade, model PH 39, may be identified by—

(1) Metal casing or body screwed to a wooden handle with a metal cap.

(2) Model marking on the casing or body of the grenade.

(3) Cord attached to the friction igniter being also attached to the metal cap (this being observed on unscrewing the metal cap on the handle).

b. Characteristics

(1) General.—Like the model 24 stick grenade, the model PH 39 consists of a thin iron or steel casing, or head, containing the explosive filler. This head is screwed onto a hollow wooden handle, through the center of which runs a double length of cord. At one end, this cord is attached to a lead ball which is part of the friction-igniter-detonator system, and at the other end to the metal cap which screws onto the end of the handle.

(2) Table of characteristics.—

Over-all length    _ _ _ _ _ _ _    1 foot 4 inches.
Weight    _ _ _ _ _ _ _    1 pound 6 ounces.
Weight of explosive filler    _ _ _ _ _ _ _    7 ounces.
Time of delay fuze    _ _ _ _ _ _ _    4 to 5 seconds.
Effective blast radius    _ _ _ _ _ _ _    16 yards.

c. How to Operate

(1) Safety.—(a) The detonator is not assembled to the grenade until it is carried into combat.

(b) The metal cap on the end of the handle is not unscrewed until the grenade is to be thrown. The cap may be unscrewed carefully and lifted slightly to be sure that the grenade is a model PH 39, as the cord that starts the delay fuze is attached to the metal cap on the model PH 39 grenade.12 However, the cap should not be pulled away from the handle, as this action would start the fuze burning.

(2) To arm and throw.—(a) To arm grenade.—Before use in action, the grenade is ordinarily carried without the detonator assembled. To arm the grenade, the wooden handle is unscrewed from the grenade head, and the hollow end of the delay fuze is exposed; a detonator is inserted into the hollow end of the delay fuze; and the casing and the handle are screwed together again.

(b) To throw grenade.—Unscrew the metal cap and pull it away from the grenade handle to the full length of the cord. This ignites the 4- to 5-second delay fuze, and the grenade should then be thrown with an overarm motion.

(3) To disarm grenade.—The grenade is disarmed by unscrewing the handle from the head, removing the detonator from the open end of the delay fuze, and then replacing the handle.

d. Method of Carrying

Like the model 24, the PH 39 grenades are carried in—

(1) A metal case holding 15 grenades and 15 detonators.

(2) A sleeveless jacket fitting over the blouse. (In this jacket there are 10 pockets, 5 in front and 5 in back, in which the grenades are carried with the heads down.)

(3) The belt with the grenades stuck in, handle first.

e. Use as a Booby Trap

The removal of the delay element in the fuze of this grenade will cause the grenade to explode at once without the usual 4- to 5-second delay. The grenade may be examined in the same manner as is described for the model 24 grenade (see par. 7e, p. 43, above).

12 In this respect it differs from the model 24.

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