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| Type 97 |
A Type 97 grenade, with the safety fork still in place. |
| Type |
Fragmentation hand grenade |
| Place of origin |
 Empire of Japan |
| Service history |
| Used by |
Japan |
| Wars |
Second World War |
| Production history |
| Designed |
1936 |
| Specifications |
| Weight |
0.45 kg (16 oz) |
| Length |
150 mm (5⅞ in) |
|
| Filling |
TNT |
| Filling weight |
2.2 ounces (62 grams) |
Detonation
mechanism |
Pyrotechnic delay 4 to 5 seconds |
The Type 97 (or Model 97) fragmentation hand grenade was the standard Imperial Japanese Army hand grenade, during World War II. It was developed from the Type 91 which was also a fragmentation hand grenade, but predominately used as the munition for the Type 10, and Type 89 grenade launchers. It had the same principles as most of the fragmentation grenades of the period, in that; when it exploded, it dispersed sharp pieces of shrapnel. To employ the Type 97, one would remove the safety pin by pulling the cord to which it was attached, remove the protective cap which covered the striker, and then strike the latter against a hard surface, such as a rock or helmet, before throwing at the target. In practice the grenade was found to be unreliable and even dangerous to use.
[edit] References
- (1945) Handbook on Japanese Military Forces, TM-E 30-480. United States War Department.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
