The weight of the equipped grenade f 1. Hand-held fragmentation grenades and fuses used with them. The uniqueness of the F1 grenade

Drawing. Hand fragmentation grenades poster 2000x1333 pixels

Hand grenades

Hand grenades are divided into two types: offensive and defensive.
In fact, they are similar and the principle of operation is the same, but there are differences, knowing which the maximum efficiency is achieved when using hand grenades. Many served in the army, but not everyone had the opportunity to use real, not training grenades, and most generally only know about them from films. But as you know, in films, entertainment and special effects come first, and no one thinks about realism. Now let's figure out what is the difference between offensive and defensive grenades.
The main difference is the number and weight of fragments scattered during the explosion of a grenade. Offensive grenades are lighter, they can be thrown at a greater distance. Offensive grenades have a smaller radius of destruction and a smaller weight of fragments. This is necessary in order not to injure yourself and your comrades-in-arms with a large number of heavy fragments during the offensive. Attackers are usually in worse conditions, in comparison with the defenders, who, as a rule, have shelters, buildings, trenches at their disposal. Any grenade that hits exactly on target will disable the infantry, but fragments from an offensive grenade will not fly back.
Grenades are defensive, have a larger radius of destruction, fragments that are heavier and more dangerous in terms of lethal force. Such grenades are thrown from trenches, buildings, shelters. The spread of fragments is greater, the probability of destroying the advancing enemy is greater. And since the thrower of a defensive grenade is in cover, he is not afraid of fragments from his own grenade.

Hand fragmentation grenade RGD-5

RGD-5 - (hand grenade, remote, Index GRAU - 57-G-717) offensive hand grenade, refers to anti-personnel fragmentation hand grenades of remote offensive type. This means that it is designed to destroy enemy personnel with hull fragments during its explosion. The grenade reaches its target by throwing it with the hand. Remote action - means that the grenade will explode after a certain time (3.2-4.2 seconds) after it is released, regardless of other conditions. Offensive type - means that grenade fragments have a small mass and fly at a distance less than the possible throw range.

Characteristics of RGD-5

Weight, kg: 0.31
Length, mm: 114
Diameter, mm: 56.8
Explosive: TNT
Mass of explosive, kg: 0.11
Detonation mechanism: Fuse UZRG, UZRGM, or UZRGM-2
The burning time of the moderator fuse 3.2-4.2 seconds.

Externally, the grenade has an oval body made of thin steel. The streamlined body is assembled from the upper and lower parts, each of which includes outer shell and insert. The opening for the fuse during storage is closed with a plastic stopper. The mass of a grenade with a fuse is 310 g. The explosive charge is TNT weighing 110 grams. The range of fragmentation is 25 - 30 meters.

The grenade fuse is universal, also suitable for RG-42 and F-1 grenades. Brand sunk: UZRG, UZRGM (since the second half of the 1950s), or UZRGM-2. All of these fuses are interchangeable.
RGD-5 and a fuse for her. The fuse hole in the body of the grenade is closed with a plastic stopper so that dirt does not get in.

Fuse grenade UZRGM

Application of RGD-5

To use a grenade, it is necessary to unbend the antennae of the safety pins, take the grenade into right hand(for right-handers) so that the fingers press the lever against the body.

Before throwing a grenade, threading forefinger left hand in the ring checks, pull out the check. The grenade can continue to remain in the hand for as long as you like, since until the lever is released, the firing pin cannot break the primer.

After choosing the moment of throw and the target, throw a grenade at the target. At this moment, the lever under the influence of the drummer spring will turn, releasing the drummer, and fly off to the side. The drummer will prick the primer and after 3.2-4.2 seconds an explosion will occur.

The RGD-5 grenade was put into service in 1954 to replace the RG-42 offensive grenade. The experience of World War II showed that the range of RG-42 fragments sometimes exceeded the throw range, creating a threat of defeat for the thrower.

The training and simulation modification of the grenade is called URG-N (training hand grenade - offensive).

Fragmentation grenade RGD-5

Drawing. Fragmentation grenades RGD-5 F-1 RGN RGO

Hand anti-personnel grenade F-1

(GRAU index - 57-G-721)

The F-1 grenade is designed to defeat manpower in a defensive battle. Due to the significant radius of fragmentation, it can only be thrown from behind cover, from an armored personnel carrier or from a tank.

Characteristics of F-1

Diameter, mm 55
Case height, mm 86
Height with fuse, mm 117
Grenade weight, kg 0.6
Mass of explosives, kg 0.06-0.09
Type BB TNT
Fuse UZRGM
Deceleration time, sec 3.2-4.2
Throw range: 35-40 m
Shrapnel damage radius: 5 m
200 m - safe distance
Ignition deceleration time: 3 2-4.2 sec
The number of fragments is up to 300 pcs.

Of course, these are not really airplanes, and they cannot live without pilots, but ... Not pilots, but operators, and not airplanes, but rather airplanes. But with certain abilities and hidden abilities.

1. "Garnet-1"

A wearable complex for remote monitoring and relaying, designed for aerial reconnaissance using photo and video equipment. It is part of the "Gunner-2" complex of cannon artillery and MLRS divisions.

Designed in accordance with the scheme "flying wing" of composite materials.

Wingspan - 0.82 m.
Flight altitude - up to 3500 m.


The maximum flight duration is 75 minutes.
Range up to 10 km in line of sight.
Takeoff weight - 2.4 kg.

The engine is electric.

The complex "Granat-1" includes:

UAV Granat-1 - 2 pcs.
Ground control station - 1.
Transport backpack - 1.
A set of interchangeable payload modules - 1 set (photo and TV).
Catapult - 1.

Developer and manufacturer - Izhmash LLC.

2. "Garnet-2"

It is also included in the Gunner-2 complex of cannon artillery and MLRS divisions.

A portable remote surveillance and relaying complex designed for aerial reconnaissance using photo, video and thermal imaging equipment at any time of the day at a distance of up to 15 km.

Wingspan - 2 m.
Flight altitude - up to 3500 m.
Cruise flight speed - 65 km / h.
Maximum flight speed - 120 km / h.
The maximum flight duration is 60 minutes.
Range up to 15 km in line of sight.
Takeoff weight - 3.5 kg.

Launch - from an elastic catapult or from the hand.
Landing - parachute, automatic.
The engine is electric.

It differs from "Grenade-1" in a wider range of applications. The ability to use a thermal imager makes the complex less dependent on weather conditions and time of day.

3. "Garnet-3"

The next step in the ladder of development of reconnaissance UAVs. A mobile remote surveillance and relay complex designed for aerial reconnaissance using photo, video and thermal imaging equipment at any time of the day at a distance of up to 25 km.

Wingspan - 2 m.
Flight altitude - up to 2000 m.
Cruise flight speed - 60 km / h.
Maximum flight speed - 120 km / h.
The maximum flight duration is 120 minutes.

Takeoff weight - 7 kg.

Launch - from a portable ground-based catapult.
The engine is petrol.
Tank capacity - 2 l.
Fuel consumption - 0.4 l / h.

4. "Garnet-4"

Transportable unmanned aviation complex aircraft type. It is part of the "Gunner-2" complex of cannon artillery and MLRS divisions. Designed for monitoring the underlying surface, various objects, highways, manpower, equipment on a time scale close to real, as well as radio monitoring of networks cellular communication.

Wingspan - 3.2 m.
Range - up to 100 km.
Weight - about 30 kg.
Flight speed - 90-140 km / h.
The maximum flight altitude is 4000 m.
The maximum flight duration is 6 hours.

Landing - parachute, automatic.
Takeoff - catapult.
The engine is petrol.
Tank capacity - 15 l.
Fuel consumption - 2 l/h.

Payload: up to 3 kg, type: TV / IR / EW / camera.

5. "Orlan-10"

Tactical remote-controlled reconnaissance UAV. It can carry out target designation, panoramic and planned photo and video shooting of the area, be used with an electronic warfare system to suppress radio signals as part of the Leer-3 complex (cellular communication blocker within a radius of about 6 km). There is a variant of the complex for detecting and determining the location of sources of radio emission in the VHF-UHF bands, their registration for subsequent technical analysis and automatic classification. Used as a communication repeater for the radio range and mobile communications and the Internet.

Can also be applied civil organizations for geodetic surveys, including in offline mode outside radio visibility, which is convenient for observing extended objects in hard-to-reach areas.

It is produced in modifications "Orlan-10", "Orlan-10E" (export), "Orlan-10M" and other special modifications that differ in target loads.

It can be part of complexes, including 2-4 UAVs, a ground control panel with built-in technical training aids, and a remote antenna.

UAV "Orlan-10" in the basic configuration is equipped with a camera and a gyro-stabilized television camera, and the modular load system allows you to quickly change attachments depending on the task.

The Ground Control Station (GCC) allows you to simultaneously control 4 vehicles. Any of the devices can be used as a repeater for transmitting control signals to a remote UAV.

Wingspan - 3.1 m.
Takeoff weight - up to 20 kg.
Payload: up to 5 kg.
Range: 700-1000 km (according to various sources).
The communication range with a ground antenna is up to 100 km.
Maximum speed - 150 km / h.
Cruising speed - 80 km / h.
Ceiling - up to 6000 m.

The engine is petrol.
Non-stop flight time - up to 960 minutes.
Takeoff - from a catapult.
Landing - parachute.

In one flight, it can survey an area of ​​up to 500 square meters. km.

6. Eleron-3

A reconnaissance complex designed to work at close range. Provides the possibility of round-the-clock monitoring using optical and electronic equipment. It can be used for border protection or surveillance of the territory, coast, railway or highway. Supports displaying object coordinates on the ground control panel via GLONASS or GLONASS/GPS.

Length - 0.635 m.
Wingspan - 1.47 m.
Maximum takeoff weight - 3.5 kg.
Payload weight - up to 0.5 kg.
Maximum speed - 130 km / h.
Cruising speed - 70 km / h.

The engine is electric.
Flight duration - up to 2 hours.
The maximum flight altitude is up to 5000 meters.
Range - up to 25 km.

The complex is equipped with a gyro-stabilized suspension of a replaceable modular payload: TV, thermal imaging camera, camera, electronic intelligence and jamming station.

There are many weapons in the world that are truly legendary in themselves. This includes the lemon grenade, better known under the index F-1. 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 a soldier manually, without the use of any auxiliary means for throwing. 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 in green color, which can range from khaki to dark olive. Training option- black, on the surface of the "projectile" in this case there are two white stripes. 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 design principle 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 indefinitely for a long time, since when the lever is compressed, the capsule 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

Our army gets the most different people. 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 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 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 that 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, a 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.

Grenade "lemon" F1, having many positive traits, in any case, will be in service with our army for many more years.

Today I learned for myself two things that I had imagined completely differently before. "Lemon" is not because it looks like a lemon. "Lemonka" is divided into squares not in order to be better divided into fragments. Do you want to know how things really are on these issues?

In 1922, the artillery department of the Red Army undertook to restore order in their warehouses. According to the reports of the artillery committee, the Red Army at that time was armed with grenades of seventeen various types. There was no fragmentation defensive grenade of its own production in the USSR at that time. Therefore, the Mills grenade was temporarily put into service, the stocks of which were in warehouses in in large numbers(200,000 units as of September 1925). As a last resort, French F-1 grenades were allowed to be issued to the troops. The fact was that the French-style fuses were unreliable. Their cardboard cases did not provide tightness and the detonation composition dampened, which led to massive grenade failures, and even worse, to backache, which was fraught with an explosion in the hands.

In 1925, the Artillery Committee stated that the need for hand grenades of the Red Army was satisfied by only 0.5% (!). To remedy the situation, Artkom on June 25, 1925 decided:

The Artillery Directorate of the Red Army to carry out a comprehensive test of existing models of hand grenades currently in service.
It is necessary to make improvements to the 1914 model grenade in order to increase its damaging ability.
Design a fragmentation grenade of the Mills type, but more advanced.
In F-1 hand grenades, replace Swiss fuses with Koveshnikov fuses.

In September 1925, comparative tests of the main types of grenades available in warehouses were carried out. The main test criterion was the fragmentation of grenades. The conclusions reached by the commission were as follows:

... thus, the position of the issue of the types of hand grenades for supplying the RK KA at present seems to be as follows: a hand grenade of the 1914 model equipped with melinite significantly outperforms all other types of grenades in its action and is a typical example of an offensive grenade by the nature of its action; it is only necessary to reduce the number of individual far (over 20 steps) flying fragments as much as the state of the art of this business allows. This improvement is provided for by the attached "Requirements for new models of hand grenades." Mills and F-1 grenades, provided that they are supplied with more advanced fuses, are considered satisfactory as defensive grenades, while Mills grenades are somewhat stronger in action than F-1. In view of the limited stocks of these two types of grenades, it is necessary to develop new type defensive grenade that meets the new requirements ...

In 1926, F-1 grenades were tested from those in storage (at that time there were 1 million grenades of this system in warehouses) with a Koveshnikov fuse developed in 1920. According to the test results, the design of the fuse was finalized and after military tests in 1927, the F-1 grenade with the fuse of Koveshnikov under the name F-1 hand grenade with the fuse of the F.V. Koveshnikov system in 1928 was adopted by the Red Army.

All the grenades available in the warehouses were equipped with Koveshnikov fuses by the beginning of the 1930s, and soon the USSR launched its own production of grenade cases.

In 1939, engineer F. I. Khrameev finalized the grenade - the body of the lemon became somewhat simpler, lost the lower window.

There is another version of the appearance of the F-1 grenade. In 1999, retired colonel Fedor Iosifovich Khrameev said in an interview with Kommersant Vlast magazine that in 1939 he designed the F-1 grenade.

In February 1939, I received an assignment to develop a defensive grenade ... in Moscow, I saw an album released by the Russian General Staff in 1916, where images of all those used in the first world war pomegranate. German and French were corrugated, egg-shaped. I especially liked the French F-1. It exactly corresponded to the task received: convenient to throw, safe fuse, a sufficient number of fragments. The album contained only a drawing. I developed all working drawings. I had to indulge. I replaced the simple cast iron from which the F-1 was made with steel - to increase the lethal force of the fragments.

Here is an interesting story:

As F. I. Khrameev said in an interview, preliminary tests of the grenade were minimal, only 10 were made prototypes, which were soon tested, and then the design was put into mass production:

Has there been an admissions committee?

Not really! Again, I'm alone. The head of the plant, Major Budkin, gave me a steam-cart and sent it to our training ground. I throw grenades one by one into the ravine. And on you - nine exploded, and one did not. I return and report. Budkin shouted at me: he left the secret sample unattended! I'm going back, alone again.

Was it scary?

Not without it. I lay down on the edge of the ravine, saw where the grenade lay in clay. I took a long wire, made a loop at the end and carefully hooked the grenade with it. Twitched. Didn't explode. It turned out that the fuse failed. So he pulled it out, discharged it, brought it back, went to Budkin's and put it on his table. He yelled and jumped out of the office like a bullet. And then we transferred the drawings to the Main Artillery Directorate (GAU), and the grenade was put into mass production. No experience series

In Russia, Germany and Poland it was called "lemon", in France and England - "pineapple", in Balkan countries- "turtle".

Since the grenade was developed on the basis of the French F-1 fragmentation grenade model 1915 (not to be confused with the modern F1 model with a plastic case and semi-finished fragments) and the English Lemon system grenade (Edward Kent-Lemon (Edward Kent-Lemon)) with a grating fuse supplied to Russia during the First World War. Hence the designation F-1 and the nickname "lemon".

In the troops of the pomegranate, in addition to "lemon", it was also nicknamed "fenusha". With the advent of rifle grenade and grenade launchers, the art of fighting with hand grenades began to be forgotten. But in vain. The action on the target of low-fragmentation underbarrel grenades cannot be compared with the work of the F-1 hand-held fragmentation grenade, known both to the military and civilian population codenamed "lemon". With minor structural changes, this grenade is produced in different countries world for 80 years. "Limonka" is the most powerful of all hand grenades in terms of the lethal action of fragments and the most convenient to use.

The ribs on its body - the turtle - do not exist at all for separation into fragments, as is commonly believed, but for "grasping" in the palm of your hand, for ease of holding and the possibility of binding to something when placed on a stretch as a mine. The body of the F-1 grenade is cast from the so-called "dry" cast iron, which, during the explosion of a blasting (crushing) charge, breaks into fragments ranging in size from a pea to a match head, of an irregular torn shape with torn sharp edges. In total, up to four hundred such fragments are formed! The shape of the case is chosen exactly this way, not only for the convenience of holding. Until now, no one can explain why, but during the explosion of a "lemon" on the surface of the earth, the scattering of fragments occurs mainly to the sides and very little upwards. At the same time, the grass is “mowed down” completely within a radius of 3 m from the explosion site, a continuous defeat of the growth target is ensured within a radius of 5 m, at a distance of 10 m the growth target is hit by 5-7 fragments, at 15 m - by two or three.

Diameter - 55 mm
Case height - 86 mm
Height with fuse - 117 mm
Grenade weight - 0.6 kg
Mass of explosives - 0.06-0.09 kg
Deceleration time - 3.2-4.2 sec
Radius of continuous defeat - 10 m

The range of fragments with lethal force reaches 200

The design of the grenade turned out to be so good that it is still produced and is in service with many countries. The fact that the F-1 is a high-quality weapon can also be proved by the fact that it was taken as a prototype by the Chinese "craftsmen", starting to produce a fake in their characteristic form. And this, as you know, best sign quality. In addition, the F-1 is also produced in Iran, also completely copying the Soviet model.

During the Great Patriotic War, the F-1 became the main anti-personnel grenade used in all military branches. Despite the fact that it is considered a fragmentation grenade, the F-1 was also used to blow up tanks, putting several grenades in one bag and throwing it under the caterpillar.

Another property of the "lemon" can be called its ability to be used as a stretch mine. F-1 is easy to install by pulling a stretching wire, thereby eliminating the need to carry special mines with you, and this, especially for sabotage groups, was of great importance.

The fame of F-1 was added by the cinema. This grenade is a mandatory attribute of any "cinematic" battle. But the directors, using F-1 in the frame, did not really think about the realism shown in the films, so certain movie bloopers began to be perceived as real facts, although they were not.

For example, very often you can see how "lemons" are worn on the belt or on the chest, hung around them. But when moving over rough terrain, there is a high probability of catching on something and causing an involuntary explosion. Therefore, a grenade was carried either in a pouch or in pockets, but never openly. In addition, often the pin in the frame is pulled out with teeth. In life, this will not work, because the effort required to break the checks must be made significant.

It became a "lemon" and the most popular weapon in the dashing 90s. A lot of groups used it, along with the Kalashnikov assault rifle, as the main striking force in gang wars.

F-1 once again proved the proverb "Everything ingenious is simple." After all, having existed for more than 70 years, the grenade will remain in service for a long time.

The F-1 hand grenade ("lemonka") appeared in service with the Red Army in the 1920s. Having undergone a number of changes, F-1 grenades serve to this day.

Having inherited a wide variety of hand grenade samples from the Russian army, the Red Army in the 1920s began to select and develop samples for further production. The most suitable prototype for a defensive fragmentation hand grenade was the French F.1 model 1915.

FROM F-1 TO F-1

The French F.1, however, had an unreliable and not very comfortable fuse. The designer F.V. Koveshnikov managed to solve the problem of creating a new remote-action fuse. The fuse of his design was supplied with a shock igniter mechanism with a safety lever. Reduced from 5-7 to 3.5-4.5 seconds, the fuse deceleration time reduced the enemy’s chances of taking cover or throwing off a grenade. A cast-iron defensive grenade with a Koveshnikov fuse was put into service in 1928, and at first these were old French grenades - mass production and equipment of domestic corps was established only in the 1930s. In addition to the F-1 index, the grenade received the nickname "lemon". It apparently comes from the British Lemon grenade of the same 1915, with which the F.1 case also bears some resemblance. Like the F.1, the Lemon grenade (also known as the "English oval") was supplied to Russia during the First World War.

The F-1 grenade received index 57-G-721 from the Artillery Directorate of the Red Army. In 1939, engineer F. I. Khrameev modernized the grenade. With a change in the method of equipment, the body of the "lemon" lost the lower window, which was previously closed with a cast-iron cork.

MASS RELEASE

The production of hand grenades expanded dramatically during the Great Patriotic War with the involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises both in the rear and in front-line cities. So, in Moscow, a number of factories made F-1 grenade cases, fuses for them were made by the Moscow Prosthetic Plant. Semashko, plant EMOS organization of the blind. Vladimir gramophone factory. The report of the First Secretary of the Moscow and Moscow City Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, A.S. Shcherbakov, dated December 6, 1941, stated, in particular: “... In the production of hand grenades, Moscow occupies a special place ... The brake plant and NATI did not complete the assignment for the F-1 grenade ... we can drastically increase the production of hand grenades, especially lemons. .. The work of equipment factories in November was limited by the lack of explosives. Therefore, along with increased imports, the production of explosives was organized at a number of Moscow chemical plants. The increase in production was also limited by the lack of fuses. This has given rise to a number of new proposals.

In particular, in the same 1941, the Moscow engineer Charushin (also referred to in the documents as "Chashnikov") proposed the design of a grating fuse using non-deficient materials. Charushin's fuse provided a slowdown of 3.8-4.6 s, the usual F-1 grenades equipped with surrogate explosives were used. In besieged Leningrad, surrogate explosives created on the spot, including ammonium nitrate, were used to equip the F-1. The enterprises of the besieged Sevastopol by November 1941, among other ammunition, produced 50 thousand F-1 grenades. In the rear Kirov and the region, the F-1 grenade was made by the Kirov Aggregate Plant, union workshop No. 608. The list goes on. In 1942, a universal fuse of the UZRG system of E. M. Viceni and A. A. Bednyakov, which was easier to manufacture and handle, was adopted.

F-1 was adapted for this fuse (UZRG was also used with offensive grenades RG-42 and RGD-5).

GRENADE DEVICE

The F-1 grenade consists of a body, an explosive charge and a fuse. The body with wall thickness up to 10 mm is made of cast iron with an external notch. The screwed hole for the fuse was closed with a plastic stopper during storage (wooden stoppers were also used during the war years). The fuse of the UZRG includes percussion mechanism with a safety lever and a check with a ring and the fuse itself, including an igniter cap, a moderator and a detonator cap. The drummer is pre-cocked. The fuse is worn separately and screwed into the body opening before use. After removing the checks, the drummer is held by a lever pressed against the body with the palm of the thrower. When thrown, the lever is separated, the lowered drummer breaks the primer-igniter, which transmits a beam of fire to the retarder composition. The latter, after burnout, initiates a blasting cap, which causes the detonation of the bursting charge.

Since 1955, a modernized UZRGM fuse was installed with a low-gas, more stable retarding composition (instead of pressed black powder in the UZRG). Subsequently, the fuse was further upgraded and received the designation UZRGM-2.

The hull at break gives 290-300 large heavy fragments with initial speed about 730 m/s. The reduced area of ​​fragmentation is 75-82 mg. The large radius of the lethal action of the fragments determined the nature of the grenade as "defensive", thrown from behind cover. According to experts, however, only 38-40% of the mass of the F-1 hull goes to the formation of lethal fragments, the rest is simply sprayed.

VETERAN OF "POCKET ARTILLERY"

In the troops, the F-1 grenade, in addition to the "lemon", was also given the nicknames "Fenyusha" and "Fenka". Thanks to the mass production of the F-1, they made up a significant proportion of the fragmentation hand grenades of the Red Army. The scale of the expenditure of grenades can be judged by the following figures: in the battles in Stalingrad from July 12 to November 19 \ 942 Soviet troops, filed by the Main Artillery Directorate, about 2.3 million hand grenades were used, during the Battle of Kursk from July 5 to August 23, 1943 - almost 4 million, during the Berlin operation from April 16 to May 9, 1945 - about 3 million Not a single type of battle could do without hand grenades. Grenades were carried not only by shooters and machine gunners, but also by machine gunners, snipers, tankers, artillerymen, drivers, signalmen, sappers, and pilots. The crews of combat vehicles were taught to throw grenades through the upper hatches to hit the enemy in dead space. Grenades were also used as fragmentation mines.

Quite simple in production, "lemon" was produced in large quantities and remained mass-produced. long years not only in the USSR, but also in a number of other countries.