13–040-938

NAME – M39 Smoke stick grenade

NAME (NATIVE) – Nebelhandgranate 39 [Fog {Smoke} hand grenade], Nb Hgr 39

TYPE – Burning-type smoke grenade

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Germany

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1938

LENGTH – 35.6 cm (14 in)

WIDTH (DIAMETER) – 7 cm (2.75 in)

WEIGHT – 0.85 kg (1 lb 14 oz)

EFFECT – Creates dense cloud of gray-white smoke lasting 1.5 to 2.5 minutes

BURN TIME – 2 minutes

FUSE TYPE – friction wire pull igniter, Brennzünder 39 (B.Z. 39) with Zündladung N2 (H2) igniter

FUSE INITIATION – Pull string with porcelain ball in base of handle under screw cap

FUSE DELAY – 4.5 seconds, 7 seconds to full smoke emmission

FILLER – Berger-type HC Composition (Zinc/Hexachlorethane 53% Zinc powder, 47% Hexachlorethane)

FILLER WEIGHT – 0.42 kg (15 oz)

AVERAGE {MAXIUM} RANGE – 35 to 40 m (38 to 44 yards)

COLOR CODE – Field grey head and metal parts, white markings

MARKINGS – Field grey metal head and handle cap, “Nb. Hgr. 39” in white letters on grenade head, 4 1 cm (0.39 in) wide white stripe sections under printing, 2 cm (0.79 in) white strip in middle of handle

Paper tag on top of head (often missing) tag reads “Lebensgefarh beim Abbrennen in geschlossenen Raümen” [Danger to life when burning in closed rooms]

MANUFACTURER – State arsenals

STATUS – Obsolete

SERVICE – German military and allied forces

     This grenade was officially introduced in an article by the Heeres-Feldzeugmeisterei [Army field staff office] in September, 1938, just a year before the war began. The smoke grenade was an almost exact copy of the high-explosive Model 24 stick grenade and was operated in the same way. To identify the smoke grenade, a hand-painted white strip was placed around the center of the handle.

    When the delay string was pulled, the fuze initiated its delay and fired the igniter capsule after 4 to 5 seconds had elapsed. The smoke composition would burn for several seconds before pouring out from the 8 holes in the bottom flange of the grenade head.