13-040-940
NAME – M39 B Smoke stick grenade
NAME (NATIVE) – Nebelhandgranate 39 B [Fog {Smoke} hand grenade], Nb Hgr 39 B
TYPE – Burning-type smoke grenade
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Germany
DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1940
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 43% Zinc powder, 57% 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. 39B” 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
After some field use of the M39 Smoke Grenade, some modifications were incorporated in the design in late 1939-1940. The HC smoke mixture was modified with 10% less zinc powder and 10% more hexachloroethane in the mixture. Additionally, the white stripe added to the middle of the grenade’s handle was retained and put on all production smoke stick grenades. An additional identification was the changing of the handle end (opposite of the smoke head) to include several raised rings. The rings allowed the smoke grenade version of a stick grenade to be identified by touch in a dark environment. 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.
